WASHINGTON - "Barack Obama waded deep into the Democratic base to raise a record-breaking $32.5 million in the second quarter, his campaign said yesterday - besting Hillary Clinton by $10 million in crucial cash earmarked for the primaries.
"We have built the largest grass-roots campaign in history for this stage of a presidential race," said Obama, who topped Clinton overall by $5 million.
Team Clinton, which tried to cushion the expected blow from Obama by letting it be known days ago that the New York senator would fall short, said it expected to raise $27 million to $28 million.
Clinton raised only $21 million in money designated for the primaries, compared with a $31 million windfall for Obama.
In the first quarter, Clinton raised $26 million, edging out Obama's $25.7 million.
More than 154,000 contributors kicked in to the Illinois senator's coffers from April to June. More than $31 million will be used for the primaries alone, the Obama camp said.
His huge haul shows that while Clinton holds a double-digit lead in the polls, Obama touches a chord with the party's base, said Larry Sabato, a political scientist at the University of Virginia.
"Obama stirs greater enthusiasm with the base, especially with small donors," said Sabato, who attributes Clinton's poll lead to her greater name recognition. "She's got higher poll numbers, and he's got better fund-raising numbers."
Obama broke the Democrats' $9.6 million second-quarter record for a nonelection year, set in 1995 by President Bill Clinton. President Bush holds the overall mark - $35.1 million in the second quarter of 2003.
On the Republican side, Rudy Giuliani is expected to top his $16 million first-quarter total, though the ex-mayor's campaign was not providing figures yesterday.
Although all the campaigns claimed they hit their fund-raising goals, they were withholding how much cash they have on hand and other breakdowns until their campaign finance reports are filed with the Federal Election Commission.
Former Sen. John Edwards raised more than $9 million. New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson raised more than $7 million."
Might be time for Fred and Rudy to have a serious sitdown. Elections are won by attracting the fence sitters who stare at the boob tube until they've become mesmerized enough to have someone make up their mind for them. It's almost a given that Hillary picks either Hussein or a respected Democrat who can reel in the suburbs, but since there is no such a thing as a respected Democrat she goes for the Veep who can fill her cauldron with megabucks. If Fred tosses his hat into the ring and shows he's capable of soliciting like a good Veep can solicite, then Katie, bar the door. Fat-gal and jughead are leading all comers because the Republican side is too fragmented as of yet but they'll return to earth once a genuine Repub frontrunner digs in with the blessing of the party. For my money I do wish it were the other way around. That Fred was strong enough to ask Rudy to carry his water. Come debate time, both clean fat-gal and jughead clocks like nobody's business and that will help pull the middle of the roaders along with them. With regards to filling the coffers, time's a wastin', so Fred should take a swing at doing his duty or getting off the pot.
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