Clinton, Obama Release Fundraising Appeals

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Fundraising

Both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are out with video-based fundraising appeals today. Clinton's appeal directly acknowledges the fact that she now needs contributions to retire the $22.5 million in debt from her campaign, while Obama's shows the nominee speaking to campaign staff shortly after becoming the presumptive Democratic nominee.

"By helping us pay off our campaign debt, you're not just helping Hillary elect a Democratic president and grow our majority in Congress," reads the text on the page where Clinton's fundraising appeal appears. "You're making it possible for her to work as hard as she can on the issues we care about." Below the words is a "contribute" button.

"We still have so much to do together," Clinton says in the video. "We've made history. Let's make some more."

Watch it here.

Obama's video, apparently shot on a hand-held camera, shows the candidate on June 6th in Chicago. Below is a form to fill out to donate to the campaign.

"We don't have an option now," Obama says. "When we were at the beginning of this thing, in Iowa – if I'd lost Iowa, it would have been OK. One of the other Democrats would have emerged, and they would have carried the banner, and we would have joined their campaign, and we would have moved forward."

"But because we won, we now have no choice," he adds. "...We don't have a choice because now, if we screw this up, all those people that I've met, who really need help, they're not going to get help."

Click here to watch it.

UPDATE: John McCain has a new fundraising appeal as well. His involves not a video but a contest: "Join John McCain aboard the Straight Talk Express! Be the lucky supporter to ride with John McCain on the Straight Talk Express on an upcoming bus tour. Everyone who donates between now and June 30th is eligible."

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
Follow on Twitter »

8 Comments Have Your Say
Email Story Send to a Friend
Share This Tell Your Friends
Tweet This Tweet This
More Share It

Add a Comment


by toldyouso12 June 25, 2008 12:11 PM EDT: hose who can''''t afford it won''''t do it. Those who can, will. She has a huge constituency behind her, whether you like it or not.

Posted by libra127 at 03:51 PM : Jun 24, 2008

and yet--her large "constituency" can''t even get off of 2.00 each? If they can''t afford it, surely they can find enough cans or scrap metal to scrape up 2.00 for her? Or is the Hillary support so shallow--that even 2.00 is a stretch? LOL If her constituency is so supportive and so large--why does she need Obama supporters to help her with her debt? No aluminum siding or pop cans can be found?; Reply to this comment


by toldyouso12 June 25, 2008 12:08 PM EDT: HILLARY SUPPORTERS: If each of you 18 million voters would just give her two dollars ,(2 bucks), (2.00), ($2), she would have 36 million dollars and be out of campaign debt--then she could begin paying all those people she stiffed for months while running her campaign that she knew she could not mathematically win.

Come on--just 2.00 EACH. Or is two dollars --just a bit too much "support" for your queen? What an asset you all are--big on the hate--but can''t even give your queen two dollars to stop her from begging and relying on Obama supporters to bail her out. LMAO; Reply to this comment


by toldyouso12 June 25, 2008 5:29 AM EDT: CORRECTION:

18 million X 2 = 36 million dollars--problem solved. But noooooo, you sorry azz HRC supporters who love her--can buy a damnn big mac, or slurpee--but can''''t fork over 2 bills for your lovey--shown up for the FRAUDS you all her. She needs money--not your "love". LOL

Posted by toldyouso12 at 02:21 AM : Jun 25, 2008; Reply to this comment


by toldyouso12 June 25, 2008 5:21 AM EDT: Secondly, there are LOTS of people in this country who love her and who are not hurting for money. Those who can''''t afford it won''''t do it. Those who can, will. She has a huge constituency behind her, whether you like it or not.

Posted by libra127 at 03:51 PM : Jun 24, 2008

Then all of supporters should stop their whining and attempts to mooch off of Obama''s support and shut up and pay her Damnnnnn bills. She would not still be begging for money if all her so called supporters would get off their sorry azzes and at least give her 2 lousy dollars. 18 million X 2 + 36 million dollars--problem solved. But noooooo, you sorry azz HRC supporters who love her--can buy a damnn big mac, or slurpee--but can''t fork over 2 bills for your lovey--shown up for the FRAUDS you all her. She needs money--not your "love". LOL; Reply to this comment


by toldyouso12 June 25, 2008 5:18 AM EDT: How silly Chitown, according to your logic, Obama doesn''''t stand a
change because he didn''''t EVEN get 18 million votes. Its nice to know that you''''ve finally realized Obama is a has been.

Posted by TruUSA at 01:55 AM : Jun 25, 2008

You stooopid, noncounting *****. There are over 110 million voters--guess what? Obama got so many --and if all HRC voters voted for her--she still would not win, because everyone else LOATHES her--that would be 92 million Hillary loathers. Get a clue--no win in the primary guarantees support or a win in the general--two different beasts--but you keep on plugging the write, in, so that if we see significant numbers and Obama also loses (because HRC will not win) then we know who to pay back in 2012. Putz.; Reply to this comment


by chitown639 June 25, 2008 2:25 AM EDT: If everyone who voted in the Primaries for Hillary would vote for her as a write in candidate, She would be our next President.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by TruUSA

How silly, 18 million votes arent enough to win a General Election....get out of your dream world!!!!; Reply to this comment


by libra127 June 24, 2008 6:51 PM EDT: There is something unseemly about a politician worth over 100 million dollars asking "hard working Americans" to donate 50, 100 dollars or more to her failed campaign.

Posted by rufisgufis at 01:11 PM : Jun 24, 2008

Not at all. Firstly, she and her husband are NOT worth "over a hundred million dollars". Half that, at best. They paid a whopping tax bill and gave a huge amount to charity, remember ?

Secondly, there are LOTS of people in this country who love her and who are not hurting for money. Those who can''t afford it won''t do it. Those who can, will. She has a huge constituency behind her, whether you like it or not.; Reply to this comment


by jack3213 June 24, 2008 4:04 PM EDT: Yet my sense is something fundamental is changing in how we view Obama; he is losing what made him seem special and inspiring. He is nothing but a FRAUD. A silly black man who does not know what he stands for. An inexperianced politician who is hypocritical and seeking nothing but selfish celebritory fame. ABSURD to elect such a liar. Bill Clinton ruined it for Hillary- he will ruin it for Obama,... down comes the spider........; Reply to this comment