Clinton Camp Reports Record Fundraising

Senator's Aides Say Clinton Raised $26 Million In The First Quarter

(CBS/AP)  Shattering previous records, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton collected $26 million for her presidential campaign during the first three months of the year and transferred an additional $10 million from her Senate fundraising account, aides said Sunday.

The New York senator's total included $4.2 million raised through the Internet. The campaign did not specify how much of the $36 million was available only for the primary election and how much could be used just in the general election, if she were the party's nominee.

The amount outdistanced past presidential election records and set a high bar by which to measure the fundraising abilities of her chief rivals.

The fundraising deadline for the January through March period was Saturday, with financial reports due April 15.

Former Senator John Edwards reported his initial campaign cash drive at $14 million. That's double what the North Carolina Democrat raised in the same time period in his last run for the White House.

Experts have predicted this will be the first $1 billion presidential contest, reports CBS News correspondent Joie Chen. Outrageous as it sounds, it looks like they're right.

Nineteen moths ahead of election day, candidates aren't just running for president, adds Chen. They are running for the money.

Clinton, for example, hit three fundraisers in the 24 hours before Saturday's midnight deadline. Former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani pressed donor flesh just about every day for the last two weeks.

Republican Phil Gramm of Texas and Democrat Al Gore of Tennessee hold the high-water mark for first quarter receipts: $8.7 million for Gramm in 1995 and $8.9 million for Gore in 1995. Gramm dropped out before New Hampshire held that election's first primary.

Clinton's campaign manager, Patty Solis Doyle, told reporters she was "completely overwhelmed and grateful" by the support.

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Read: Clinton's Fundraising Ace In The Hole

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By not breaking down the amount available for the primaries, the Clinton camp made it impossible to make clear comparisons to past campaigns.

Most of the top tier candidates in the Republican and Democratic fields for 2008 are raising money for the primaries and the general election. The general election money can only be spent if the candidate wins the nomination.

Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., also has raised money aggressively and aides said he had more than 83,000 donors. Clinton's supporters had fretted in recent weeks that Obama could surpass her in fundraising.

Obama, in an interview with The Associated Press on Sunday, was coy.

"I think we'll do well," Obama said. "I think that we should meet people's expectations, more importantly I think we will have raised enough money to make sure we can compete for the next quarter and beyond. I think we'll do pretty well."

No Republican presidential candidates had released fundraising totals on Sunday.

For the first time since the post-Watergate era changes to campaign finance laws, candidates are considering bypassing both the primary and the general election public financing system for presidential races. Several of the top candidates are raising both primary and general election money, artificially inflating their receipts.

Candidates cannot touch their general election money and must return it to donors if they do not win the nomination.

The Federal Election Commission ruled recently that candidates could also collect general election money now and still accept public financing later, provided they returned the money they raised. The opinion came at the request of Obama, who then said he would finance his general election campaign if his Republican rival did as well.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., issued a similar challenge.

The first quarter totals are one gauge of a campaign's strength. Compared with previous elections, attention to fundraising during the first three months of this year has been especially acute because the leading candidates have decided to forgo public financing for the primaries.

[klingon69]

Not hard to do, when you hobnob with the RICH actors and actresses, entertainers.

[crater7]

THE TRAIN HAS LEFT THE STATION:
All you GOP ( want-a-be ) prez's, better look out. The Hillary Express has left the station and its on a non stop, direct route to the White House. Can anyone say." MADAME PRESIDENT "

[stevepdx1]

Not hard to do, when you hobnob with the RICH actors and actresses, entertainers.
Posted by Klingon69 at 04:18 PM : Apr 01, 2007

Right - just like hollywood actor and former trial lawyer Fred Thompson that all of you right wingers keep swooning over. The hypocrisy is unbelievable

[omega39-2009]

Not hard to do, when you hobnob with the RICH actors and actresses, entertainers.
Posted by Klingon69

Yep, big oil and big pharma are going to have to dig extra deep to give another Republican a chance.

[processor2]

The DEMOCRATS NEW MOTTO:

"Leave no millionaire behind"

OOOPS, that's right, George Soros is a billionaire

"Leave no billionaire behind"

[formrusmcsgt]

This does not bode well for any of us.

[stevepdx1]

The DEMOCRATS NEW MOTTO:

"Leave no millionaire behind"

OOOPS, that's right, George Soros is a billionaire

"Leave no billionaire behind"

Because there are NO rich people in the republican party - give me a break

[formrusmcsgt]

This broad is a common thief who tried to steal half the White House furnishings and art on the way out with Bill.

How anyone could give her five cents, much less vote for her is beyond me.

These supporters obviously feel that replacing a patholigical liar with a common thief is some kind of improvement. Go figure....

[yorkark]

It is disgusting the amount of money that is being raised for elections. This has got to stop and they need to find a better way to finance elections.

[mcvet]

Not hard to do, when you hobnob with the RICH actors and actresses, entertainers.
Posted by Klingon69 at 04:18 PM : Apr 01, 2007
+ report abuse

I would far more like to see her getting her money from Actors and the like rather than Corporations that will posion our air and kill us. There is no question the Actors Money is far cleaner than any Bush recieved and any the Republican's will get.

[mcvet]

It is disgusting the amount of money that is being raised for elections. This has got to stop and they need to find a better way to finance elections.
Posted by yorkark at 05:22 PM : Apr 01, 2007
+ report abuse

Agreed but you can't blame her because that's the ONLY way to compete right now.

[mcvet]

The DEMOCRATS NEW MOTTO:

"Leave no millionaire behind"

OOOPS, that's right, George Soros is a billionaire

"Leave no billionaire behind"



Posted by processor2 at 04:56 PM : Apr 01, 2007

I know you are trying to drum up a little hatred for the OLDEST Political Party in the Nations history here but it's week, very week. You Fascist really talk with a forked tongue. One day you say the Dem's are out to get the rich, tax them to death, then almost in the next breath you say they are all for the rich. Now everyone knows you folks aren't the sharpest knife in the drawer but COME ON!! ROFLMAO You have GOT to stop playing with that defective Swastika. It has been reported that the last batch sent out to you Nazi Youth buy Rove was defective. Produced in China or something. Anyway there's a toxic Chemical in them and you poor slobs that suck on them are in great danger!! ROFLMAO Sieg Heil ROFLMAO

[johnkuhn2]

"would far more like to see her getting her money from Actors and the like rather than Corporations that will posion our air and kill us. There is no question the Actors Money is far cleaner than any Bush recieved and any the Republican's will get."
Posted by MCVet at 05:27

Here here, Bravo! Exactly let's begin really looking at the details and stop whitewashing everything as a simple equation... Bush is Bad... Period, do not turn method's that he utilizes into our means.... Money is necessary and who gives and who receives are just as important. Same equation with the current debate concerning the funding of the war.. How dare our first MBA president disregard the most fundamental of business principle's deadlines, and accountability. That is all this bill requests he do in return. Something the American Stock Holder should require in their Countries CEO. What a pathetic idiot this lazy a hole is... Go Dem's and all the Hollywood "Elite" (people who come from all walks of America) rather that then some corporate offshoring machine.....

Sheesh, Good enough reason to steer clear of this robot. Anyone so entrenched in the money collection con, one to surely avoid. A lizzy just like her robot husband. SOme kind of extraterstrial prgrammed robot. Any figure so enamored by the collective money pool, must be avoided at all costs. A good little Brownie. You can expect more of the partry line, In short SOS. This is no women, prolly why her 'husband' seeks his intimacy elsewhere. Robot Supreme

Barak Please help us...

[cantshutup]

she could win tomorrow, anyone could, if they took every bit of money they've raised and used it instead to provide health insurance for every AMERICAN citizen...that's how she could get my vote...she seems too happy over so much money to spend on herself...scary

[scott4261]

I'm a liberal, but....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....

She gives me a very uneasy feeling. Take it from someone who lives in Arkansas.

[scott4261]

If Hillary Clinton becomes the Democratic nominee, I may just vote for Ralph Nader....something I could not be persuaded to do in 2000.

[iceman_1960]

"Shattering previous records, Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton collected $26 million for her presidential campaign during the first three months of the year..."

Cool.

Shw finally cashed my check !

[iceman_1960]

Hillary is tough and smart.

Whatever her character flaws, she'd be a massive improvement over the thoughtless joker squatting in the White House at the moment.

FDR had a few character flaws too. Most great men and women do.

[fredgrad2000]

I believe after what I've seen that of course we can do far better than GW; but Hillary isn't any improvement...there are plenty of people in contention that would be better than either our current occupant or the former occupant's wife...there actually are people who actually have principles and say what they believe (whether I agree with them or not) to everyone, not changing their views and accent (and drawl) for whatever audience they're placed in front of...Bush, Clinton, Bush, Clinton...I sure hope not...

[omega39-2009]

I'm a liberal, but....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....I don't trust Hillary....Posted by Scott4261

Scott, I'm torn between the fact that she's part of the DLC (republican light) and the fact that she is the absolute worst thing we could foist on the flag waving, bible thumping South.

[tuckerndfw]

The only differences between Hillary Clinton and George Bush are that Hilly is more intelligent and has bigger testicles.

She is also a pathological liar, considers US voters/citizens subjects over which she was born to rule, and totally dismissive of the US Constitution and rule of law as it applies to her and her cronies.

Voting for Hilly will be no different than voting for George Bush except she will trample on the Constitution and rights of American citizens in ways George Bush and his cronies never thought about.

I warned people about Bush and I am warning them about Hillary. We see what happened when you ignored me last time.


But, having said all that, she has no realistic chance of winning a national election. So, it it irrelevant how much money she throws away on useless ads.

[hawksprings]

If Hillary was a REAL liberal, she would give some of those millions to poor families.
DO IT FOR THE CHILDREN, HILLARY!

(Scott, there's still time to get our Al Gore for the Green Party nomination going...)

[j-whitman]

Hawk,, Actually her husband is actively involved in trying to solve world poverty,, She's allready done more for the children in her district than Bush could ever think of doing....

[crater7]

tuckerndfw: WOW!!! Thanks for the warning, I'm sure America thanks you also. Having said that, maybe you could give me, and of course America, you safe pick to run our country.I'm sure with your guidence the rest of us follow your lead.

[j-whitman]

omega,,,, OK don't trust Hillary, Your choice --- But obviously you still trust Bush, who today still can't tell the truth,, when his own chief strategic campaign people & others in the White House now says ---- JOHN KERRY WAS RIGHT & BUSH WAS WRONG ON IRAQ

[j-whitman]

If I was still a republican, I would be ashamed to tell anyone..... Who do they have ???

Rudy the cross dresser,, More idealogs & old corrupt politicians who America voted," no more" -- Then there's
McCain,, who keeps painting Bush's policies as successes.

[omega39-2009]

j-whitman, the verdict is still out on Hillary but she and Bill along with Lieberman are all members of the DLC, kowtowing to business first (remember bill and his coziness with the business round table and NAFTA). That being said, I would support Hillary long before I supported another FAUX Christian zealot but it bothers me that she just can't seem to take responsibility and apologize for her Iraq vote.

[rhs648]

Remember the expression "you don't miss something until you lose it." Obama, Hillary, McCain, Edwards, or Rudy. George Bush is looking better every day.

[truthword]

Why support any of them? It's just more of the same. Both parties have been hoodwinking everyone for decades, what's it gonna take folks?

[tuckerndfw]

tuckerndfw: WOW!!! Thanks for the warning, I'm sure America thanks you also. Having said that, maybe you could give me, and of course America, you safe pick to run our country.I'm sure with your guidence the rest of us follow your lead.

Posted by crater7 at 08:16 PM : Apr 01, 2007

You are welcome.

Kinky Friedman was my first choice. But, since he failed to win the governor's race in Texas, he may not be a viable choice.

Ron Paul or Bill Richardson are my two top picks from the GOP & Democratic parties.

Either one is worthy of support and your vote.

[kwlambi]

Hey USA, the last 20 years Bush, Clinton, Bush, Now who would be sane enuff to make it BCBC? come on America who is kidding who? what a joke.

[gunownerdan]

Let's see what the bible says about filthy rich power-hungry maniacs like the Clintons and the Bushes.....

"And again I say unto you, it is easier for a camel to go through to eye of needle, than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God."
- St. Matthew 19:24

I guess we just need to make sure they don't take America down with them!!!

[fascistusa]

Hillary is a NEO-CON in Sheeps clothing.

She works for The Elite. The New World Order Elites. The Fascist Elites.

NOTHING WILL CHANGE IF HILLARY "WINS".

[hypnotoad72]

Wow, that's a lot of ordinary citizens supporting her...

Meanwhile there's a new book out about Jeb Bush being the next president...

Who needs soap operas or 'reality' television? Politicians are far more interesting. :D

[j-whitman]

didntinhale,,,
, Neither Hillary or Pelosi will freak out & attack the wrong country on wrongfully hyped presumed threats,, Bush & Hitler did that allready, it didn't work out so hot for either of them.

[gunownerdan]

Like George W. Bush, Hillary Clinton would totally ignore the presidential oath of office and continue to put America at great risk.

[j-whitman]

GunOwnerDan,,, " I guess we just need to make sure they don't take America down with them"

Don't worry,, Bush allready did that, we can't go down much further without losing our nation all together.. It's cost us our National Security in many areas from trade to foreign & domestic policies.

[j-whitman]

GunOwnerDan,,, It looks like there's going to be a lot of homeless wealthy people sleeping on the sidewalks outside of them Pearly Gates.

[radiob-2009]

J Have you read this Hillary endorse PMW
http://clinton.senate.gov/news/statements/details.cfm?id=269046
Now you have to follow the whole story,it gets a little complicated, The PMW used Near East Consulting do to some of its polls and reports, the problem is that PMW did not publish the actual poll results. They manipulated the data to fit their agenda.The actual data contradicts what they state.Hillary has endorsed the PMW, can't find a reported donation from them to her but something is not right here.

[coffeehead-2009]

I say just vote for the one with the LEAST money.

#1 - they will not be endeared or indebted to anyone.

#2 - they probably still have somewhat of a conscience and a speck of ethics that hasn't be bought yet.

#3 - Ya know the media isn't being paid to "sell" us more ***.

This is totally a bi-partisan vote process; without the childish democrat/repube gibberish.
Flat out who is the most impoverished candidate.

[bigdadpatrio]

"Neither Hillary or Pelosi will freak out & attack the wrong country on wrongfully hyped presumed threats,, Bush & Hitler did that allready, it didn't work out so hot for either of them." j-whitman, first of all, for you and any of your leftist friends to compare Bush to Hitler is ignorant and ridiculous (but so are you and those who think like you). And, in regards to your quote, you are correct, as the Democrats are so worried about being politically correct, that they have no balls to stand up to any threat to the United States. I fear what types of terrorist attacks we will endure id ANY Democrat is elected President.

[randalds]

I fear what types of terrorist attacks we will endure id ANY Democrat is elected President.

Posted by BIGDADPATRIO at 12:00 AM : Apr 02, 2007

Well whenever a liberal such as myself complained about Bush it was suggested we leave the country. In that spirit when a democrat is elected in 2008 (a near certainty) I would hope you have another country picked out to go live in since you're so frightened. After all we wouldn't want your cowardly as*s here either.

[seven-pesos]

they still love that snake, bush, in the slave state south.

rednecks, phony christian creeps, republican snakes, fat obese smelly southern idiots, war makers, bible thumpers, white trash...

bush's kind of people.

they kicked that creep, bush, out of the north but bush found a home in the backward, slimeball, faith professing, hypocrite south.

ha,ha,ha.

nothing good comes out of the south!

[dog-x8]

OK seven-pack, you found me out! I am a red-neck, christian, southern, bible thumper, and I'm white. You undoubtably have a redneck, phony, christian creep,republican snake, fat obese smelly southern idiot, war maker, bible thumper, white trash, EX-WIFE, that you wanted to be a SLAVE and she kicked your sorry, backward, slimeball, hypocrite a$$ out and now your mad at all southerners! Oh Yeah,and by the way I'm a Democrat. HA-HA-HA

[book54552134]

Hillary's biggest problem -
Too many within the base of the Democratic Party, (which includes Liberal Independents as well as Liberal Democrats,) consider her to be (like her husband,) little more than 'Republican Light.'

Many are hopeful that it doesn't come to a point where they are forced to vote for her as 'the lesser of two evils,' or worse, decide not to bother to vote at all.

[formrusmcsgt]

This does not bode well for us as a nation. This broad is a common thief who tried to steal half the White House furnishings and art on the way out with Bill.

Replacing a pathological liar with a common thief is no improvement.

ANYONE BUT HILLARY!

[gunownerdan]

Hitlary Clinton can ****************.
(Maybe if she sucked on Bill's balls a little more he wouldn't have run to Monica!!!).

[bluestardad]

WHO GIVESASHIT THESE ELECTIONS ARE TOO FAR OUT! QUIT COVERING THEM!

[gunownerdan]

You can be sure that whoever is making the most money is the best one at selling themselves out to corporations and big money.