Obama's Third Quarter Haul: $20M

(CBS/AP)  Democrat Barack Obama raised more than $20 million from July through September, with $19 million going to his primary campaign and the rest allotted to the general election, his campaign said Monday afternoon.

His total for the year was nearly $80 million, his campaign said Monday.

Also on Monday afternoon, John Edwards' campaign said he raised $7 million this quarter. This is down from the $9.1 million Edwards raised in the 2nd quarter.

The third quarter takes brings Edwards' total to just over $30 million for the year so far, CBS News' Aaron Lewis reports. In a conference call with reporters, the campaign said that he has $12 million cash on hand and expects to have about $22 million with matching funds.

Obama's third-quarter contributions were less than he raised in each of the first two quarters. But the total still kept him at the top of the fundraising pack - at least temporarily. His closest fundraising rival, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, had not released her totals Monday.

The summer total includes donations from 93,000 new contributors, aides said. Overall, the Obama campaign has received contributions from 352,000 donors so far this year. Contributors are limited to a maximum of $2,300 each.

The campaign did not say how much money it had in the bank, an important figure as the presidential contest heads into one of the heaviest spending periods of the season. Obama has been spending heavily, especially in Iowa, where the first presidential caucus is scheduled for January.

Obama, like other major candidates, also has been raising money for the general election, but the bulk of his contributions are for the primaries. Since the beginning of the year, he has received nearly $75 million for the primaries and about $4 million for the general election.

Fred Thompson, the GOP newcomer, has collected more than $11.5 million since June when he began exploring a run, Republicans familiar with his fundraising said Monday. He raised over $8 million of that in the third quarter, CBS News' John Bentley reports.

While that number is expected to be lower than his GOP rivals, it eclipses the $5 million number Thompson's camp had been floating over the past few days.

On Sunday night, Democrat Bill Richardson indicated he had raised approximately $5.2 million in the third quarter.

CBS News' Joy Lin reports that when asked why the campaign decided to be first of the Democrats to release the figure, the campaign offered 'no reason.'"

Sen. Joe Biden of Delaware is expected to show nearly $2 million in new third-quarter contributions, $6.4 million for the year. And Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut raised $1.5 million in the quarter, $8.8 million for the year, and will show $4 million in the bank, his campaign said.

All the candidates were poised to begin revealing their fundraising numbers this week, leaving the details for later, when they must file financial reports with the Federal Election Commission.

The third quarter is traditionally a difficult fundraising period, and the candidates raised less in the past three months than they had in each of the first and second quarters. Obama, for instance, raised a high of $33 million in the second quarter and Edwards' best was $14 million in the first.

A key number at this stage is how much cash the campaigns have on hand. They may raise a lot, or they may raise a little, but what they have in the bank to spend in the months ahead matters most. Only Edwards and Dodd released cash-on-hand figures.

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And by the way Mitch0927, I would suggest to please avoid assuming too much. And whatever comment I made on this article its my own personal unsolicited opinion. Much better if we will respect each and eveyone''s opinion and let others be. I have no more to say to you, have a great day.

[a-ji]

A-JI, another high school drop out.


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Posted by mitch0927 at 06:01 PM : Oct 01, 2007

Mitch0927, I''''m no high school drop out. I''ve got two bachelors degree and both graduated cumlaude. How about you?

[a-ji]

A-JI, another high school drop out.


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Posted by mitch0927 at 06:01 PM : Oct 01, 2007

Mitch0927, I''m no high school drop out. I''ve got two bachelors degree and both graduated *** laude. How about you?

[erik2590]

Too funny, only the dems would pick a black man to be president... That will never happen in this country. The gross incompetence would be unbelievable.

[radiob-2009]

June 15, 2007
Dogpile Gazette






Dogpile Missouri: We caught up with Drew our hometown champion on the steps of the state capital yesterday and inquired to his campaign for president. He stated that all was going well and that momentum was gathering in his favor. When pressed on issues such as Iraq he replied that he had a concrete plan to end the war inside of six months of his presidency. Asked about the immigration issue he again reiterated that he had the only viable plan. Asked about his plan and details of Drew was quick to respond to our questions with great insight and knowledge of the subject. He spoke fluently to the mixed audience outside the steps of the capitol, which was followed by applause. He promised his plan would indeed provide better security at home and abroad. He then went on to state that he would not only finish the war in Iraq inside of six months but he would also put an end to the war on terror bringing it also to a end inside of two years. Dogpile residents and America will indeed be watching this candiate.

[gaye5]

tbweb you are spot on, and it can be done.. we do it here in OZ. our campaigning only lasts from two to 8 weeks, the trouble is that the left have funds being poured into them by the unions, Which is sad as so many of the union members don''t vote the left, but it is their money which goes towards the campaigning for the left...

[geneonlbk]

I wonder how much of the money is coming from GOP and neo-con interests.

[dante805]

All that money from wide eyed novices, wow. But what is the result? NOTHING. This guy is building a bank roll for his SENATE re-election, not the Presidential race. He hasn''t moved 2% in any poll. He could pay everyone $100 to vote for him. This guy is either dumb as a box or rocks or ... lets go with that one. He is a novice to this process but at some point he needs to critize Hitlary. ABC- anyone but Clinton, but NOT Obama

[tbweb]

The United States political process at all levels needs campaign finance reforms. Tainted money or money with strings, ropes and cables attached needs to be removed from the American political process, elected offices are not for sale in the U.S. and should not go to the highest fundraiser or bidder! Yes I know, dream on, its a little too late for that isn''t it? It''s nothing against Obama, Romney or any other candidate with a lot to spend, its just the nature of the game as it stands and therefore the nature of the beast, but no matter how you look at it everybody knows its disgusting.

[hermit22]

Get out Grandpa''s old mimugraph machine and roll out the questions and get answers from each of these political people. give them 2000 questions that they can answer and EVERYONE can read and then decide if they make sense. they money these people WASTE could solve the poverty problem in this county for the next century.