Romney Gave $35M To Campaign In '07

White House Hopefuls File Year-End Reports; Obama Reports Raising $32M This Year

(AP)  One tapped his bounty of fans; the other his bounty of fortune.

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama raised a staggering $32 million in January from an ever increasing donor base, aides said Thursday. Republican Mitt Romney dipped into his personal fortune to give his presidential campaign $35 million in 2007, including $18 million in the last three months of the year alone.

Obama's $1 million-a-day rate is the largest haul ever by a presidential candidate during a competitive primary. The outpouring of money will permit Obama to boost staff and extend advertising to states beyond the sweeping Feb. 5 contests, aides said. In an e-mail to supporters Thursday evening, Obama's campaign said it had attracted 224,000 new donors in January for a total of more than 700,000 overall.

Romney reported raising $9 million in contributions and spending $33.8 million during the last three months of 2007. He did not release any fundraising numbers for January, when seven Republican contests were held, but reported $2.4 million cash on hand going into a month in which he spent heavily on advertising.

Campaign aides said he was ready to embark on an aggressive strategy to confront rival John McCain with television ads in California and other Feb. 5 states. The decision signaled that Romney might be prepared to dip into his wealth again.

Thursday was the deadline for campaigns to file their end-of-year finance reports with the Federal Election Commission, numbers that were fairly dated given the hyperactive month of January with its slew of early contests and heavy spending.

Obama is now advertising in 20 of the 22 states in play for next week's Super Tuesday and plans to begin advertising in seven more states with primaries or caucuses later in February. Rival Hillary Rodham Clinton is advertising in 12 Super Tuesday states, including her home state of New York.

Obama and Clinton have been aggressive fundraisers; each raised more than $100 million last year.

Clinton's end-of-year finance report showed she raised $26.5 million in individual contributions during the last three months of the year. She spent $39.2 million during the period and had $37.9 million left as the year began. Clinton reported an end-of-year debt of nearly $5 million. Her total contributions for the year were $107 million, including $19.5 million for the general election. She spent $80.3 million in 2007.

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The Money Race
Check out the latest tallies for Republicans and Democrats including how much they've raised and spent since the campaign began.

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Obama reported raising $22.8 million from October through December. He spent nearly $41 million during that period and ended the year with $18.6 million in the bank. He had a $792,681 debt. His contributions for the year totaled $102 million, and he spent $84.5 million.

With John Edwards out of the race, Clinton and Obama are in a fierce race for delegates to secure the nomination. Feb. 5 offers the biggest single opportunity for delegates, but it is impossible for either one to seal the nomination that day.

"We think that the strength of our financial position and the number of donors does speak to financial sustainability if it ends up going through March and April," Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said of the race. "We think we will have the financial resources to conduct vigorous campaigns in the states to come."

While the Clinton campaign has not released its January totals, Obama's fundraising for the month was expected to eclipse hers. Obama aides indicated the $32 million figure could grow once the month's fundraising is totaled.

"Once people start voting that's a more important measure of performance," said Clinton spokesman Jay Carson. As for money, "That's one measure of a campaign."

"It's one of the most important markers in the period before actual voters start voting. We're no longer in the invisible primary, we're in the real primary."

The Republican contest features far less money.

Without his personal $35 million, Romney raised $54 million in contributions in 2007 and spent $87.6 million. The former venture capitalist is worth up to $250 million.

McCain raised $37.5 million for the year and spent $39.1 million. Boosted to front-runner status after winning the Florida primary this week, McCain raised $7 million during the first three weeks of January. Advisers said his fundraising had surged since his Florida victory and since his endorsement Wednesday by Rudy Giuliani as he exited the race.

Giuliani, who dropped out of the GOP race Wednesday, raised nearly $60 million last year, according to his end-of-year report. He raised $14.2 million in the last quarter and had $12.8 million in the bank going into January. He reported a debt of nearly $1.2 million.

Republican Mike Huckabee, who had canceled his press plane last week in a money saving measure, resumed the flight this week. His campaign also planned to place television ads in Southern states in play Feb. 5, including Alabama, Georgia and his home state of Arkansas. It also planned to advertise in Missouri, Oklahoma and Tennessee.

According to his end-of-year FEC filing, Huckabee had his best quarter during the last three months of 2007 as his campaign began to gain traction, particularly in Iowa. He raised $6.6 million from October through December and had $1.9 million in the bank at year's end.

The former Arkansas governor's victory in the Iowa caucuses Jan. 3 did not translate into a wave of money. Since the South Carolina primary on Jan. 19, however, the campaign has raised more than $3 million online and $1 million at fundraisers.

Dark horse Republican Ron Paul had raised $4 million in January, according to his Web site. He caused a sensation at the end of last year with several major online fundraising days. He raised a total of $19.5 million during the final three months of the year, a sharp increase from the $5.2 million he raised during the previous quarter.

A hit piece on Romney and one of many Pro Obama articles. I expect many more articles from the media in the coming months supporting Obama. I love the free advertising they give him. Vote for him, because the media tells us he is the best.

[lone-star5]

Mitt Romney is the most intelligent, most educated, and most accomplished candidate in the GOP race. He can strengthen our economy, our borders, our military, our families, and our physical and moral environment. He has earned more in campaign contributions than any other GOP candidate for a reason. He is a problem solver by nature and will fix Washington. Believe it! He''s ready to unroll his sleeves and get to work!! He has my vote for President of the United States of America!

[terrorislam6]

hey hip hop hussein!!!

tell your brothers and sisters to stop murdering non-muslims

typical of radical retarded fascist nazi terrorislamic jihadist slavers and murders

barack hussein obama(D-KENYA)

"You are all my brothers and sisters," Mr Obama told crowds of excited residents who craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the senator.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/5290844.stm

One of Obama Jr''s great grandfathers (several generations back), "Owiny" was said to be a powerful leader of the Luo tribe, which moved into Kenya some 400 years ago.

Sarah Obama, a devout Muslim, was quoted telling Obama Jr. "What your grandfather respected was strength. Discipline. This is also why he rejected the Christian religion, I think. For a brief time he converted [to Christianity], and even changed his name to Johnson. But he could not understand such ideas as mercy towards your enemies, or that this man Jesus could wash away a man''s sins. To your grandfather, this was a foolish sentiment, something to comfort women. And so he converted to Islam-he thought its practices conformed more closely to his beliefs."
http://www.usvetdsp.com/jan08/obama_lou%20tribe.htm

Kenya, Islam and Obama Hussein
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/2008/01/obama-islam-and.html

[clovisbuford]

Thius is like watching the republican party arguing over who gets to arrange the deck chairs on the titanic . Republicans have been in charge of the legislature since 1994, earmarks went from 1400 to over 14,000, we have hasd a republican president from 2000 to 2008 the deficit has went from 4.6 trillion to 9.8 trillion, doubling in 8 years after over 200 years to get the first one .we have the spectacle of a president refusing to intervene in the Enron dismantling of the calif economy , the katrina debacle ,the federal government involvement in the Terry schiavo case. The invasion of Iraq ,the abandonment on the real war of terror on afffghanistan ,(osama who?). The drug benefit debacle , tax breaks that favor the wealthiest americans , Jack abramooof and corruption , outing an active duty CIA operator by the vice president, the attorney general scandal , torture as an american vakue , the us attorneys scandal NO corporation left behind . You know republicans like Teddy roosevelt and abe lincoln are rolling over in their grave..deck chairs on the titanic indeed

[obama1289]

Obama supporters check out this video that can bring tears to your eyes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPev5sEdTjg

[apinchofsalt]

Romney should have dropped out a long time ago. He''s dropping in the polls and lost all momentum. Romney is wasting his money.

Huckabee is surging in the polls and the best man out there. Vote Huckabee!

[bdribus]

I refuse to vote for a media-annointed candidate. My vote goes to Huckabee.

[formrusmcsgt]

"Republican Mitt Romney dipped into his personal fortune to give his presidential campaign $35 million in 2007, including $18 million in the last three months of the year alone."

Remember Steve Forbes?

[repvoter]

Romney is not trying to run a business in his campaign. He has no wish for a return on his donations. He is running for President to help us all have a better and bright future. It is his way of giving charity by dedicating his life and time to turn around our country. He did it many times before by not taking a wage and spending millions to become governor and turn around Taxachussets. He did this when he declined tens of millions to leave his work to turn around the olympics and only accepted one U.S. dollar for his work.

I can''''t believe the dumb remarks by people saying that Romney needs to keep money for his kids. You guys need to wake up. His family doesn''''t care about money. Isn''''t it obvious!

On the other hand all of the other candidates running only care about power and money and it''''s despicable.

If you people are so corrupt to think that Romney is trying to make money as President you deserve who you are supporting.

Don''''t come crying to me when the economy is down the drain and World War III is upon us.

[jonesforch]

Wow Ms. Clinton did not get a story like this when she and Mr. Clinton took dirt money and never gave back. nice reporting CBS:)

[bent1957-2009]

Those who want to make comparisons of Romney''s spending to the spending of the other candidates need to make it an "apples to apples" comparison. They would have to include all the network resources "donated" by the Mainstream Media in their fawning over McCain and Huckabee and writing 90 percent of their Romney articles with a negative slant. McCain and Huckabee haven''t had to spend a dime of their personal wealth fighting against inbred media bias.

[bent1957-2009]

Those who want to make comparisons of Romney''s spending to the spending of the other candidates need to make it an "apples to apples" comparison. They would have to include all the network resources "donated" by the Mainstream Media in their fawning over McCain and Huckabee and writing 90 percent of their Romney articles with a negative slant. McCain and Huckabee haven''t had to spend a dime of their personal wealth fighting against inbred media bias.

[sophielhu]

Romney looks too much like Foley and Craig and that Haggard to me. He looks greezy. Wear gloves if you shake that hand.
----------------------------------------
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[merlgrey]

WarDog-

its all over if you google some of the key words, ''romney offshore tax exempt accounts'' etc... or ''romney bain venture capital bankruptcy'' etc... will show up with news articles of various similarities from lots of different newspapers and online news sources like politico. this stuff has been dogging him since he ran for senate years ago... and he lost because of it, many employees he had screwed over made a stink in the media. good for them i say.

you want a good larf, google romneys former director of operations - Jay Garrity, talk about ethics....

expose the phonies. these people have zero integrity.

[wardoglrs]

merlgrey do you have the link to that?. Thats some heavy stuff

[wardoglrs]

The thing is to worry about here are the Neo conservitive using the white house to start the wars. When will you ever realize this?. We are the ones who start all the wars thats why the world hates us. Our power''s have been hijacked by the The FederalReserve/CFR/Nafta/Cafta. All these wonderfull programe''s you know nothing about Stole our money and our freedoms since 1913 for only them not you. Goole the info on anything you want and you will find it all on the net. Just look at the chart below it will tell you who is who.

2008 Presidential Candidate Spending Analyses

http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=141

[wardoglrs]

2008 Presidential Candidate Spending Analyses

http://www.ntu.org/main/page.php?PageID=141

[tylenol6]

incog-nito "why democrat candidates are mostly getting
donations from regular folks are so high."

I am a democrat that voted in the primaries for yes, RON PAUL. Believe you me, I never thought I would do that. But, I did a research on ALL the candidates on both sides. I repeat, I did a research on ALL the candidates on both sides. I hate to tell you this, but
besides RON PAUL, KUCINICH and GRAVEL they are ALL
bought and paid for. Yes, Obama, Clinton, Edwards, McCain, Romney and Huckabee. YES, THEY ARE ALL CORRUPT!! I am sorry to tell you that, but obviously
you have not done your research on your candidates.
Even Biden and Richardson are CORRUPT!!!!! People
do your research and you will see. Why do you think
all the news media is censoring RON PAUL?????? THEY
DO NOT WANT YOU TO VOTE FOR HIM. The Ron Paul supporter''s do not totally agree with him 100% but they are the one''s who have done their research. That
is why he has such strong supporter''s the other candidates would just love.
There is no such thing as a "free press" because it is
owned by persons belonging to the wealthy class of our
society in America and they have an agenda...as they
also have the power to MAKE or BREAK presidential candidates by how much coverage they provide and the
quality of coverage provided.
Media owners involved: David Rockefeller
Edgar Bronfman
Rupert Murdoch
Sumner Redstone
Ted Turner

[incog-nito]

woman76: Have you stopped and considered for a second why contributions to Dem candidates, mostly from regular folks, are so high? Could it be because more people are fed up with the GOP and want change in the White House? Could it be that more people who formerly give to the GOP camp are now switching side? Has any of this ever cross your mind?

[woman76]

Romney''s personal money is the best chance the GOP has to fight the mainstream media and the contributions of the democrats. As of Sept, the Dems out raised the Republicans by 68 million! Can McCain and Huckabee compete with that! NO WAY!