Obama Outspent McCain In July

Democrat Spent $55M, McCain $32M Last Month; Most Of The Money Went To Advertising

(AP)  After tightening his expenditures in June, Barack Obama spent far more freely in July, cutting into his cash reserves while mounting an advertising campaign against Republican presidential rival John McCain.

The Illinois Democrat raised more than $50 million in July, a slight dip from the previous month, according to his monthly financial report, filed around midnight Wednesday with the Federal Election Commission. He spent about $55 million, with three-fifths of that devoted to media costs.

McCain had his best fundraising month yet, collecting more than $26 million. He, too, spent heavily - a total of $32 million, of which two-thirds was on advertising.

The documents illustrate the intensity of the contest, even at the height of summer.

The two candidates spent aggressively on advertising. McCain targeted about 11 traditional battleground states and Obama ran ads in 18 states, expanding his sights to states that have voted Republican in the past. But while Obama outspent McCain, polls show the race neck-and-neck, with McCain even closing the gap nationally and in some states.

When it comes to money, though, Obama and McCain face significantly different tasks.

McCain has agreed to accept $84 million in a federal campaign grant for September and October. That means he must spend all the money in the campaign's account by the end of the Republican National Convention in early September or donate the balance to the Republican National Committee. He ended July with more than $21 million in the bank.

Obama, however, has decided to bypass the public funds in anticipation of raising far more money on his own. As a result, he must build up his cash reserves. He reported $66 million in hand at month's end.

Obama might have fared better financially, but had to curtail his July fundraising to embark on a week of travel through the Middle East and Europe.

He also has been building a formidable ground game against McCain. He has a payroll of $2.2 million a month compared with McCain's $925,000, and has opened scores of field offices, outnumbering McCain's staff presence in key battleground states.

Obama no doubt will see a dramatic surge in contributions this month, centered on the Democratic national convention next week and his acceptance speech spectacle on Thursday at Invesco Field in Denver. But he will probably also have to continue fundraising in September and into October, while McCain is free to campaign with his own federal funds.

Both candidates benefited from new fundraising partnerships with their respective national parties. Of McCain's total amount raised, $5.6 million came from contributions made to a joint victory fund set up with the RNC. Obama reported getting $12.5 million of his total from victory committees connected to the Democratic National Committee.

McCain showed a debt of $2 million; Obama had debts of nearly $1 million.

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, who suspended her race for the Democratic nomination in June, reported a slight reduction in her massive campaign debt, cutting it from $25.2 million at the end of June to $23.9 million at the end of July. Clinton, who lent her campaign more than $13 million, has been struggling to raise money to pay off her vendors. She reported raising $2.5 million in July.

McCain, meanwhile, is counting on a vote Thursday from the FEC to permit his withdrawal from the public matching fund system for the presidential primaries. Candidates can receive taxpayer money in the primaries based on the number of small contributions they have raised. Accepting the money limits a campaign's spending.

McCain had qualified for such funds, but decided not to accept them because he wanted to spend above the limits. Then-FEC Chairman David Mason informed McCain that he needed a vote of the FEC before withdrawing, but at the time the commission lacked a quorum to act. It is now at full strength.

The commission's staff has recommended that it approve McCain's withdrawal from the system.

The Democratic National Committee has objected. It asked the FEC to postpone the vote until the commission investigates a complaint the Democratic Party filed in February accusing McCain of violating public finance laws in connection with the matching funds.

In the letter, DNC general counsel Joseph Sandler said the FEC cannot vote to let McCain withdraw from the primary public funds program because McCain never requested that he be allowed to pull out.

The FEC is made up of three Democrats and three Republicans. It takes four votes to approve commission business.

[semperfi2008]

It''s a shame that all the money Obama raised and spent will just be wasted. It just goes to show that you can''t buy an election, no matter how many rich Hollywood celebities are behind you. The American people care about real issues, such as the economy, defense and that we are respected and yes - feared by our enemies. How many houses someone has or doesn''t have is just silly. Just like the tire inflation issue. Anyone with half a brain has know for years that you don''t overinflate or underinflate your tires. That''s why they invented tire gauges.

[c0mm0n_sense]

The youngest of Barack Obama%u2019s half siblings has told of his shame about living in a shack and existing on a dollar a month whilst his brother plans to become the most powerful man in the world.

With the Democratic Convention in Denver just days away, Italian Vanity Fair magazine tracked George Hussein Onyango Obama to a 6ft by 9ft wooden shed in Kenya.

The difference in the men''s lifestyles could not be more dramatic. Mr Obama, 47, travels the world with an army of bodyguards, whilst his brother defends himself with his own bare hands on the rough streets of Haruma, a Nairobi shanty town.

%u201CIf anyone says something about my surname, I say we are not related. I am ashamed,%u201D George told the magazine.

"No-one knows who I am. I live here on less than a dollar a month.

"I live like a recluse, no-one knows I exist."

George, at 25 the youngest of Obama%u2019s father%u2019s seven children, has met his famous big brother just twice.

He was just five when Mr Obama visited Kenya for the first time in 1988 and made a special trip out to his mother Jael%u2019s shanty home.

[c0mm0n_sense]

The youngest of Barack Obama%u2019s half siblings has told of his shame about living in a shack and existing on a dollar a month whilst his brother plans to become the most powerful man in the world.

With the Democratic Convention in Denver just days away, Italian Vanity Fair magazine tracked George Hussein Onyango Obama to a 6ft by 9ft wooden shed in Kenya.

The difference in the men''s lifestyles could not be more dramatic. Mr Obama, 47, travels the world with an army of bodyguards, whilst his brother defends himself with his own bare hands on the rough streets of Haruma, a Nairobi shanty town.

%u201CIf anyone says something about my surname, I say we are not related. I am ashamed,%u201D George told the magazine.

"No-one knows who I am. I live here on less than a dollar a month.

"I live like a recluse, no-one knows I exist."

George, at 25 the youngest of Obama%u2019s father%u2019s seven children, has met his famous big brother just twice.

He was just five when Mr Obama visited Kenya for the first time in 1988 and made a special trip out to his mother Jael%u2019s shanty home.

[dasfarg]

Sources say the international bankers and financiers will install Al Gore as the Prez (bumping Obama out) and billionaire NYC Mayor Bloomberg the VP for either party. Both will continue the agenda to privatize the US government, programs, infrastructure and jobs for big $$$ profits as the economy tanks and currency goes down. Gore has about 100 superdelegates in his back pocket to prevent anyone candidate to get the number needed to be nominated. That is the plan for him to step in and appear above the fray and take advantage of popular discontent, confusion and chaos at the convention.....

[dasfarg]

Sources say the international bankers and financiers will install Al Gore as the Prez (bumping Obama out) and billionaire NYC Mayor Bloomberg the VP for either party. Both will continue the agenda to privatize the US government, programs, infrastructure and jobs for big $$$ profits as the economy tanks and currency goes down. Gore has about 100 superdelegates in his back pocket to prevent anyone candidate to get the number needed to be nominated. That is the plan for him to step in and appear above the fray and take advantage of popular discontent, confusion and chaos at the convention.....

[dasfarg]

Sources say the international bankers and financiers will install Al Gore as the Prez (bumping Obama out) and billionaire NYC Mayor Bloomberg the VP for either party. Both will continue the agenda to privatize the US government, programs, infrastructure and jobs for big $$$ profits as the economy tanks and currency goes down. Gore has about 100 superdelegates in his back pocket to prevent anyone candidate to get the number needed to be nominated. That is the plan for him to step in and appear above the fray and take advantage of popular discontent, confusion and chaos at the convention.....

[c0mm0n_sense]

Sad Story...But True:

The youngest of Barack Obama%u2019s half siblings has told of his shame about living in a shack and existing on a dollar a month whilst his brother plans to become the most powerful man in the world.

With the Democratic Convention in Denver just days away, Italian Vanity Fair magazine tracked George Hussein Onyango Obama to a 6ft by 9ft wooden shed in Kenya.

The difference in the men''s lifestyles could not be more dramatic. Mr Obama, 47, travels the world with an army of bodyguards, whilst his brother defends himself with his own bare hands on the rough streets of Haruma, a Nairobi shanty town.

%u201CIf anyone says something about my surname, I say we are not related. I am ashamed,%u201D George told the magazine.

"No-one knows who I am. I live here on less than a dollar a month.

"I live like a recluse, no-one knows I exist."

George, at 25 the youngest of Obama%u2019s father%u2019s seven children, has met his famous big brother just twice.

He was just five when Mr Obama visited Kenya for the first time in 1988 and made a special trip out to his mother Jael%u2019s shanty home.

[jackdems]

When has having money and owning several houses been illegal or immoral or wrong. Should all Rich people no longer be rich and like to make Money.

Then I would think Soros, Kennedy, Gore, Polosi and several thousands of Hollywood Liberal elites should think twice about voting for Obama.

Unless its Ok for socialist to be rich. Than Obama you can keep your Million dollar house you got from the crook Rezko and the 4 million you got for your book.

[jackdems]

Instead of Johns Houses, I think the American People are little more concerned with Obama attempt to hide and not show records that should be made available.

Those records show how deep the terrorist Bill Ayers and Obama relationship goes.

[jackdems]

Obama Outspent McCain In July

McLame has 7 houses to pay for and is not GREEN he has way to many houses to be considered GREEN. Blame Global Warming on McLame for having 7 houses and 14 automobiles. Thats NOT GREEN
--------------------------------------------------
What about Liberal George Soros he has Billions

What about Al Gore, doesnt he have a private Jet and lots of Money?

What about liberal Ted Kennedy, he super rich.

Obama is proving every day that he has nothing.

[jackdems]

Hussein (the Arab/muslim) is running more scared every day now that he has started counting houses. What a dilly/dally way to campaign. In what way does he think the public cares about this issue. He has never had a sensible issue that made any sense because he never had a platform on anything except critizing his opponent and now it has come to real estate. He is so desperate and really can''''t think of anything better to whine about.

[pensacola88]

The fundraising limitation that McCain accepted in return for public campaign funding, will go mostly to TV time in the entire month of October and part of November. McCain hopes to buy out all the broadcast time to keep Obama''s adds off the air as much as possible.

Most of the target political adds will go in states where attempts will be made to change the states from Red to Blue or Blue to Red.

It is very clear that Hillary Clinton is the most profoundly desired political force to either have or to discredit. The Democrats will love to have Hillary and the votes that come with her. The Republicans will step into their greatest nightmare if Hillary Clinton is the DEM VP, because Republican attacks against Hillary will most certainly risk offending females who will retaliate with a vote for Hillary Clinton.

Hillary Clinton is the sacred political cow. Those who earn the Hillary Clinton scorn will have to be tougher than Bill Clinton to survive it!!

[netadmin1-2009]

Actually - McCain doesn''t own 7 houses - Cindy does.

[xmanborg]

Obama Outspent McCain In July

McLame has 7 houses to pay for and is not GREEN he has way to many houses to be considered GREEN. Blame Global Warming on McLame for having 7 houses and 14 automobiles. Thats NOT GREEN.

[tawpdawg111]

So, let''s have an Executive Summary, ok?

A simple thomas.gov search tells me:

Obama has sponsored or cosponsored 570 bills in three years (more than McCain in the same timeframe); he has directly introduced 15 bills that have become law (more than McCain); he has introduced amendments to 50 bills, of which 16 were adopted by the Senate (more than McCain). Most of the bills he sponsored were in: energy efficiency (25 bills), health care (21 bills), public health (20 bills), consumer protection (14 bills), Veterans bills (13 bills) and ethics bills (12 bills). He hasn''t set any kind of record, but his record IS above the average for a freshman Senator. On a related point, let''s note that Obama has voted on more than half of all bills this year vs McCain who has missed every vote since April (indeed, McCain''s own leading state newspaper has criticised him, and noted that AZ voters are citing McCain''s failure to even show up in the Senate this year, as a major reason NOT to vote for him!). "

For ALL those years in the military and ALL those years in congress, how can McBush''s work ethic be so LOUSY?

[zorar-2009]

If McCain got 10 fingers you''d think he could count to seven houses!

God Help us if he gets elected..I didn''t think we could get somebody worse than "W" Bush & Chaney but may be

[netadmin1-2009]

Obama spent more because he doesn''t own as many houses as McCain.

[tothestars2]

LOL. Obama knows all about having freinds in high places.

[iphyt4u]

Barrack Obama knows that the common worker in this country is having a hard time. Republicans have given in to all the special interest groups. Oil companies, war profit companies like Halliburton and Black Water Security. The republicans gave these companies ''no-bid'' contracts. It must be nice to have buddies in high places. Vote for change! Vote Democrat! Vote for Barrack Obama!

[dante805]

Obama has all that money from the trial lawyers, unions, and big oil -yes he received more money from Oil company employees than McCain -- look it up. Obama is a fraud, elitist, dishonest person. He doesnt deserve Middle Americas vote. We are all bitter and cling to guns and god.