Clinton Camp Touts New Fund-raising Numbers
ARLINGTON, VA. -- Hillary Clinton's campaign announced that it has raised $7.5 million since Super Tuesday - keeping pace, at least for this week, with Barack Obama's campaign.
Just as word about Clinton's money woes was reaching fever pitch - loaning her campaign $5 million of her own money, being outraised $32 million to $14 million in January by Obama - Clinton campaign chairman Terry McAuliffe excitedly told her donors today's news.
McAuliffe's announcement came hours after Obama's folks touted his $7.2 million raised since Super Tuesday.
Meantime, Clinton kept around 2,000 students, teachers and supporters waiting over 2 hours at a her rally in Arlington, Virginia this afternoon.
Anxious students hoping to make it home before dinner were getting restless as they sat and waited for Clinton to show. The campaign had no answers for reporters or for those waiting other than she was "running a little late."
The event, which was scheduled to start at 3:15 p.m. did not start until almost 4:30. But students, supporters and press were required to be inside the gymnasium at Washington and Lee High School (where the event was taking place) by 2:15. Food and water were not available.
Prior the start of the event, long lines of people spilled out into the parking lot as federal agents manned magnetometers. In addition, each person was wanded down by security.
Dismissal time at the school is 2:30 p.m. and many of the students take the school bus home. The high school principal took the stage to tell students that the buses would wait until the event was over and that Clinton had offered to pay for the buses to wait.
As Clinton took the stage she said simply, "I am so happy to be here. I apologize. The schedule got a little behind."
Clinton went after John McCain saying his candidacy offers "more of the same," referring to President Bush's policies. She acknowledged that she has "the greatest respect for" McCain but added he offers little when it comes to fixing the state of the economy.
"McCain has said he doesn't know much about the economy…I offer a very different vision about what we can be in America. We can be whatever we set our minds to be," Clinton said.
She added she thinks she is the best candidate to stand opposite McCain, who is now poised to be the Republican nominee following Mitt Romney's departure from the race today.
Clinton and the traveling press are expected at an event in Seattle, Washington later tonight. But the nearly 6 hour flight will make it difficult to be on time for the scheduled 8:30 p.m. Pacific Time event.