With Money In the Bank, Clinton Looks Beyond Tuesday
WACO, TEXAS - Just one month ago, Hillary Clinton's campaign was in such dire financial straits that she loaned her campaign $5 million of her own money. The cash advance caused quite a stir in the media, including stories being written about the demise of the former First Lady's campaign. But yesterday, the campaign announced that they had a gigantic fund-raising month in February, drawing in $35 million from some 200,000 new donors. The announcement gave many on the Clinton campaign hope that her fight for the nomination is not quite over.
"We have been energized for weeks by this outpouring of support. We get emails every day from people rooting for her and sending in small donations," a source close to the campaign told CBS News. "That's the story behind the $35 million figure - the grassroots support has provided an infusion of much-needed resources and energized both Hillary and the team."
During a conference call with reporters yesterday, the campaign's National Chairman Terry McAuliffe said "We haven't even scratched the surface yet. We're just starting!"
Another senior aide, Harold Ickes acknowledged that the campaign has been through some tough times saying, "we have been through a dry period…we are about to start an upswing."
But the good news for the Clinton campaign is getting slightly overshadowed by Barack Obama, who is expected to blow past her $35 million number, with some reports saying his total for the month could be upwards of $50 million.
"We expect Obama to raise more, but that doesn't diminish the significance of this huge show of grassroots support. This is a sign that people want to have a voice in this process - especially since three of the biggest states in the country haven't even voted and nearly half the delegates haven't been awarded," said the Clinton campaign source.
Perhaps McAuliffe gave the best clue that the campaign, at least publicly, plans to continue to power through beyond the March 4 contests in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont when he said "we can't wait for March…we are going to do even better."