Obama Campaign Raises Over $51 Million In July

CHICAGO — Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama raised more than $51 million in July and the Democratic National Committee reported $27.7 million in donations last month, putting Obama in a strong position for the fall campaign.

Obama began August with $65.8 million on hand and the DNC had $28.5 million available, according to statements released Saturday. His July total was slightly less than the $52 million he raised in June but still eye-popping because he was off the fundraising circuit at home during his trip to the Middle East and Europe.

Obama's Internet-powered fundraising efforts have shattered all previous records for a presidential campaign, bringing in a total of $390 million so far. The Illinois senator has announced he will forgo public financing for the general election, giving up $84 million in taxpayer dollars for the final two months of the campaign and committing himself to a steady pace of fundraising.

By contrast, Republican candidate John McCain has raised just $140 million and has agreed to accept public financing for the general election and the spending restraints that come with it. Unlike Obama, McCain will not feel the intense pressure to raise money in the fall.

Though lagging Obama in fundraising, McCain has remained competitive because of the Republican National Committee's success in attracting donations.

On Friday, McCain's campaign said the presumed GOP nominee had raised $27 million in July, his biggest monthly haul since clinching the party's nomination. McCain's campaign reported having $21 million available to spend.

The RNC said Friday it had brought in nearly $26 million in July and had $75 million on hand to compete with the Democrats. Much of that money has come through fundraisers by President Bush, unpopular nationally but still a potent draw among those who donate to the GOP.

Obama campaign manager David Plouffe said Saturday that 65,000 new donors contributed to the Obama campaign in July and that more than 2 million had now given Obama money for his presidential bid. The large pool of donors also means a larger number of people to ask for more money in the future.

McCain's campaign said it has logged 600,000 donors.

Comments

[IndependentTogether]

07:17 PM on 08/17/2008

Like I said last month (when the whiners were claiming/hoping that FISA would hurt Obama's fundraising), you really wouldn't be able to tell if there was any FISA impact until he released his July numbers in *August*. And here we see that all the hyperventilating was just that. Obama is rolling along just fine.

[Bella Liberty]

01:21 PM on 08/17/2008

Of cause Obama' s campaign raises over $ 51 million or more in future, because he has world Islamic back round and all Africans, that is nothing new. However the whole world of Islamic and all Africans supporting him but without Hillary he can't beat McCain. Even he is elected he can lead the nation with high profile.

[IndependentTogether]

07:13 PM on 08/17/2008

You're so smart. You should get a job as a sociopolitical analyst. end snark.

[dawn2dusk]

08:20 PM on 08/17/2008

get off the crack pipe, jeez!!

[daddydamon]

02:18 AM on 08/18/2008

hahaha...good one

[ella52]

11:53 AM on 08/17/2008

I think everyone who is supporting Obama has to decide for him/herself what they can afford, given the current economy. In February I decided I could make a $25 donation right up through November. I did get carried away and donate the $47 to help celebrate his birthday and I have no regrets. I also donated $25 to the DNC and $25 to Hillary to help retire the debt. And I have donated to Move ON.I make less than $30,000 a year, but with a little tightening of the budget I have found room. So all in all, for my first time ever donating to a campaign I think I have more than contributed. And that is because I know that the Bush administration with its blind loyalty and cronyism will never be ousted until the money flows into a different set of hands.
Will they be better stewards of our money, of our dreams? Only time will tell, but to do nothing, to not put my money where my hope is, to stay with the current pack of liars is not an option for me.
If, over time it proves to be the right choice, as I hope it will, well great. But I have no illusions that the new stewards will be without flaws, or that there won't be liars and cheats among them. I am only sure that no party can compete with the current admin for lowdown, consistent abuse of our patriotism and pocketbook.

[donttasemebro]

11:34 AM on 08/17/2008

If all of us 2 million commit to giving $50 each month in september and october, that's $100 million a month for O. Who's with me?

[BLinCincinnati]

11:39 AM on 08/17/2008

I'm already going to be in at $100 a month. Going to try and raise an additional $1000 a month with the new Grassroots Finance Committee they set up. Already have $232 of my first $1000 raised.

They have a really nice website set up where you can raise money, create a website showing why you support Obama, a personal blog, etc. I've put some of my favorite youtube videos I've found so far on my site at:
http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/BLinCinti

Now to get around to setting up my blog.

[InformedAmerican]

01:52 PM on 08/17/2008

I've been donating $50 or more a month since last August but, I've made a commitment to double my donations from now until Nov. It's time to kick it up a notch!

[Ramirez]

11:19 AM on 08/17/2008

VIDEO:
Obama announces DNC will turn down special interest money. (June 5, 2008)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTdu6OgXHJY

"They will not fund my party, they will not run our White House, and they will not drown out the voices of the American people when I am President of the United States of America!

Dramatic stuff. You can almost believe him...

[ratcityreprobate]

10:52 AM on 08/17/2008

Unfortunately, as soon as McCain starts taking the federal dollars and stops taking private contributions, all of that money will start flowing to the RNC and 527's. The Rs will raise as much as the D's and have the federal dollars on top of it. They know how to play these games better than we Ds do.

[BLinCincinnati]

11:38 AM on 08/17/2008

Which is why the email I just got is so exciting (clipped to fit in the word limit):

"Join the Grassroots Finance Committee (GFC), a core group of dedicated supporters who are setting a personal goal to raise $1,000 each in small-dollar donations.

Barack is relying on ordinary people giving only what they can afford to support this movement. Join the GFC and reach out to your network of friends, family, and neighbors and encourage them to make a donation and own a piece of this campaign.

You don't need to have any prior political experience. This campaign is about ordinary people doing extraordinary things.

You've already taken the first step by setting up a personal fundraising page on My.BarackObama ( http://my.barackobama.com/page/outreach/view/main/BLinCinti ). Today, we hope you will take it to the next level by joining the GFC.

We've made it as easy as possible, and campaign staff will be available to make sure your personal fundraising efforts are a success.

Even if you have never done anything like this before, you can easily get started today.

You can easily get started today. Learn more about the Grassroots Finance Committee and have a major impact on this campaign:

http://my.barackobama.com/gfcjoin"
_____

Can you imagine the potential of thousands upon thousands of supporters becoming mini-bundlers fundraising across the country? I've raised $232 out of the goal of $1000 so far.

[JenMI]

05:23 AM on 08/17/2008

Keep fighting...one dollar at a time.
OBAMA 08

[goplayrabbit]

04:36 AM on 08/17/2008

how about a new happy obama photo? geez, you guys use the same photo everytime the campaign reports something beneficial.

surely there have been many more smiling photos since this one.

just irritating.

good job on the money, obama campaign. i chipped in in july. :-D

[teapartydude]

03:09 AM on 08/17/2008

Keep it comin' folks.

Now for Obama to go NEGATIVE!

[naijaman]

12:02 AM on 08/17/2008

Obama is a thoughtful man, and gave thoughtful answers. I don't understand why Obama needs to apologize for that. McCain's responses seemed rehearsed, but he was ok as well. It was a discussion forum, and Obama's demeanor was just right.

[oscartucker]

11:20 PM on 08/16/2008

Spend that money on some hard-hitting ads. I sent money, and I approve of hard-hitting ads.

[xmw]

10:34 PM on 08/16/2008

Lets do it again next month!!!

[patapsco99]

09:57 PM on 08/16/2008

OMG, MCain was flawless at SaddleBack Church. Obama looked badddd!

[terragazelle60]

10:30 PM on 08/16/2008

What in Earth do you mean bad? He was thoughtful and nuanced. McCain was POW, War,POW, War...He was flippant and about skin deep. Does McCain speak faster? Yes...so does a con man. McCain came off good...but he is still a liar and as such a bad Christian...a wolf in sheep skin is still a wolf.

[lisak2008]

01:55 AM on 08/17/2008

Let's not forget "drill here, drill now!" I'm sure that the Saddleback congregation will not appreciate an oil rig in the middle of their church! But, McCain doesn't care.

[JulianJons]

02:26 AM on 08/17/2008

A christian that cheated on his first wife and was still married to her when he married the second? is that what you mean? I thought he looked forceful, often gave a simplistic answers and at more than one time tried to be in control of the forum by talking about Georgia, or jumping to the supreme court when there was a separate question for that. I didnt buy that rehearsed sob story about being a POW.

He did moderately well because they were softball questions. No talk about his 10 mansions or of still being on social security when he was still racking millions. He hardly gives much to charity, despite being filthy rich.

[BWonka]

12:42 AM on 08/17/2008

Bet you still believe "Mission Accomplished", too.

[Attucks]

08:53 PM on 08/16/2008

Come on over..and have a good time http://gretawire.foxnews.com/2008/08/16/special-blog-entry-all-of-you-should-blog-talk-to-each-other/comment-page-4/
We'd love to talk...

[cunuck]

09:20 PM on 08/16/2008

Greta Van Susteren's blog???????????

No thanks...........

[dclynette]

08:07 PM on 08/16/2008

The newest political website www.lynettelong.com/caucusfraud should be required reading for every convention delegate, every member of the media, and every voter. Dr. Lynette Long systematically assembles a convincing indictment against caucuses and strips bare the spectacular coup Obama pulled on the Democratic party. "Caucuses are not democratic." Dr. Long meticulously shows how Obama organized his coup and how and why he and his cohorts do not favor the elimination of caucuses. As she explains: "Obama is not interested in democracy but rather in getting re-elected. Obama manipulated the caucus process in the last election cycle and he is sure he can do it again." Obama "won" 13 of 14 caucuses yet lost 21 of 39 primaries where all voters had an opportunity to cast their vote without undo inconvenience and intimidation. "The Obama campaign willfully and intentionally defrauded the American public by systematically undermining the caucus process."

[NCYvonne]

08:30 PM on 08/16/2008

You're Lynette Long. Your recommendation of this site carries a lot of weight . . . NOT!!

[exPatPatti]

08:44 PM on 08/16/2008

Too cheap to pay for an ad? Oh yeah you PUMAs are a herd of brokeazz liars.

[cunuck]

09:28 PM on 08/16/2008

If you don't like caucus's then change the rules - BEFORE the primary starts. Obama won by the current rules.