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April 04, 2007
Obama-rama
Running for president in today's American media circus is a wild ride, to say the least. So much of the contest, particularly so long before anyone actually votes, is managing the expectations game among media and political insiders. While most Americans have given little thought to whom they will elect, either as their party's nominee, or in the November 2008 general election, the media/insider campaign has been churning for months.
This week, of course, offered a first solid indication (polls are pretty meaningless at this early date) of where the candidates' campaigns stand. Money, as they say, talks, and some candidates are speaking more loudly than others this week, as each campaign has released its fundraising totals for the first quarter of 2007.
New York Senator (and presumed early frontrunner) Hillary Clinton burst out first on the Democratic side, reporting on Monday an enormous $26 million first quarter, shattering previous comparable totals for either party. Mitt Romney led the GOP field, with an impressive $21 million showing, while Republican frontrunner John McCain took a hit by running third in the fundraising race. John Edwards raised a very respectable $15 million for his effort. Conspicuously absent from the early week's discusssion, however, was a total from Democratic newcomer Barack Obama.
In a masterful political stroke, Obama has gotten the last word. Today his campaign announced it had nearly matched Clinton's astounding total, raising $25 million of its own in the first quarter. Nearly $7 million of his total came online, and Obama boasts an enormous 100,000 contributors -- double Clinton's number.
Team Clinton is likely sweating a bit today, as well they should. They've got a real fight on their hands.
Posted by houtopia at April 4, 2007 10:47 AM