by Mike Dorning
Barack Obama has raised "at least" $32 million during January for use in the primary, campaign manager David Plouffe said in a conference call with reporters this morning.
The campaign added 170,000 new donors this month, for a total of 650,00 donors, Plouffe added.
"Obviously this contest could go on for some time in the primary, and we think that the strength of our financial position and the number of donors does speak to financial sustainability, Plouffe said. "If this ends up going through March and April, we think we’re going to have the resources necessary to conduct vigorous campaigns in every state to come."
Campaign spokesman Bill Burton declined to provide the amount of money that campaign has on hand, a better measure of financial strength than donations. Nor would Burton provide figures on campaign spending during the month.
The Obama campaign is already putting money into the contests following the Feb. 5 quasi-national primary. The campaing will begin airing television ads tomorrow in all of the states with primaries and caucuses in the week following the "Super Tuesday" vote: Louisiana, Washington state, Nebraska, Maine, Virginia, Maryland and Washington, DC.
The Clinton campaign has not yet responded to a query on its January fundraising progress.
But both Obama and Clinton have shown enormous financial strength, with both campaigns raising more than $100 million last year for their campaigns, an unprecedented pace of fundraising and one that has not been matched by any of the Republican candidates in the field.
The pace of Obama's fundraising has been "remarkably consistent" over the course of the month, Plouffe said. But the campaign's biggest fundraising day so far this month was the day following the Illinois senator's defeat in the New Hampshire primary, he said. Obama sent out a mass email fundraising appeal the day after the defeat entitled "We knew this would be hard."
"We took a lot of encouragement from that because it showed the resolve of our existing donor base. But we also added a large amount of donors on that day," Plouffe said.
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Comments
amazing amounts of money for one month.
Now that Edwards is out, it's time for me to pony up to Obama's cash cow while dreaming of campaign finance reform.
Posted by: alex | January 31, 2008 11:56 AM
Wow!
Obama 08!
Posted by: Mobley | January 31, 2008 12:15 PM
Oh mine~. People need to wake up and stop wasting money on Obama. He's not a real thing. If you push this guy to the white house, you'll get what coming for you. It's a disaster.
I live in Chicago. I know how crooked he is. first his real estate deal with Rezko who has a money tie from Middle east and support him for his special interest with government contract in IL. Obama back stabed his mentor when they were both running for IL senate. Plus his wife salary got double with U of Chicago while he was IL senate. Give me a break. People in America are so blind. This is more like a cult. He does not have an ability to serve this great country.
You should donate money to better cause.
Posted by: Asians for Hillary in Chicago | January 31, 2008 12:20 PM
if you think that Obama is corrupted ,please tell us than how Clean are Billary??or Bush...or McCain??
we need some change and fresh air in this country the same mess have been going on for way too long
Obama 08 ( I donated )
Posted by: saqres | January 31, 2008 12:43 PM
This just shows people do want a change. We don't want 2 families dominating American Politics for 2 decades.
Posted by: Dave | January 31, 2008 12:56 PM
To Asians for Hillary in Chicago:
You must be a hit at parties!
Posted by: ohthehugemanatee | January 31, 2008 1:00 PM
Asians for Hillary in Chicago - you really need to look at the Clinton's history before you start slamming Obama with UNFOUNDED and UNCONFIRMED "facts". The Clintons junk is wide open to the world and very evident, do some checking. Remember what they say about throwing stones in glass houses.....
Posted by: Mark | January 31, 2008 1:08 PM
I am very proud to give my money to Obama. Most of his money comes from private donors, if not all. The people have spoken. Never in my life have I contributed a dollar towards a candidate, and we've already given to Obama several times. This is how strongly I believe in this man.
Also, for the people who think he's not doing his job as Senator, I wrote him an email complaining about the treatment my husband received at the airport. I got not only a response from Obama but ALSO from the airline, to which he'd forwarded my complaint. I am VERY happy with him!
Posted by: Lynette | January 31, 2008 1:11 PM
Did this $32 million come from the democrats that can't afford health insurance?
Or the democrats that are about to loose their homes because they can't read a mortgage contract?
Or vets that [have] to sleep under bridges or on grates?
Or from democrat voters that can't afford a picture I.D. to vote?
Hmmmm? Or is it from the Oprah crowd?
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | January 31, 2008 1:37 PM
Re: Asians for Hillary in Chicago
You probably thought Bush Jr was America's savior, given his family's ties to Hussein.
Rezko spread his money around to lots of politicians both Rep and Dem. Are you so sure Hillary hasn't benefitted?
Speaking of Obama's wife, do you know what her salary was before she got a raise? Woefully low for what she does.
You need to come up with a stronger argument.
Posted by: KDS | January 31, 2008 1:38 PM
I really think the Swamp and Chicago Tribune and SunTimes have done a disservice to Barrack Obama. At every stage of his young political life you guys have monitored and critiqued every square inch of it; always, looking for the negative first. I have not seen this before. Never. Dick Durbin was giving a pass. Durbin's life when he ran for the Senate, his family, who gives his campaign donations all the nuisances we never here. When Obama fisrt was elected to the Senate and in his first Senate Chamber Floor meeting, he had been on the floor for hours, and took a few minutes to close his eyes, and the media was right there flashing a picture they sent all over the world showing the first day of office of a Black Senator Sleeping. Next, he was pictured picking his nose. No kidding. The Sun Times published a picture like this. One day hopefully in the next century, perhaps, if we are still a species; perhaps: We all Shall Overcome! At this point, we haven't. The media, not Obama and not the Clinton Campaign has made this Political race for presidency a Race Card Issue. We already know Obama has raised equal to what Clinton has raised about $100 million. You report he raised 32 million in January; but, nothing on what all the other candidates raised. To me, this is sleazy journalism. A
Posted by: Maurice | January 31, 2008 1:44 PM
Alex -
You don't have to dream of campaign finance reform. Obama has raised as much money as Hillary WITHOUT turning to PACS and Washington lobbyists.
What Dorning fails to report is that most of the money Hillary has raised is from big donors who have now maxed out, along with Clinton's fundraising ability.
Obama, on the otherhand, is adding a remarkable number of grassroots donors every day.
Asians for Hillary -
Amazing how you attack Obama while ignoring Clinton's ethical troubles. She had a guy who was wanted for fraud raising money for her and her allies for years, and only recently returned $850,000 raised by Norman Hsu.
In addition, Clinton has yet to return tens of thousands of dollars contributed by IPA, a Buffalo Grove firm that's the target of one the largest sexual harrassment cases in the country, involving over 100 women.
The company's owner John Burgess, was convicted of having sex with a 16 year-old prostitute and disbarred as an attorney.
Nor has she returned thousands of dollars in contributions from IPA's lawyer, Myron Cherry.
Rad about it all in the NY Times here.
Posted by: Yellow Dog Democrat | January 31, 2008 1:49 PM
I totally disagree with 'Asians for Hillary', obviously referring to Americans as blind is incorrect, maybe if Asians for Hillary opened their eyes a little she would see the truth,and also probably see the road ahead. And Asians shouldn't talk about a conflict of interest since Hillary's asians donors Norman Hsu,Johnny Chung,Charlie Trie are being investigated for violating federal campaign laws. Let's stick to the facts. Obama is a great presidental hopefull that is a smart politican, not a crook who would say anything to get elected
Posted by: kato321 | January 31, 2008 2:08 PM
"People need to wake up and stop wasting money on Obama. He's not a real thing. If you push this guy to the white house, you'll get what coming for you"
Pish posh. Obama would be just fine sitting at 1600 Penn. Ave. So would Hillary. Would you rather vote for McCain or Obama in November?
Posted by: weinerdog43 | January 31, 2008 2:17 PM
People keep bringing up Rezko. Less we forget HillBillary and Whitewater among countless other shady deals they've been involved in - take at look at Bill's pardons.
Obama's relationship went somewhere he didn;t expect - he was naive, he got out of it and atoned. HillBill are still invloved w/ all sorts of shadiness like that.
They're politicians. Do we want our politicians to lead the people (Obama) or answer to own ambitions over all else (Billary).
Posted by: CCC | January 31, 2008 2:36 PM
This comment from "Asians for Hillary in Chicago" is absurd. Next to Hillary (and every other politician that I've ever known) Obama is crystal clean. These Rezco allegations are so over-blown. Can't you guys find something more than that?? (No..you can't which is my point)
Hillary has been taking money from the big corporations since the beginning, and that's who she would serve if elected. She worked on the board of Wal-Mart for crying out loud, one of the worst multinational corporations in terms of worker rights here and abroad. She worked for them and did little to change their ways.
Asians for Hillary??? How many workers are exploited in Asia making the products Wal-Mart sells? Could anyone even venture a guess?
Hillary = more of the same
Is that what you want??
Posted by: Ben | January 31, 2008 2:37 PM
I live in Chicago and support Obama. I still can't figure out the American Family Dynasty argument. Bush, Clinton, Bush and now some people want to elect another Clinton. No way! Its for new ideas and new people. This country is in serious trouble if we don't elect for a new direction.
Posted by: Kramer | January 31, 2008 2:55 PM