Clinton’s Fund-Raising Success Is Outshined by Obama’s

[DeepModem Mom]

NYT: Clinton’s Fund-Raising Success Is Outshined by Obama’s
By PATRICK HEALY and JEFF ZELENY
Published: February 8, 2008

Concerned that it could lose several primaries and caucuses through the rest of February, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s campaign sought to create an alternate storyline of success on Thursday by announcing that Mrs. Clinton had raised $7.5 million online so far this month.

That unusually high figure was quickly overshadowed by Senator Barack Obama’s announcement that he had raised the same amount in 36 hours since the 22-state contest on Tuesday, in addition to the $32 million that he raised in January. Mrs. Clinton drew $13.5 million in January.

With Tuesday behind them, the rivals have turned some of their ferocity away from voters and toward their donors, seeking the clear-cut victory in fund-raising that neither could secure at the ballot box this week, when Mr. Obama won 13 states and Mrs. Clinton 9.

Mr. Obama’s fund-raising dominance, especially his announcement on Jan. 31 that he had raised $32 million, has sent jitters through Mrs. Clinton’s donor base. Some of her biggest donors grew even more concerned on Wednesday when her advisers said that she had lent the campaign $5 million of her own money and that some senior aides were working this month without salaries. Several donors and senior aides said they were not aware of the loan until Wednesday.

Mrs. Clinton’s team mobilized Thursday to send reassuring messages to donors and supporters. The campaign first announced raising $4 million in 24 hours, then $6 million in 36 hours and then $7.5 million in total since Feb. 1....

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For all the confidence expressed by the Clinton campaign, the onus remains on Mrs. Clinton to show fund-raising muscle, in view of her raising less and relying on the loan as well as a $10 million transfer last year from her Senate campaign account to her presidential account....

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/02/08/us/politics/08clinton.html?_r=1&ref=todayspaper&oref=slogin