McCain, RNC report $96 million cash on hand

[Dos Equis]

McCain, RNC report $96 million cash on hand

By LIZ SIDOTI
Associated Press Writer
 
WASHINGTON (AP) -- John McCain and the Republican National Committee started August with a hefty $96 million, financially flush and strongly positioned to compete with prolific fundraiser Barack Obama and the Democrats.

Republicans have been trying to even out the financial playing field after trailing Democrats in overall fundraising for most of the election cycle.

McCain has been a subpar fundraiser and has lagged the much-more adept Obama in monthly campaign tallies. But the RNC, with big-draw President Bush helping, has trounced its Democratic counterpart in collections. That has helped McCain and the GOP stay competitive financially with Obama and the Democratic National Committee.

The July numbers reflect how far McCain and the Republicans have come.

McCain raised $27 million in July, his largest one-month fundraising haul since clinching the GOP presidential nomination, and had $21 million available to spend, while the RNC brought in nearly $26 million, and had $75 million on hand to compete with the Democrats.

McCain, himself, now has 600,000 donors, while the party announced it had reached 1 million.

By comparison, Obama alone recently surpassed 2 million contributors, giving him a larger pool of donors to hit up for money again. He and the DNC have not yet disclosed their monthly takes.

"Our fundraising continues to be very healthy," Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, said in a conference call with reporters, noting that July was the fifth-straight month McCain has improved his cash flow.

Despite lackluster fundraising earlier this year, the campaign's improved money situation has allowed the GOP nominee-in-waiting to keep pace with - if not exceed - his Democratic rival in advertising, including $6 million during the ultra-expensive Olympics and three straight months of multimillions for commercials in 11 battleground states.

McCain's overall advertising budget for August is expected to exceed $20 million, and, by the convention in early September, Davis said McCain is on track to spend some $60 million on TV expenditures.
 
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http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CAMPAIGN_MONEY?refresh=1

[240 is Back]

Do they plan to use any of that 96 mil to defend senate seats, or are they putting all their eggs into an October Obama meltdown and just giving up hope on senate seats?

[Dos Equis]

"McCain raised $27 million in July, his largest one-month fundraising haul since clinching the GOP presidential nomination, and had $21 million available to spend, while the RNC brought in nearly $26 million, and had $75 million on hand to compete with the Democrats."

[240 is Back]

"McCain raised $27 million in July, his largest one-month fundraising haul since clinching the GOP presidential nomination, and had $21 million available to spend, while the RNC brought in nearly $26 million, and had $75 million on hand to compete with the Democrats."

you've said that twice now.

Mccain will be capped at 84 mil (public finance) and we see the RNC has 100mil to spend as well.


Am I the only one who believes that obama is about to return from Hawaii with a new plan to raise a shit load of money to compete with this?  He can spend anything he wants.  His camapign has focused on touring world and issues for last 6 weeks.  Will money be the focus now?

[Dos Equis]

you've said that twice now.

I didn't say anthing.  I cut and pasted an article.  You apparently either didn't read or didn't understand that McCain "had $21 million available to spend, while the RNC . . . had $75 million on hand to compete with the Democrats." 

That's the answer to your question. 

[240 is Back]

I feel satisfied.  Like a snickers smoothee.