Obama raised four times as much as John McCain from contributions less than $200.

Source BBC

Tracking campaign finance

FINANCIAL OVERVIEW as of 31 July 2008



Barack Obama has raised more money than John McCain partly because of the excitement generated by the Democratic nomination battle. His donors had pressing reasons to donate, from January right through to June, while Mr McCain wrapped up the Republican nomination in March.
Mr McCain has decided to take public financing, which means that from 1 September he has a maximum of $84m [£45m] to spend on his campaign. The McCain campaign is no longer accepting donations, except to its compliance fund - money to pay for lawyers, accountants and other expenses involved in maintaining compliance with federal election laws. The Republican National Committee, however, can still raise money to support the McCain campaign.
Barack Obama is the first candidate not to take public financing since the system was introduced in the mid-1970s. He will have no spending limit.
The Obama campaign has also broken the mould of US election finance by making big efforts to attract small donors. As a result Mr Obama has raised almost four times as much as John McCain from donors contributing less than $200. More

Hillary Clinton asks Democrats to rally behind Barak Obama

Hillary Clinton's Speech at the Democratic National Convention

Synopsis

Remarks of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, as prepared for delivery, during the Democratic National Convention on Tuesday, Aug. 26, during the Democratic National Convention in Denver, Colo.

Aug. 26, 2008

I am honored to be here tonight. A proud mother. A proud Democrat. A proud American. And a proud supporter of Barack Obama.

My friends, it is time to take back the country we love. Whether you voted for me, or voted for Barack, the time is now to unite as a single party with a single purpose. We are on the same team, and none of us can sit on the sidelines.

This is a fight for the future. And it's a fight we must win.

I haven't spent the past 35 years in the trenches advocating for children, campaigning for universal health care, helping parents balance work and family, and fighting for women's rights at home and around the world . . . to see another Republican in the White House squander the promise of our country and the hopes of our people.

And you haven't worked so hard over the last 18 months, or endured the last eight years, to suffer through more failed leadership.

No way. No how. No McCain.

Continue to read here

Obama Dismisses Dobson Criticism About Bible

Obama says Dobson 'making stuff up' in claim candidate distorted the Bible
By SARA KUGLER Associated Press Writer
LOS ANGELES June 25, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press


Barack Obama said Tuesday that evangelical leader James Dobson was "making stuff up" when he accused the presumed Democratic presidential nominee of distorting the Bible.
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., talks during a town hall style meeting at the Springs Preserve, a cultural and historic attraction, in Las Vegas, Nevada Tuesday, June 24, 2008.(AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
(AP)

Dobson used his Focus on the Family radio program to highlight excerpts of a speech Obama gave in June 2006 to the liberal Christian group Call to Renewal.

Speaking to reporters on his campaign plane before landing in Los Angeles, Obama said the speech made the argument that people of faith, like himself, "try to translate some of our concerns in a universal language so that we can have an open and vigorous debate rather than having religion divide us."

Obama added, "I think you'll see that he was just making stuff up, maybe for his own purposes."

In his program, Dobson focused on examples Obama cited in asking which Biblical passages should guide public policy. For instance, Obama said Leviticus suggests slavery is OK and eating shellfish is an abomination. Obama also cited Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, "a passage that is so radical that it's doubtful that our own Defense Department would survive its application."

"Folks haven't been reading their Bibles," Obama said in the speech.

"I think he's deliberately distorting the traditional understanding of the Bible to fit his own worldview, his own confused theology," Dobson said.

Asked about Dobson's assessment, Obama said "somebody would be pretty hard-pressed to make that argument" that he was distorting the Bible.

Obama supporters also responded to Dobson.

The Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, a Methodist pastor from Texas and longtime supporter of President Bush who has endorsed Obama, said Tuesday he belongs to a group of religious leaders who, working independently of Obama's campaign, launched a Web site to counter Dobson at http://www.jamesdobsondoesntspeakforme.com. The site highlights statements from Obama and Dobson and asks visitors to compare them.

Caldwell said he has great respect for Dobson's advocacy for families, but said the criticism of Obama was "a bit over the top" and "crossed the line."

"There has been a call for a higher level of politics and politicking," Caldwell said. "So to attack at this level is inappropriate and I think unacceptable and we at least want to hold everybody accountable."

Tom Minnery, a senior vice president at Focus on the Family, responded: "Without question, Dr. Dobson is speaking for millions of evangelicals because his understanding of the Bible is thoroughly evangelical."

———

AP Religion Writer Eric Gorski in Denver contributed to this report.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Gore throws his support to Obama

Gore throws his support to Obama
By Associated Press / June 17, 2008

DETROIT - Al Gore announced his endorsement yesterday of Barack Obama and promised to help him achieve what eluded the former vice president - the presidency.
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"The outcome of this election will affect the future of this planet," Gore said last night, addressing about 20,000 people at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena. "We've got to have new leadership. Not only a new president, but new policies."

In 2000, Gore won the popular vote but lost the disputed 2000 election to George W. Bush, who captured Florida and its electoral votes after a divided Supreme Court ended the recount. Since then, Gore has made combating global warming his signature issue, and has been recognized worldwide for his efforts.

"It means a lot, obviously," Obama said of Gore's support, as he greeted workers outside a General Motors plant in Flint. "He's somebody who is a visionary, not just for the party, but for the country."

Gore is one of the most popular figures in the Democratic Party, but he maintained a low profile in the primary campaign.

It is the second time that Obama has rolled out a major endorsement in Michigan, a state he did not campaign in during the primary because its election violated the party rules. Last month, he appeared with 2004 vice presidential nominee John Edwards in Grand Rapids, as party leaders united behind Obama as their nominee .

Yesterday, Gore also asked for donations to help fund Obama's effort - the first time he has asked members of his website, AlGore.com, to contribute to a political campaign.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.

Careless Quip by Hillary Clinton

'You Get Careless': Obama Blames Clinton RFK Quip on Stress of Long Campaign
Obama Says He Accepts Clinton Explanation of Controversial Comment
By TAHMAN BRADLEY, KATE McCARTHY, JOHN COCHRAN and MICHAEL S. JAMES
May 24, 2008


Sen. Barack Obama gives Hillary Clinton the benefit of the doubt that she had no hidden meaning when she invoked the assassination of Bobby Kennedy as an explanation for remaining in the Democratic presidential race.
Clinton Kennedy Obama
Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., mentioned the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy's assassination in defending why her race against Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., has continued to June.


"I have learned that when you are campaigning for as many months as Sen. Clinton and I have been campaigning," he told the Puerto Rico radio station Isla, "sometimes you get careless in terms of the statements that you make. And I think that is what happened here.

"Sen. Clinton says that she did not intend any offense by it," he added, "and I would take her at her word on that."

Clinton's remarks to the editorial board at the Argus Leader in South Dakota Friday struck some nerves partly because it came in the wake of Massachusetts Sen. Ted Kennedy's health problems and because of longstanding concerns about Obama's security.

"People have been trying to push me out of this ever since Iowa," Clinton said Friday. "I find it curious because it is unprecedented in history. I don't understand it.

"You know, my husband didn't wrap up the nomination in 1992 until he won the California primary sometime in the middle of June. Right?" she added later in the conversation. "We all remember Bobby Kennedy was assassinated in June in California. You know, I just-- I don't understand it."

The remarks initially prompted a less-gracious response from the Obama campaign Friday. Campaign spokesman Bill Burton said the remarks were "unfortunate."

Clinton soon apologized, saying she meant no offense.

She was backed up by a supporter, Robert Kennedy, Jr. who said in a statement: "It is clear from the context that Hillary was invoking a familiar political circumstance in order to support her decision to stay in the race through June."

Today, the Rev. Al Sharpton talked to Clinton about her remarks and gave her the benefit of the doubt.

"I don't believe that anyone is dumb enough to suggest that something happen to Sen. Obama," Sharpton said.

But ABC News political analyst Matthew Dowd, former chief strategist for George Bush's 2004 campaign, told ABC News Radio that Clinton's remark was a huge political misstep.