Obama's Haul Spurs Concern About Faceless Donors

With $10M since bringing Palin on board, GOP looking amply financed

(NEWSER) - John McCain’s presidential campaign raised $47 million in August, its biggest monthly take yet, the AP reports. The campaign has apparently received $10 million in donations since McCain announced Friday that Sarah Palin would be his running mate. Officials say the total Republican general-election chest will be at least $224 million by next week, when McCain receives $85 million in public funds. More»

New type of fundraising is quickly becoming lucrative cash stream

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama and John McCain have racked up nearly 100 “bundler” donors between them who have gathered at least $500,000 each from friends and co-workers to support their chosen candidates, the Wall Street Journal reports. The candidates’ spending suggests the fundraisers are breaking bundling records set during the campaigns of President Bush, the first candidate to reap big benefits from the system. More»

But that could change when Barack matches his rival's disclosures

(NEWSER) - John McCain appears to be more reliant on funds bundled by elite supporters than Barack Obama, USA Today reports. More than half of the Republican candidate’s receipts, or more than $75 million, came from donations assembled by about 500 top supporters. In contrast, Obama’s top 500 pulled in about $50 million, about 17% of his total. More»

(NEWSER) - The $35 million Hillary Clinton has on hand for her primary campaign edges out the $32 million in Barack Obama’s coffers, according to financial reports acquired by the AP. But both have almost three times the money of any other campaign—Rudy Giuliani leads Republicans with just $11.6 million, less than third-place Democrat John Edwards. More»

Candidate points to principle, analysts to necessity

(NEWSER) - With the deadline to report third-quarter fundraising looming, John Edwards said yesterday his campaign will accept public financing. He calls the unexpected shift “a principled stand,” but the Politico deems it “probably also the only lifeline he has to stay in the race." The ex-senator urged Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to join him, CNN reports. More»