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First Read is an analysis of the day's political news, from the NBC News political unit. First Read is updated throughout the day, so check back often.

Chuck Todd, NBC Political Director

Mark Murray, NBC Deputy Political Director

Domenico Montanaro, NBC News Political Reporter



Obama raises $30 million-plus in April

Posted: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 8:24 PM by Mark Murray

From NBC's Mark Murray
Just a couple of minutes before Clinton began speaking from Louisville, KY, the Obama campaign announced that it had raised $31.3 million in the month of April -- about $1 million a day. In addition, it raised about $600,000 in funds that can be used only for the general election.

Obama's April haul was down from the approximately $40 million it raised in March.

Other numbers from the campaign: there were 200,000 new donors in April; 94% of the month's contributions were under $200; by the end of April, 1.475 million Americans have donated to the Obama campaign; and the campaign's total cash on hand is $37.3 million (plus an additional $9.2 million for the general).

By comparison, the AP is reporting that McCain raised $18 million in April and has nearly $22 million cash on hand.

The Clinton campaign has yet to release its April fundraising numbers.

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Comments

No one in the media wants to take the issue headon. That is there are quite a few people especially in Appalchia who still will not trust a black man...
simple as that. That is the only thing that explains a 35 points difference in Kentucky compared to the rest of the country which is probably evenly divided between the two candidates.
Actually Hillary's campaign raised 20-30 million in april and had it's 2nd biggest month ever.  But of course biased pro Obama MSNBC isn't going to report that.

She released her numbers BEFORE he did.  He waited until she blew him out in KY to release his to take the focus off the fact that he got his head handed to him on a platter.
I saw a report there were Palestinian phone banks calling in to US to tell people to support Obama.  Are these people also behind any donations made to his campaign?  that seems like a lot of money for one month for a candidate in a divided party race.  somebody should check where the donations are coming from.  it doesn't take much to see there are some in Middle East who would love to see Obama win the election cause it will serve their purposes of continuing to build nuclear weapons and wipe Israel off the map.
  MSNBC:  Probably won't be displayed Period !!!! What about freedom of speech???  I think you boys probably have heard of that????  I don't suspect the press has ever hurt anyones feelings before, just day after day!!! Sincerely, WK
How can Hillary Clinton be the best person to beat McCain, when she can not beat Barak Obama?  She can not raise more money than Obama.  She doesn't care about the Democratic Party or respect ALL hard working Americans. Had it not been for Republicans crossing over to vote in open primaries, she could not have won the so called BIG STATES!  You can not "sleep" with Republicans at night and wake-up to kiss a Democrat in the morning!
She fights, we fight!

Go Evita!!

--p.
Cowboyjack: "I wonder if Tony Rezko helped Obama to raise all that money???"


Getting warmer Cj. Getting warmer.
After reading Obama's book "Dream from My Father", I felt a strange connection with this man,coming from from the opposite ends of the earth, and yet making the same journey and sharing the same dreams.

Obama's life experiences have given him that unique sensitivity to understand the plight of the oppressed and the marginalized in all corners of this small planet we call home.

This man OBAMA is truly a gift to America,A GIFT TO THE WORLD.

I hope and pray that GOD will protect Obama from evil as he pursues his destiny.

A new day is in the horizon for America,for the World.

On November 4,the World will say "WE are all Americans for OBAMA"
He sure manages his money well!  Just think what he can do with the American economy.  I believe he will have a democratic majority in congress and that will make his job that much easier...
I agree with a post above that Obama supporters are afraid their money will go to the Clinton campaign. Let me lay to rest that fear. Any money Obama collects for another candidate MUST be kept separate and the donor will be aware that their money will be going to someone else. And quite frankly, I would contribute to help pay off her debt if it will get her big, disgraceful butt out of my face.
Please people, I just read another post. Your money donated the Obama campaign will NOT go to pay off Clinton's debt. It is against the law. Obama needs to set up a separate account and the contributors made fully aware who the money is going too. Trust me on this. It's true. Don't stop giving to the cause. Your money will not go to Clinton unless you want it too. It is serious campaign fraud to do it any other way and we all know that Obama would not do that.
I think Fran Wells from N. Myrtle Beach SC is probably the most insightful person I have heard from throughout this entire campaign.  I totally agree w Fran and couldn't have said it better myself.  I was wondering when it was going to dawn  on anyone, specifically television reporters, that there are most likely as many, if not more, people voting AGAINST Hillary because she is a woman than there are people voting against BO because he is African American.  (Or would the correct racial identification be bi-raacial?) I am deeply disturbed because many reporters  ( spin-doctors )  try to spin this around to be a racial issue.  What about the men and women who would absolutely not vote for a woman for president.  I am positive the numbers are significant.  Though I do not know the numbers, and I doubt that we would get an accurate count anyway, I wonder how many misogynists are out there?  They would vote for anyone rather than have a WOMAN be elected to the position of Comander in Chief?
Union Baby:  You are such a moron I decided to google you.  This first read comment came up from 2007....
Number One:  Learn how to spell.  Number Two:  You sound to me like the exact demographic to vote for HRC:  white, uneducated and time warped!!! Here's your post from Google!
GO OBAMA!!

Bruce, I realize you must feel very out of place - living in the state that has a city called "Sin City" and pretending to be conservative, but if you really are you would know that it does not matter how long you have been divorced, as long as your first spouse is still living you can not re-marry without it being adultry.  Now, if you conservatives want to take the religion out of marriage (and technically it stopped being a religious matter the day you had to ask the government permission to marry someone by purchasing a marriage license) and let the states handle it, just say so.  Otherwise it is adultry to re-marry while your spouse is still alive.
Bill and Hillary are not divorced, and though I don't think much of their way of living a married life, I do respect anyone who can work through their difficulties and stay married.  It is not always easy for some folks to do that, and I know I am very blessed to be in a happy & faithful marriage for 30 years.  I am one of the folks that thinks divorce should be allowed only in the case of physical abuse.  And even then you don't get the green light to run down to the courthouse again.  I don't care if you have been divorced for 50 years.
Put me down if you like, but before you do make that call to Pat Robertson or Billy Graham - see what their definition of Marriage and adultry are.  I sure can't find anyplace in my New Testament that says it is ok tolive like that.  Maybe the repugnants are now trying to rewrite the New Testament like they are trying to rewrite the constitution?

Union Baby, Tennessee (Sent Wednesday, July 25, 2007 2:26 PM)
fran,well: please don't(vote forBO) who cares.it is what it is(the maths) deal with with it .LOOOOOOSER
Hey First Read!  I heard that Warren Buffett endorsed Obama, but haven't seen anything on the news.  Is this true?
While i am the farthest thing from a hillary supporter, i am glad she put herself into debt to keep it going this long to keep the country focused on the democratic candidates who, either of them who gets the nomination, understand the problems that are really facing the nation.   The republican party is so out of touch with reality and what are the true issues facing our country.  Religion, abortion, and gay marriage are not issues that we need to address or do anything about.  They are merely pieces and freedoms of our daily lives that define us as a country, and make that country so great.

In the long run and on the bright side, it will only benefit the country for providing free exposure for the eventual democratic nominee.  Those that are not obama supporters need to look past him being the guy that beat clinton for the nomination and find the common ground with this truly exceptional individual who will revolutionize presidential politics in 2009 and beyond.
I have had so many calls and letters and e-mails to donate to Obama that I just tell them to get it from his supporters  because I sure as heck will not vote for him-----ever.He he is still getting bundled cash from his lobbyists buds-----hope he spends it all.We give to Hillary and I hope she spends it too.

Hillbillary is pulling all kinds of rabbits out the bag trying to win the nomination. Counting Michigan and Florida saying that she has the popular votes when she knew that they wouldn't count if their primaries was move up. I bet she wasn't worry about Michigan and Florida back in January. Hillbillary supportors can't you all add....do the math. Stop going along with her....oooohhhh but then they are the less educated ones. Hillary had campaigne troubles when she ran for senator of NY and guess what it was.... her fianances just google Peter Paul. Talk about a bad track record...
Some of these comments border on pathetic. I see one person referring to Obama as a "boy", someone else regergitating the Clinton propaganda that he can't win "hard working white voters", and yet another sign of ignorance someone else still referring to the man as a "Moslem" which I'm assuming they meant Muslem.  
It's obvious to me that Besides Hillary supporters trying to bribe the Young Democrats they are also probably paying off people to write these ignorant rants in the form of blog responses.  But of course my criticisms will be construed by Hillary supporters as mysogenistic because they just can't reach the same conclusion that most delegates, superdelegates, voters, most members of congress, the richest man in the world, John McCain, John Edwards, my 94 year old uncle, the oposing candidates senior advisor, the current sitting President, and most people with any knowledge of elementary mathematics have reached.  That this nominating process is for all intents and purposes over.
Now be good Democrats and get on the band wagon just like you would expect Obama supporters to do if the situation was reversed or get left behind.  The disrespect Hillary supporters feel right now is a direct product of how she has chosen to spend the last few months trying to divide the Democratic party.  It just so happens that there are more people on the other side of the divide they have created so it must be a bit frustrating.  Again, get onboard or get left behind but one way or another, Change Is A Coming!


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