The Clinton Campaign announced Tuesday, 22 million in funds raised -- 33 percent more than Obama's 19 million in the 3rd quarter cycle. The surge in campaign donations makes Clinton a leading candidate in the 20 state caucuses scheduled for the upcoming “Super Duper Tuesday” primary election.
Hillary Clinton's campaign additionally collected 100,000 new small campaign donors – previously, in the first two quarters, the bragging rights of Sen. Obama and, to a smaller degree, North Carolina Sen. John Edwards. Mrs. Clinton's campaign reported to have doubled its small donor support compared with the first 3 month cycle.
While Obama surpassed Clinton in the first two fund raising periods, the two candidates are now almost neck-to-neck for the primary. Obama's campaign has raised roughly $75 million, while Clinton, close behind, has $72.5 million to spend.
A Washington Post-ABC poll gave the Obama camp yet another blow this week, showing Clinton, for the first time, exceeding a 50 percent vote of support – in earlier Post-ABC polls her support averaged in the mid 40's.
After unveiling her health care plan and working the talk show circuit last weekend, Clinton's approval climbed steadily to 53 percent among democratic and democratic leaning independent voters surveyed, compared to Obama's 20 percent and Sen. John Edwards 13 percent. Mrs. Clinton's five talk show appearances on Sunday are also coupled with a media blitz surrounding former President Bill Clinton's tour to promote his new book Giving.
“Within the last month, one Clinton or the other has appeared on television virtually every day,” The San Jose Mercury reported, “increasing the campaign's exposure among millions of Americans.”
Today both Sen. Edwards and Barack Obama came out with charges against Mrs. Clinton. Edward's campaign, which declines money from federal government lobbyists accused the New York Senator -- after a fund raising luncheon that included members of congress with ties to homeland security -- of catering to special interests.
“Today's Clinton fund raising event is a poster child for what's wrong in Washington,” said Edward's Senior Adviser, Joe Trippi.
Meanwhile, Obama, in a speech delivered in Chicago at DePal University continued to attack Clinton's vote to authorize force in Iraq.
"We need to ask those who voted for the war,” Obama said, “how can you give the president a blank check and then act surprised when he cashes it?"
On the republican side the Post-ABC poll shows former New York City Mayor, Rudy Giuliani, at the forefront with 24 percent support from GOP voters nationwide. Mitt Romney the original front runner trails at 11 percent nationally, but is ahead in most early republican primaries.
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