Clinton's primary campaign begins April in debt
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/04/21/art.clintondebt.ap.jpg caption="Hillary Clinton began the month with $10 million in debt."](CNN) - Hillary Clinton began one of the most crucial stretches of her presidential campaign in debt, newly disclosed financial reports show.
According to campaign reports filed with the Federal Election Commission over the weekend, the New York senator began the month of April with close to $32 million cash-on hand. But only $9 million of that total are funds that are able to be spent in the primary races. The report also showed Clinton owes more than $10 million, meaning the Democratic presidential candidate was in the red even before she heavily stepped up television advertising in Pennsylvania.
"The numbers are what they are," Clinton adviser Howard Wolfson said on a conference call with reporters. "The money continues to come in strongly. We had a very good month last month of fundraising…we are continuing to have a good month this month."
We will of course be honoring the debt in the coming weeks and months," he also said.
The newly released reports offer the clearest picture to date of just how much of an advantage Barack Obama holds over Clinton heading into the final stretch of the prolonged Democratic race for the White House.
According to the reports, he began the month with over $42 million to spend during the presidential primaries and only carried around $650,000 in debt. Obama has $52 million cash on hand overall.
As has already been disclosed by both campaigns, Obama more than doubled what Clinton raised in the month of March: $41 million to her $20 million. The Illinois senator's stunning haul brings his presidential fundraising total to date to $235 million - $60 million more than what Clinton has raised in the same time period.
John McCain lagged both Democrats in March fundraising - pulling in $15 million in that time period. He began the month with $11.6 million cash-on-hand and, a debt of just over $700,000. He's raised a total of about $75 million.
The report also shows he gave back nearly $3 million from donors for his general election campaign. This move could indicate he is setting the stage to receive public financing for his campaign - an option that will infuse the Arizona senator with $84 million.
(12:45 p.m.: Updates with Wolfson comments)
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why give money to CLINTON when she cannot win do the MATH no way to win, if they over ride the will on the plople then what has she won ?? if I am one of the volt they over ride i wont volt for her
Is this how Hillary is planning to run the country?
Obama 08
Good Luck vendors getting your money from Hillary...
I would start asking for cash up front when dealing with the Clinton campaign!!
Maybe she should start getting donations from all these Rep, like Limbaugh and Rove, who want her to be the Dem to run against McCain. LOL!!!
Running a campaign is a very difficult task and the way you manage it show how you run the country. The clinton campaign has been reckless when it comes to managing their finances. I don't think this woman is fit to run the country.
Take a bow....the night is over
This masquerade is getting older
Lights are low...the curtains down
There's no one here...
Say your lines but do you feel them
Do you mean what you say when there's no one around....
– Madonna
Negative ads cost mucho dinero.
Well, I really doubt her skills as a leader, if she can´t even manage her own campaign correctly...
I would love to see Clinton lose Pennsylvania and then have to hitch hike back to New York, her 'home', because she cant afford bus fair! ha ha ha
I do not want Hillary to be president in this time of our economy if she can not manage her own funds.
ouch
Of Course...why would anyone give their hard earned money to a lost cause?
She can't even run a campaign without going in the debt...how does she expect to run the country?
If she can't manage her own campaign well enough to keep it from going this far under, how can she be trusted to lead the country out of its economic crisis?
hil if this is any indecation of how u will run the country, do us a favor and drop out now.
OBAMA all the way in 08 & 12!!!!!!!!!!!
Is that how she would run the country? sounds like Bush all over again!
and look whos talking about economy!!
If you can't run a campaign, you can't run a country.
Can't manage her campaign, can't manage our country! Who is she not paying? Ask blue collar companies who are waiting on a check. Don't be fooled, she could care less for working people.
The Clinton campaign debt is starting to look a lot like our national one!!
Hillary Clinton is not the answer.
Hillary Clinton is the question.
The answer is, "No."
Stick a fork in her... she is DONE....
Mena is no longer a Clinton cash cow.
How will she run the government then? Oh... more debt.
And she says she can fix the economy. ROFL
YES, we are willing to pay for change if we have to. This election WILL be bought by the American people.
Go Barack!