Money: McCain needs more, Clinton's handing it out

Funny how so often in politics it comes down to money.

John McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, sent out an almost plaintive post-debate e-mail to supporters a few hours ago. Eight men stood on that debate stage, he said, "but only one man was a president. On issue after issue, John McCain rose above the bickering and gave voters straight answers with a winning message, raising the level of discourse."

He rattled off how close the Iowa caucus and New Hampshire primary dates are. "The only thing that is holding us back right now is money. We have the best candidate, the best message and the best organization in the states. But we are competing with well-funded and self-funded candidates." And he asked for immediate donations. "The time is now," he said.

In another part of the political and financial spectrum, Hillary Clinton visited Bennettsville, S.C., the other day. She toured the 50-year-old middle school there, decried its dilapidated condition, and said improving education was an important part of her presidential platform.

Then, as cameras recorded the event for the evening news and newspaper, the Democratic presidential candidate presented a check for $100,000 to the new $6.4-million Marian Wright Edelman Public Library fund there. Edelman, of course, is the founder of the Children's Defense Fund, which once employed a much younger law school graduate named Hillary Rodham.

The $100,000 check came from the Clinton Foundation, which is run by Hillary and Bill Clinton. But we don't actually know where any of the foundation's money really comes from because the Clintons do not release the names of their donors, one of many things about their lives and doings they've decided not to release to the public.

That secret part, however, didn't make the Bennettsville evening news or the newspaper. But the money and the smiles in the photographs looked really good for the Clinton campaign.

-- Andrew Malcolm