Breaking News: Clinton passes $100 million level

A few minutes ago a top campaign aide for Hillary Clinton told The Times' Dan Morain that her campaign has now passed the $100 million fundraising level.

The fourth quarter of 2007 ends tonight at midnight, although campaigns need not report their official sums to the Federal Election Commission until Jan. 31. But the New York senator is the first to claim the $100 million mark that was widely considered the 2007 financial bar for serious candidates.

The aide to the Democratic front-runner did not disclose the exact amount she raised in the last three months. But given that she had amassed $80 million in the first three quarters, the junior senator brought in at least another $20 million in the final quarter. Barack Obama's campaign has not released its fourth quarter numbers, but it raised $78 million in the first nine months of 2007 so the two candidates lkiely remain close in incoming financial resources. Without citing specific sums, Obama officials told supporters today they would have more than the $100 million necessary.

The fourth quarter is a typically tough period to hit up donors for political money. Many contributors are more focused on holiday celebrations than politics. And with the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary just days away, candidates are more focused on actual campaigning than on raising campaign cash. Still, this carefully timed news can play to the inevitability factor that the Clinton campaign has sought to cultivate all along, as well as help counter attention to a new Des Moines Register poll tonight showing Obama increasing his lead over Clinton.

Comparing Clinton's $100 million-plus feat to times past, Democrats raised a combined $57 million in 1999, the last time there was no incumbent. Republicans, led by then Texas Gov. George W. Bush's $65 million, raised $108 million combined eight years ago.

Four years ago, in the 2003 calendar year before the general election, all of the Democratic presidential candidates raised a combined $128.9 million, while President Bush used the power of incumbency to raise $128.8 million alone, according to FEC records.

--Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[Duck Soup]

Clinton has a lot of money. What else is new. The Clintons have Dick Cheney level bucks from their government "service" approaching a cool hundred mil between the two of them. And their "charity" has another $500 mil and employed their campaign officials and took tens of millions of donations from their political supporters.

Guess what? America is sick of this. Want the proof?

America wants change - continuing the Bush/Clinton/Bush/Clinton cycle is not working and is too risky. America wants a unifier. Obama is the only frontrunner to fit that bill. He now has a commanding lead in Iowa.

http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071231/NEWS09/71231044/-1/caucus

It's certainly far from over in Iowa and elsewhere, but this shows some promise.

[Jason]

You're right, I think America is sick of this. But, we don't need Obama who has about zero experience. We absolutely need Joe Biden in 2008.

[Tom J]

$100 million makes her what - the highest-priced sellout in the race?

I don't know why her aides want to call attention to her breaking this particular barrier, unless they have as much of a tin ear for what voters want and don't want as she does. Which would figure.

[Susan Nunes]

Obama is a bigger loser than Clinton. Only John Edwards among the Democrats is electable and has coattails.

Obama is a fraud, a media creation.

[John]

Obama, Obama, Obama....gosh, people are such suckers. Are people really falling for his phony "I'm not like everyone else"? Obama is no different than all the other politicians running for president. If he really cares about making a difference he would have toughed it out and waited to run for president until he had some decent experience under his belt. Obama is a phony.

[Brian M.]

I'm just gonna come out and say it...

Ron Paul 2008!

Lets stop fighting, with ourselves and with the rest of the world. Limited government can and will end partisanship. An uncorruptable candidate will end war.

We alvoted for the Democrats in 2006 and they're still giving Bush a rubber stamp on everything he wants. A pox on both their houses!