While the nation counts delegates, Obama and Clinton count $$

Evidently, California is a bottomless bank account for Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton.

Obama collected more than $5.9 million from the Golden State toward his presidential effort in February, a month that saw him take in $55 million total. Clinton hauled in $4.3 million from California of her overall monthly total of $34.6 million, according to fresh campaign finance filings mined by The Times' Dan Morain.

For both candidates, California was their largest source of lucre, as it has been throughout the campaign for numerous candidates. But Obama is showing impressive fundraising prowess across state and regional lines.

Obama shuns money from lobbyists and Washington insiders. But in February, as his delegate lead grew, the Illinois senator collected far more than any other remaining candidates in the Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia area. He raked in $3.31 million there compared with Clinton’s $2.09 million and Republican Sen. John McCain’s $1.17 million out of his February total of $11 million.

Obama also continued to tap Wall Street and its environs, out-raising Clinton in her home state of New York. In the tri-state region of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, Obama raised $5.4 million to Clinton’s $4.9 million and McCain’s $1.2 million.

Obama raised $1.69 million in the Lone Star State to Clinton’s $1.46 million.
Obama continues to attract Hollywood money: Geena Davis gave him $4,600. Also giving him $2,300 checks in February were Dustin Hoffman, Zach “Scrubs” Braff and Richard Gere.

Clinton's celebrity checks came from, among others, Bette Midler, who gave $4,600, and $2,300 from America “Ugly Betty” Ferrera.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[GHarri]

As Politico.com pointed out, it is time for Hillary to go. She can't win, and by staying in, she's just keeping Obama from doing what McCain can do now: Find the strongest possible running mate. Here's the best analysis of how that should work that I've seen so far:
http://digits.hrblock.com/ssDigits/digits.php?rType=1&sPath=1140&sNode=1140&uId=198

[Matha Davidson]

People put their money where their mouth is. What do these numbers tell you?

Like Richardson said yesterday, it's time for Clinton to step down, and the Democrats to come together. Obama has two former presidential candidates backing him now. They should know who has the best chance with the Republicans in Nov. Just because Obama did not bring up the past with Clinton, do not think the republicans won't. When the Clintons tax records, Bills' Foundation, and Library funding sources are reveled, it could destroy the party for decades. There is 1/2 BILLION dollars in funding alone to explain! If it were all kosher, it would have been known long ago. There is an ongoing fraud lawsuit in California, which the media has not been reporting as well. If she continues on her path of destruction, she won't even be able to keep her senate seat. Nor should she! Hillary Clinton will be the one starring in the Republican attack adds this fall. Then the public will she what damage she has done. There will be another time for a woman to run the Whitehouse. It's not this woman, Hillary Clinton, not this time.

[kate]

Well, this certainly puts to rest who is the most competitive and best positioned to go into the general election.

[Matha Davidson]

Like Richardson said yesterday, it's time for Clinton to step down, and the Democrats to come together. Obama has two former presidential candidates backing him now. They should know who has the best chance with the Republicans in Nov. Just because Obama did not bring up the past with Clinton, do not think the republicans won't. When the Clintons tax records, Bills' Foundation, and Library funding sources are reveled, it could destroy the party for decades. There is 1/2 BILLION dollars in funding alone to explain! If it were all kosher, it would have been known long ago. There is an ongoing fraud lawsuit in California, which the media has not been reporting as well. If she continues on her path of destruction, she won't even be able to keep her senate seat. Nor should she! Hillary Clinton will be the one starring in the Republican attack adds this fall. Then the public will she what damage she has done. There will be another time for a woman to run the Whitehouse. It's not this woman, Hillary Clinton, not this time.

[Jonathan]

Of course Obama's speach went over well. His one great talent lies in words, not action, nor evidence of action. He is a Pied Piper and we will pay for it well when the Republicans take the White House again in four years, due to Obama's failure because of gross lack of experience. But everyone is too blind to see this. I guess you'd give a 10 year old the keys to the family jet as well.

[AC]

I've been hearing the strident calls for Hillary to "step down" since Iowa. The media has been holding her funeral ever since. Stop it. With slightly over 100 delegates separating them, Hillary far ahead in Pennsylvania and West Virginia polls as well as neck and neck in North Carolina - why should she step down?
Let America vote.

[Randy]

Since the Democratic Party chooses not to let Florida and Michigan voters to be counted... I will not give one more dime to the Democratic Party or it's nominees.

I will never vote for the ObamaNation!

Good Luck Jack Asses!

I voted for Schwarzenegger so I guess I have no choice but to vote for Citizen McCain.

The democratic party really screwed the pooch ... Idiots!

[Katy]

Jonathon: Obama WROTE the speech! It reflects his experience, his character, his intelligence, his judgment and his heart. You want experience? Obama has 12 years of experience in elected office to Clinon's 7! She claims 35. Hillary Rodham Clinton, ready to lie on day one.

[J]

Richardson's endorsement is great for Obama and the USA. The Clinton’s mud slinging by playing “the race card” and “patriotism” fears are exactly the tactics that push people towards Obama and his supporters who want to make this country greater and better prepared for the plethora of challenges we will face in the near future.

Additionally, Richardson is an international negotiations expert who will be fabulous in an Obama Presidency. Rather than bombing Iran, wagging war for 100 years in Iraq, and not knowing the difference between a Sunni or Shiite (The McOld McSame McCain Way), Obama will help our economy prosper and increase our credibility worldwide.

Vote for Obama in 2008

[Hubert Schmitter]

Clinton will never release her tax information. She will STALL and STALL. Just wait.

[indo45053]

It is not really simple to make Hillary join Obama. Not like Huckabee defeated bu John McCain.
Revote Michigan & Florida ..............she will make her willing join Obama.
Without democrats Hillary will win presidency.'If I am Hillary I will quit a democrat to be indenpendent.
I dissapointed with democrat party.

What did you sell democrat, unpatriotic Obama & his wife ................

[Kel]

Go Hillary keep fighting, do not hand over the country to Obama, we do not need that kind of trouble. Obama is racist, hates the US, and a BIG FAT LIER. He had my support but now I would elect a blin, dying dog over him, at least a dog is loyal to who takes care of him. Obama is bad for this country, after all it is the US who brings down his race (well part of his race-African American). I do not care if he says that he did not share the same views as his pastor, he still attended and has so for years. How about Hillary goes and sits down with the KKK and tell me that Obama would not throw a hissy fit and America would look at her bad, even if she gave a speech in which she lied in. OBAMA will not count on my vote or any of my family who think he needs to step down and give it to someone who really loves their country. If elected I do not see good things for him or this country. I see another 911 coming due to a weak president, at least under bush we can not be pushed around-under Obama he will be busy tending to race issues rather than issues that face the country as a whole, which will make us weak to enemy fire.

[Girl with the bushy armpits]

Richardson like most of Bill Clinton's appointees is and was a major flopsicle. He wanted Madeleine Notbright's
sec. of state Job,but Bill figured he could'nt cut it and as it
turned out Madeleine got the wool pulled over her eyes by
Kim Jong- iL,but at least AIPAC gave Bill their support in
return for Madeleine's appointment. Bill R. still wants the sec.
of state job and Hilary has already promised it to Gloria
Steinhem ,wich explains why Richardson went to Obama
who only wants the media to talk about anything but his
pastor or his granny. So he said, sure Bill I'l make you my
sec. of state...there were no witnesses and all Barak
intends to give him is the ambassadorship to Baloutchistan
Jessee Jackson will be the sec. of state.

[Marks]

Kel,

>Obama is racist, hates the US, and a BIG FAT LIER

Prove any of that.

Obama has heard statement's that makes him racist? You haven't? Older than 20? Obama's been labeled, he's gone to Church for 20 years. That ends the lie he was Muslim, I guess.

Sen. Robert Byrd was acting really racist as member of the KKK. He always been re-elected in West Virginia.

Obama hates the US, when? The not Pledging Allegiance picture is a lie and misrepresentation of the moment.

A lot of people don't do anything during the Pledge of Allegiance. They don't take a hat off. They don't place hand over heart. They don't murmur along.

Many can't recite it properly and they are counted as voters.

Where you alive in the 60's when probably half the nation hated the Federal Government because of Vietnam and Civil Rights legislation going slow. When police used water cannons and dogs on citizens.

People saw murders and assaults occuring, local and state police inaction and the Federal Government useless in prosecuting crimes.

Why would those affected, be proud of the United States at the time?

It's okay for some people to have unpatriotic feelings in their lifetime.

Some people are arming themselves with guns and ammo just in case, ready to shoot Feds if gun bans turn into confiscation. They will shoot Feds seems unpatriotic to me.

I'll give you, the Lier, meant Liar. A little too excitable making that point.

Do you believe Bush lied about the Weapons of Mass Destruction. Or Cheney says Iraq had something to do with 9/11? Those were lies that cost soldiers lives!

Democrats are trying to get from under Republicans in White House.

If Obama wins the Democratic nomination and he's likely to, you're going to vote for McCain? He's running around calling himself a Conservative Republican.

There is no real difference in National Security advantage between Hillary and Obama. They both will hire competent advisors.

[AC]

He isn't racist? His recent comment (throwing his Granny under the bus for a second time) that she was a "typical white person" is exactly that. It was not "mud slinging" by Clinton or anyone else - these were his words. If Clinton said anyone was "a typical black person" we would never hear the end of it -and rightly so. But HE is the one making racist remarks. Every single objectionable thing he has come under scrutiny for has been of his own making - Clinton had nothing to do with his support of Rev Wright or his comments about "typical white people". She had nothing to do with Rezko and Obama's admittedly "bad judgement".
And has he lied? Absolutely - about Rezko (oh... yeah, I said $150,000? I meant twice that.) About NAFTA (see his own advisor in his Canada trip). And about Rev, Wrights staements - first saying he hadn't heard them till Fox and YOUtube aired them, and he didn't know about any of those kinds of statements - then in his mighty nice speech saying he DID know about his views on America and race in America.
Disappointing. Very disappointing.