* Money shocker! Hillary Clinton's campaign debt soars

(*UPDATE: Due to a mathematical error, Hillary Clinton's loans to herself were added twice in the calculation of this item. Her total debts are about $21 million, not $31 million. A corrected item covering the first five paragraphs of this one has been published here.)

No wonder Sen. Hillary Clinton was so late filing her required campaign financial reports Tuesday night. Her political team didn't want the shocking news in it to overshadow her lopsided thumping of Sen. Barack Obama in Kentucky.

But here's the morning after, pay-up time. Clinton's campaign debt has now soared to nearly $31 million, according to numbers crunched early this morning by The Times' campaign finance guru, Dan Morain.

She added another $9.5 million in unpaid bills to vendors this last month alone, pushing her total debt to vendors and herself to the new astronomical figure, about a 50% debt increase in one month.

According to a campaign release put out Tuesday evening as election returns revealed her big win in Kentucky and loss in Oregon, Clinton raised "approximately $22 million" from other people in April. The release also touted that $10 million had poured in within 48 hours of another lopsided Clinton victory over Obama, that one in Pennsylvania, and said it was the second best fund-raising month of her entire campaign.

But the number collected is actually closer to $21 million and the release also neglected to mention that she spent $28.9 million, nearly $8 million more than she took in. She used personal loans to make up part of the difference. She also delayed payments to consultants. Including the $9.5 million in unpaid bills from April, she owes consultants and other vendors $19.5 million. Not to mention the total $11.4 million she has loaned herself.

For other campaign finance figures, including surprising financial success by the Republican Party aided by the president, continue reading below the video.

The likely Democratic nominee Obama continues to vastly out-raise Sen. John McCain, but the presumed Republican nominee is closing the money gap with the significant help of his party, according to new campaign finance reports filed Tuesday.

McCain disclosed he had $21.7 million in the bank at the end of April, compared with ...

... Obama’s $46.5 million. But the Republican National Committee is proving to be a real financial equalizer for the Arizona senator with the notorious distaste for fund-raising.

With significant time and help from President George W. Bush, the RNC ended April with $40.6 million in the bank -- 10 times more than the Democratic National Committee, which had a modest $4.4 million in the bank.

The Democratic Party's fund-raising also was a fraction of the Republicans' in April -- a mere $4.7 million, compared with $19.8 million for the RNC.

The DNC’s cash in the bank actually fell from its March total, which was $5.3 million. Democrats have tapped former Vice President Al Gore in an effort to draw donors to party fund-raisers.

Party money can be used to help the nominees in a variety of direct and indirect ways during the general election campaign. Parties can pay for voter registration, voter turnout efforts and advertising.

McCain’s primary fight has long been over, which allowed him to limit spending to $6.4 million last month. Democratic front-runner Obama raised $31.9 million last month and spent $36.4 million, according to his report filed late Tuesday.

McCain disclosed he received $17.8 million in contributions in April, pushing his total receipts to $100.4 million for the whole campaign, less than half of Obama's total of $266.6 million since January 2007.

The freshman Illinois Democrat scooped up $31.9 million last month, a 20% drop from the $40 million he raised in March. He collected $55 million back in February, which seems millions of dollars ago, doesn't it?

-- Andrew Malcolm

Photo: Associated Press

Comments

[Vikram]

I am not sure why nobody seems to mention it. Please enlighten me if I am mistaken wrong.

But the huge bill and mostly "consultant" bill that HRC has run up seems to be the same kind used by Bankers to hide their profits from a project beyond the normal interest that the Bank can charge.

It also to me seems to clarify, why HRC is still running. She will try collect all this "consultant" bills which actully were not spent.

Moreover, I understand that HRC campaign team is already in discussion with Obama campaign to combine their funds. How can they combine funds when one of the fund is actually a big hole. I have also seen news that HRC team is pushing for Obama team to take over the debts in return for an earlier HRC withdrawal.

It seems a sure way to make an extra $30m that Obama must pay OR ELSE....

Since Obama spent 31m just this last month. He might as well pay HRC.
It makes simple logic but terrible demoracy.

[Jul]

The big animal pictures for Hillary...

1. She has less funding because she has less support among Americans
2. She's decided to spend what she doesn't have...
3. In order to have something she can't afford

Seems to me that in the face of our debt crisis fueled by bad choices among consumers and lenders Hillary is showing us by personal example...she is part of the problem not part of the solution. Hillary please exit the stage now - we need your skills in other ways.

[E Lima]

It appears that some of the Clinton fan club is stuck holding the bag again....keep spending mama, they still love you more than the money you lost for them..
Behold and be nice......and be thankful.......at least you did not waste all of it..

[BOO-HOO]

KEEP ON GOING HILARY. YOU SHOULD KEEP ON CAMPAIGNING AND TRYING TO CONVINCE THE DNC AND THE SUPER DELAGATES THAT YOU ARE REALLY THE BEST CHOICE FOR PRESIDENT. KEEP SPENDING MONEY AND THE HELL WITH THOSE YOU OWE MONEY TO...EXCEPT YOURSELF OF COURSE. HAVE BILL GO ON WITH HIS TIRADES AND LIES AS THEY ARE REALLY HELPING AND DON'T FORGET TO CRY AND COMPLAIN THAT EVERYBODY IS GANGING UP ON YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE A WOMAN AND PLAY THE RACE CARD AGAIN OVER AND OVER...WHY AREN'T BLACK PEOPLE VOTING FOR THE WIFE OF AMERICAS "FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT", BECAUSE ALL BLACK PEOPLE ARE RACIST, YOU KNOW THAT. OH YES, DON'T FORGET TO DISS SENATOR OBAMA EVERY CHANCE YOU GET BECAUSE WE SURE DON'T WANT HIM TO WIN THE NOMINATION AND IF BY SOME CHANCE HE DOES WE SURE DON'T WANT HIM TO WIN THE GENERAL ELECTION.

YOU HILLARY ARE JUST WHAT THIS COUNTRY NEEDS, ANOTHER PRESIDENT WHO CAN'T EXCEPT REALITY, WILL LIE TO THE AMERICAN PEOPLE, WIPE IRAN OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH, INSTALL A HEALTH CARE SYSTEM THAT WILL MANDATE THAT EVERY AMERICAN MUST PAY INTO (DON'T WORRY IF SOME PEOPLE CAN'T AFFORD IT...THATS THEIR PROBLEM) AND LETS NOT FORGET YOUR HUSBAND BILL THAT AS FIRST HUSBAND WILL BE BACK IN THE WHITEHOUSE BOINKING INTERNS AGAIN WHICH WILL GIVE YOU THE OPPORTUNITY TO AGAIN "STAND BY YOUR MAN".

TAKE MY ADVICE HILARY AND I GUARANTEE YOU THAT SENATOR JOHN McCAIN WILL BE OUR NEXT PRESIDENT.

[Janet]

You should pull this story. Your math is so far off that it is embarrassing.

[desiel69]

OBAMA SHOULD NOT HELP HER WITH HER DEPT SHE CONTINUES TO BASH HIM SO SHE CAN WIN IN 2012 SHE IS PRAYING FOR HIM TO LOSE SHE DISPISES HIM.

[Becky]

The "money is coming from" people like me, Fool: I'm a 52 year old white woman/ homemaker /feminist/ small-town Iowan living on (along with my husband and two children) less than $60k a year...

We send in $25 every pay day have done so for months and months, because we BELIEVE in our candidate.

(oh, and for the other Fool on this thread: there aren't a lot of elitists OR Blacks in Iowa. What's your next "excuse"?)

[Dave Brenner]

I am certain that Hillary is now campaigning SOLELY for the contributions, so that new donations can go straight into her pocket in the form of loan repayments.

There must be some kind of racketeering or fraud laws, and probably several laws, which apply to lying repeatedly, in bad faith, for personal financial gain.

Or as usual, do our nation's laws simply not apply to the Clintons?

[G]

Who would EVER vote for this CROOK...she is getting what she can,while she can!

[Mandelay]

Noticed you corrected this story because your "numbers guy" counted 11 million dollars twice. So, does this mean Obama's shills can't add? Please stay away from the U.S. Budget Office. We have enough problems.

[me]

If she can't keep her finances in the black how is hse going to handle the countrys. the repubs have put the country so deep in the red it will take years of painful "root-canel like" cuts to get back in the black.
I am stocking up on toilet paper, underware, dryed beans, beef jery and a cave to hide in.

[Dave Brenner]

Why doesn't HRC just trade some more magic cattle futures make all her debts disappear?

Why doesn't she take out one of those non-repayable loans from ADFA, the Arkansas Development and Finance Authority, which her very own Rose Law Firm wrote the governing laws for?

Why doesn't she sell some fake bonds through Dan Lasater? You know, the cocaine felon who gave drugs to underage girls at wild parties attended by Bill? The guy behind the Little Rocks bond scam? His criminal record is clear now, thanks to the illegal pardon by president Bill...

Why doesn't she shake down Barry Seal for some money? Oh that's right; he's dead, just like "The Boys On The Tracks" (google it...)

I recommend she hold a fundraiser at Mena Airport, since that location is especially significant with all the Clinton history there.

Too bad she isn't president yet, and she can't order an encore attack on some Sudanese pharmaceutical plant, to completely divert the media's attention from embarrasing personal issues.

(Hillary stood-by-her-man during that crisis; will Bill now do the same?)

[Wellwisher]

What a wonderful president she would be!

Do you need a president who runs up more debts?

[James]

Double standard. Kerry poured his own money and mortgaged his home. Romney poured his own money into his campaign.

Candidates do this because THEY are willing to invest in their own campaigns. It's okay. It makes sense.

Now when Hillary does it, many of you Obama supporters denigrate it as a bad thing. Double standard.

And you wonder why more than half of Hillary supporters will NEVER vote for your candidate whose campaign is fueled by hate.

Obama cannot win the general - he cannot outsmear the Republicans nor outcheat them.

No wonder Dems have lost 7 of the last 10 elections. Too stupid to select the most electable candidate.

[Titus]

Thank Goodness McCain knows how to sell out the country to avoid his own debt.

[manny]

I wonder what ever happened to the guy that president Clinton pardoned that got caught with 100 kilograms of cocaine.Oh! i forgot he was president Clintons brother's best friend! How forgetful of me......outrageous!!

[nana4]

I don't care how long it takes for her to retire her debt, I will continue contributing to her until it is paid and focus my contributions there instead of to the party's nominee, to the DNC, or to the Republicans.
Thank you, Hillary, for the courageous effort you have put forth. You were a huge success. Thank you for all you have done with your life on behalf of children, especially, as well as the rest of us. I predict we will see many of your Solutions For America co-opted by others. I applaud you and respect you for your life's work.

[Billy]

Reading the comments here confirms the reason we are in the mess we're in. The majority of the American people are truly under a media/propaganda spell. Cliton,Obama,MCcain all are the same puppets for the same people. There will be no change with any of these people. They play you along like the suckers you are!

[R.S.]

Everyone sees what they want to see.

People calling on Hillary to quit - I know you want your guy to win, but if people perceive that she was forced out or that their votes were undermined, who do you think they will vote for?

Hillary is smart and a good person. The best thing she can do for herself and for Obama is to finish all primaries. At this point, a vote for Clinton is a vote for Obama, and visa versa. Nomatter what happens, both will play key roles in bringing change to this country.

That is, unless too many fools actually follow through on their threat to defect to McCain.

[Shelly]

I wonder if people donating now realize that almost all of their donation is going to debt-retirement. It's legal to spend new donations for that purpose, but extremely shady.

There are also some largely untapped stories here about the unpaid bills themselves. The campaign has spent hand-over-fist on things like balloons, cocktail receptions for staffers, luxury hotel suites, etc. In many cases, the companies providing these items had no idea they would never be repaid. The really sad thing is that a lot of these expenditures were simply unnecessary for the purpose of running a campaign.

[Bobby E]

Roberto,

You'll have your proof by the end of this campaign - after all, Obama is the Hamas candidate. McCain is going to kill him as more and more comes out about his sordid personal associations, the fact that he did nothing as a state senator in IL (I follow local politics, and he was nowhere), and even less as a US Senator. Obama has never run against a tough political opponent, except when Bobby Rush crushed him a few years ago in a congressional primary.

Looks like McCain vs. Hil in 2012. Bye, bye Barack.

[John E. Pellegrino, Jr.]

Hillary and her henchman Bill Have completely lost any
credibility they've ever had during the course of their pa-
thetically run campaign. What their self-absorbtion has
blinded them from is the fact that HRC is holding up thie nomination of Barack Obama as Democratic nominee. But,
self-centered Hillary doesn't care if a large majority of the
country's registered Democrats don't support and can't
even stand her and Bill, she's determined to carry on her
charade of a campaign. Neither can handle that they've
been thouroughly beaten by a much younger and much
more intelligent Black man.

[John E. Pellegrino, Jr.]

Hillary and her henchman Bill Have completely lost any
credibility they've ever had during the course of their pa-
thetically run campaign. What their self-absorbtion has
blinded them from is the fact that HRC is holding up thie nomination of Barack Obama as Democratic nominee. But,
self-centered Hillary doesn't care if a large majority of the
country's registered Democrats don't support and can't
even stand her and Bill, she's determined to carry on her
charade of a campaign. Neither can handle that they've
been thouroughly beaten by a much younger and much
more intelligent Black man.

[HonkyBoboStonks]

It's pretty easy to see what is going to happen with this campaign at this point. The DNC has said that they will not count the votes for Michigan and Florida as they were collected. This is because, both states BROKE THE RULES for the election. Obama wasn't on the ballot in Michigan because he followed the rules and withdrew from the election in that state. Hillary, didn't follow the rules, but now she wants those votes to count even though he wasn't even on the ballot. Her funny math always goes back to "leading in the popular vote" ... which is only barely true if you count Michigan which didn't include Obama on the ballot. Hillary will continue to call this disenfranchised voters and continue to not accept the concessions offered by the DNC of splitting the electorates. She will eventually sue the DNC to get the votes to count and we will have another litigated election for the claimed "hanging chads". Montra of the Clintons, win at all costs, even at the cost of the nation.

[Kris]

I hate to say this, but we Americans are acting like a stupid man whose house is on fire and he's busy chasing rats. Yes, that's what I see happening in America today. We're acting like a bunch of clowns. Much credit to our self-centered politicians and their beloveth sibling, the media.

The economy is in the tank. National deficit is at all time high. Gas price has reached all time record. There is utter chaos in the real estate market and people are losing their homes every neighborhood you go to. Dollar value has fallen to all time low and soon will be in the ranks of ruppees, the list goes on. Yet, we allow ourselves to be blindfolded and to focus on trivial stuff. At the end of the day, race, gender, religion, wars, and all the other wedge issues used by politicians and hate mongers to divide Americans will not fix the economy nor make America any stronger. People, it's time to wisen up and keep our eyes on the big prize.

[deBeer]

Hillary is acting like most Barry O supporters. Live and spend as you please but expect someone else to pick up the tab......

[Michael]

I think it's interesting to see how these announcements are timed. They always come a few days after a key primary vote. You can call that good communications management, but it also looks more than a bit disingenuous.

[Ugly American]

This is just a little taste of how she would run the country.

[Julie in Burbank]

Another hard-working white American here for Obama.

After reading and verifying this story, I cannot understand why Hillary supporters do not hold Hill accountable for campaign mismanagement? Do you hold Penn and Solis-Doyle responsible? Bill?

Seriously just wondering. This behavior makes her look like a really irresponsible leader. Obama and his team are more trustworthy all the way around than Clinton and more than McCain.

Glad I donated to Obama's campaign.

[Affiliate Expert]

Keep on going and live the american dream. Our country is in need of serious financial reform, and may the best capable team wins and relief the 8 years of Bush empire.

[NinaK]

Mitt Romney spent many more millions than Hillary has and he has been gone for months. Hillary has raised more money in a Primary season than any other cadidate in political history with the exception of Obama. It is not surprising at all that this blog, in its rush to print only negative about Hillary miscalculated the debt. Why don't we just present Obama with a crown instead of letting the people vote.

Posted by: SEERYER |
---------------------------
Seeryer, It was Hilliary who ws crowned "the inevitable nominee" and the "shoe in for President" by the media. She just KNEW she was inevitable and would have the nomination after Super Tuesday. Alas, that did not happen!! She had no plants beyond Super Tuesday....NO VISION AND NO PLAN B MAKE FOR POOR GOVERNING AND CERTAINLY NOT READY FOR DAY ONE!! Senator Obama goes on to win 11 consequitive states plus the VIrgin Islands---12 contests in a row! That's when Hilliary decided MI and FL were important after all. It is evident Hilliary has no sense of anything that has to do with numbers---look how she and her campaign twist and spin the numbers in votes, delegates, and superdeleages. She is behind on all counts and no matter how much they twist and spin, the FACTS don't change. Her campaign is running on monetary FUMES, yet she keeps on, loaning her campaign money every month and still refuses to pay her debtors--yes, those middle-class people she has left in limbo dating back to Iowa. Aren't these the very same people she CLAIMS she is fighting for??? What a hypocrite!! Hilliary is incompetent in all areas, period.

[NinaK]

Hilliary has some millions of dollars saved for the general election, what happens to that money when Senator Obama wins the nomination??? Does this go to her senate monies? Or can she use those millions to pay the vendors and other businesses who/which provided Hilliary and her campaign with those services estimated at $10 million?

Children donating to her campaign? Selling their bikes and video games to donate to her campaign??? Is it legal to take money from children???? They are NOT eligible to vote?? Someone in the know needs to look into the legality of her taking money from young children who have to sell their bikes and personal things. Hilliary, you should be ashamed of yourself!!! You are really a low-down creature to take money from children!! And from the poor!!! Shame on you, Hilliary Clinton!!

[NinaK]

Double standard. Kerry poured his own money and mortgaged his home. Romney poured his own money into his campaign.

Candidates do this because THEY are willing to invest in their own campaigns. It's okay. It makes sense.

Now when Hillary does it, many of you Obama supporters denigrate it as a bad thing. Double standard.

And you wonder why more than half of Hillary supporters will NEVER vote for your candidate whose campaign is fueled by hate.

Obama cannot win the general - he cannot outsmear the Republicans nor outcheat them.

No wonder Dems have lost 7 of the last 10 elections. Too stupid to select the most electable candidate.
-------------------------------------------------------------
The big difference is Mitt Romney GAVE his campaign the money and does not expect payback; Hilliary LOANED her campaign the money and expects paybak plus interest. .

[Gregorovitch]

Yes the chickens are coming home to roost.

The media tells everyone how bad Bush is and you swallowed it and think Bush is bad.

The media tells you the economy is in the tank and it's all Bush's fault and you with you lack of civics and intelligence believed it. They won't tell you that it's individuals in the marketplace that are the problem because they know you are not smart enough to understand that, so it's easier to blame the President.

Yes you are dumb because if we were in a recession then how can all these candidates raise multi million dollars to waste? How is it that the economy is still growing, how is it that unemployment went down? How is it that places like Disney made over $1.1 Billion during this alleged recession. Those being hurt are being hurt by individuals who lacked the skills listed above, not the President. But, according to the media you are too dumb to know that.

The media blames the President for the cost of food going up. They won't tell you it was the Democrat Congress with VP Gore casting the deciding vote for mandatory Ethanol and Clinton signed it. No, the media knows you are too dumb to dispute them and will believe what they tell you.

They know you are dumb about the oil business so they tell you that it's the fault of "Bush's oil buddies" and never ever have mentioned Sen. Jay Rockefeller, DEMOCRAT of W.VA whose family founded and own oil companies. Nah you are too dumb to know that.

They have convinced you that by cutting out the Bush tax cuts and you will pay more in taxes ( and that you just love that ), the "rich" control the Jobs you have, so business will either raise the cost of goods or lay people off to compensate, and oil companies will pass their increase to the gas pump, and don't forget who will end up paying for that $130 trillion Universal Healthcare. Who is truly dumb enough to vote for these things?

The media has convinced you that you are lazy and that Socialism and Communism is best and you swallowed that too. You should not have to work to provide for you family because you desperately need someone to blow your nose and wipe your behind.

You won't take care of your family, teach your children Honesty, Ethics, Integrity, Manners, Courtesy, Respect and most of all Self Discipline because you don't possess those skills either, so you need mommie government to do it for you.

Now the next step. You have two Marxist candidates(both from their mentor Saul Alinsky) to impose the harshest of Socialism and Communism on you that the media has convinced you that you need. Just take a serious look at all the programs they are promising and you then had better get a lock on your wallet.

Are you really looking at what you are getting or are you just enamored with 'WORDS"? Is this the change (out of your pocket) you are looking for? Name one time "hope" ever put a roof over your head or food on your table.

Yep, who needs the Constitution when you have all these wonderful Communist programs that you are just begging for.

Please don't placate me with the term "intelligent voter".

[carol millerc]

For information purposes, donations to political campaigns are NOT tax deductible.

[Billw]

FL & MI VOTERS SHOULDN'T HAVE TO PAY

Those responsible for the Florida and Michigan deal should have to pay, not the voters. The state officials who set the early voting date should be fined a stiff personal penalty, and the votes should count. It's not fair for the voters to pay for their mistake.

[nana4]

Most of these bloggers are in support of their candidate, Obama. That is fine. Looks as though he may be the nominee. I do not understand why they are not more jubilant instead of still so angry. They do sound like the Youth Group is so enamored by Obama. They just do not seem to know that the election of a President in a Democracy is not the same thing as a sporting event, or a contestant at American Idol. A Democracy allows candidates to run, to use their own monies, to socicit monies from others, and to campaign and participate in a Democratic campaign for as long as their are voters voting for them until the last tally, in this case the number of delegates garnered by one of them. She is exercising her right as a candidate and providing for the rest of us an opportunity to exercise our right. Obama supporters really need to relax, take a deep breath, study up on civics, if you have decided to participate, and allow the campaign to play itself out to completion. Your hatred, vitriole, and your allegations and slurs do nothing to convince the rest of us that we should endorse your candidate because you do not come across as very learned. You sound more like the conservative Evangelical right wingers who were so fanatic about their candidate in the last 2 elections that if you were not with them, you were amoral, trash, and unpatriotic. Please stop. You do not have to like Hillary. But in your blind devotion to your own candidate, you are really doing a grave diservice to him. Much of what you say about Hillary is rabid rant.

[nana4]

PS: For the victor to assume the debt of the opposition candidate within a political party is nothing new. There is precedent for it. It is done all of the time, in the interest of doing the business of the Party. I should think that in this particular contest, where the votes are so close, with so many people voting, that the DNC would want to, especially, assist with campaign debt. Don't take things so very personal. It's "strictly business". The more you get into this or the longer you participate in politics, the more you will find things you don't like. You do your homework, study the issues, study the candidates, cast your vote, and hope for the best. They are all, eventually, found to have a few deep flaws. Begin to temper yourself as you most certainly one of these days will have your enthusiasm tempered, some hopes dashed, and a bit more disappointment in what you thought was so perfect.

[Neil]

She's staying in it because if she where to win the states she has won in the general election with both McCain and Obama in the general election as well guess what she would win the presidency.

[WarDog]

In the name of patriotism, we have participated in a planned deception to create a state of permanent war. In the name of profit, America has been sacrificed on the altar of the god of war, to create a global empire based on the mass-marketing of death.

“We are opposed...by a ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means for expanding its sphere of influence--on infiltration instead of invasion, on subversion instead of elections, on intimidation instead of free choice, on guerrillas by night instead of armies by day. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations.

Its preparations are concealed, not published. Its mistakes are buried, not headlined. Its dissenters are silenced, not praised. No expenditure is questioned, no rumor is printed, no secret is revealed. It conducts the [war] with a war-time discipline no democracy would ever hope or wish to match...” –John F Kennedy, 1961.

"Anyone who would sacrifice freedom for security deserve neither". Ben Franklin (paraphrased)

"I would rather die with the constitution clinched in my fist, then live with shackles on my feet" Greywolf

If it be the pleasure of Heaven that my country shall require the poor offering of my life, I will be ready, at the appointed hour of sacrifice, come when that hour may. But while I do live, let me have a country, and that a free country!
John Adams

[Max Fortres]

McCain has exceeded the spending limits that were placed upon him by the McCain-Feinman campaign financing laws. McCain claims ignorance, was unaware of these stupid and archaic laws. He also claims that when he was born in Panama, it was part of the United States, so he is indeed qualified to be president after all. He also claims that it wasn't him, that murdered 132 American servicemen on the USS Forrestal, his father says it never happened. Besides, it was just a joke, when he wetstarted his jet fighter and blew a giant fireball into the plane behind him. It wasn't his fault that the plane's missiles fired off into his external fuel tank. It was the gooks that made him place 1,000 pound bombs into 500 pound bomb racks. Upon impact, the bombs fell out their undersized racks and rolled around the deck. When his plane exploded into flame, he ran for his life, the firefighters who heroically ran to the aid of the pilots, were all killed when the first bomb exploded. He escaped the inferno by being the first one on the medevac chopper, he wasn't wounded, but he was very startled. He narrowly escaped being keel hauled by his shipmates.

[helen]

This is really about management and mismanagement. Hillary and her camp repeatedly state that Obama outspends them three to one. At the same time, although he raises more than they, its not three times as much, not even twice as much. They both have raised in the 200,000,000 range, yet he has money to spare and she is millions in debt. What kind of math is her campaign involved in? The same kind of math that believes she can win, when she can't. Hillary is a wasteful, spoiled individual. The only reason Bill was able to manage the budget during his years in office in Washington was that the Republican congress held his feet to the fire. There will not be a republican congress this time around. Whoever is elected must show fiscal responsibility and so far, Hilarry has shown none of it.

[Edward Murray]

I hope someone follows up on the apparent discrepancy between the HRC campaign press releases that announced they were "on track" to raise $10m in the 24 hours following the PA primary victory and the actual reported total of $1.3m.

Part of this is explained by the fact that the daily breakdown is only for contributions above $200. For the month as a whole, the campaign reported $9.8 million out of $22 million in contributions over $200. The full monthly total including under $200 contributions was 2.24 times as much as the the over reported contributions of more than $200.

But $10m is 7.7 times the reported figure of $1.3m.

The campaign repeated the claimed $10m on May 20, 2008.

Links to the data and press releases:

Center for Responsive Politics
http://www.opensecrets.org/pres08/weekly.php?cycle=2008&cand1=N00009638&cand2=N00000019

HRC Press Release 4/23/08
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=7272

HRC Press Release 5/20/08
http://www.hillaryclinton.com/news/release/view/?id=7786

[Jerry EZ, TEXAS]

For the CLINTONITES: HRC can't even budget her campaign much less our country, why vote for her? Hillary has very little money coming in, because the REALITY is, her support is not as great as it seems. Republicans crossed over to interfere with democratic party elections, they don't want to face OBAMA. Obama has more money by SMALL donations, 1.7+ million supporters that donate money and volunteer time, something the Clintons know zero about, Republicans have had a hard time getting funds and can't compete with Obamas' policies DOMESTICALLY or INTERNATIONALLY.

Clintonites want to do some investigating, investigate the Clintons history of corruption, fraud amongst so many here is the latest that has gotten zero news; found on lasuperiorcourt dot org Case Number: BC304174
PETER F PAUL VS WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON
Filing Date: 10/14/2003
Case Type: Fraud (no contract) (General Jurisdiction)
Status: Pending

We have the long history of Billary BAMBOOZLING Americans that NAFTA was a great deal and opening the doors to Communist China and India, support of increasing the H1B outsourcing visas from 68,000 to now 180,000 because Americans are too stupid to fill the tech jobs needed for Microsoft and the Silicon Valley Corp. jobs, according to the Clintons. Hillary said she would increase 5 million jobs in her so called home state of NY. instead she lost those jobs to H1B that Bill Clinton makes money on, through China and India mainly. In addition the Clintons are running with the Republicans on this for EXPLOITING slavery from other countries and replacing Americans that must have workers rights.

Investigate the Clintons!

[Jerry EZ, TEXAS]

Gregorovitch: Your view is transparent that you are one of those Rove Republicans, you know the kind that has no morals or conscience, basically enamored with EVIL, much like Bush/Cheney!

"You won't take care of your family, teach your children Honesty, Ethics, Integrity, Manners, Courtesy, Respect and most of all Self Discipline because you don't possess those skills either, so you need mommie government to do it for you." This being your quote is exactly what the spoiled Republican silver spooners say when they don't get things their way, like in corporate business.

Hey, I would venture to say your a corporate business owner or one of those FOX News Republican PRO-BLOGGERS or just a Republican NUT JOB that would love to think you're smarter than everyone, so we just listen to what you say as "THE WORD" or try your Obi Wan Kanobi psychological HEAD GAMES, your the one that needs to get it, AMERICANS of ALL Races, Creed, Color and Religious beliefs stand together against the tyranny of the Republicans that have put our country in demise and are against this LIE of a WAR and INCOMPETENCE of an Cheney/Bush government administration that can't balance their spending. Oh yea, you said it best "You won't take care of your family, teach your children Honesty, Ethics, Integrity, Manners, Courtesy, Respect and most of all Self Discipline because you don't possess those skills either, so you need mommie government to do it for you." YEP, Democrats will have to fix it AGAIN, but this time without a Clinton, because this one Clinton can't even balance her own check book, it will take an OBAMA for President 2008/20012!!!!!!

REFORM not CONFORM.

[Kwame Boadu Kissi]

Guys, grow up! It's only a nomination contest. Stop bitching like some high school girls!

[Jan]

Because Sen. Obama and his supporters are so much more adept at raising money and managing a campaign than Sen. Clinton, they can take on 100% of the responsibility for supporting the DNC and Democratic candidates in the general election.

My money is going elsewhere this year.

[Anton]

Wow! I know neighbors losing their homes because they can't pay their $500 a month mortgage! And Hillary Clinton's campaign owes $31,000,000? Wow! As of June 3, 2008, she is no longer a candidate for nomination, so.. the clock starts ticking! Her backers have to find 14,000 so-called small supporters (i.e., $2,300 limit) to pay back the debt! Or do I smell a BAILOUT? Bailout! That worked for Bear-Stearns! That worked for Lincoln Federal Savings and Loans in 1989, I think it was called THE KEATING FIVE! Yes! And John McCain was one of the Keating Five. Goodle it! BAILOUTS for rich investors who mis-manage money. Hillary's supporters (blue-collar) are treated like dogs, oopps I mean FORECLOSURE! Yes, the people who supposedly support Hillary are the same people losing their homes to banks who McCain helped in 1989 and Hillary served in the Senate during her tenure there. Do I smell a rat?

[Dianthus]

That's obscene! Imagine how many wells you can dig or health centres you can build in poor countries with what those politicians have spent on campaigning. Those sums are larger than the GNP of entire countries in Africa!

[Dave]

Hillary is a multimillonaire - she can pay her own debts. Bill collects $100,000 fees each time he makes a personal appearance. Bill and Hillary each receive multi-million dollar advances to write books. Shame on them What is Hillary going to do next - ask more little kids to sell their bikes and send her the money.