66 Million Raised For Obama In August

Barack Obama’s fundraising generated more than 66 million dollars in August. An Obama aide said the campaign added 500,000 new donors to its rolls in August.

This shatters the campaign's previous record of $55 million. Obama’s ever growing base of contributors is now estimated to be north of 2.3 million donors.

Obama's total for August was almost $20 million more than the $47 million Republican rival John McCain raised last month.

Obama's campaign said that with the latest figures he had more than $77 million cash on hand.

The previous benchmark for the campaign to allow it to fully fund its projected fall budget of $200 million was a monthly fundraising goal of 54 million dollars between now and November. Now the Obama campaign indicates that they will need to maintain last month's level of giving in order to match revised estimates of the Republican's war chest for John McCain.

Bill Burton, a spokesman for Mr. Obama, said Sunday that the campaign would not file its report to the Federal Election Commission until Sept. 20, so a more precise analysis of how the money was raised will not be possible until then.

Small Donors Click "SEND" for Obama

EXCERPTED FROM POLITICO.COM

After locking up his party’s presidential nomination, Barack Obama’s fundraising operation came roaring back to life in June, generating more than a million dollars in five days and more than $21 million from small donors.

Overall, Obama raised a total $54 million for his campaign in June, compared to $22 million for McCain.

One thing that is clear is that Obama’s vast base of small donors – 1.7 million was the last public count — carries big clout. To date, Obama has reported raising $338 million for his campaign from individuals and 94% of his donations have come in amounts of $200 or less.

Obama’s fundraising total in June represents a turnaround from a steady decline in monthly income that began after his Iowa upset in January.

The 54 million is also is the minimum the Illinois senator will need to generate each month between now and November if he is to match the more than $200 million budget the Republicans have set for boosting McCain’s campaign.