Obama Bucks

According to the New York Times, Barack Obama's campaign website reports raising at least $32.5 million in the second quarter. That's huge. What's even bigger, though, is that $31 million of that is for the primary alone, which means they raised all that money and can still go back and ask donors to contribute toward the general election should the race warrant such action.

Watch the Clinton camp's numbers. The Times goes on to report that Clinton raised $27 million, but only $21 million of that is for the primary. She can't touch the other $6 million until she wins the nomination, and if she doesn't win she has to give the money back.

This fundraising quarter indicates that Obama-mania is not just holding but picking up steam. They will be feeling very confident and very electable, assuming money has anything to do with it. What is most interesting to see is that Obama has raised money from 258,000 individual donors this year.

The Times:

In the last three months, an average of 1,500 donors a day contributed to the Obama campaign, many through the Web site or in response to more unusual appeals, including a contest to have dinner with the candidate.

1,500 donors a day. Just over a donor a minute. That's got to feel good.