The campaign’s grassroots support is making headlines today across the country. “Small donors give big to Obama” – say newspapers from New York to LA. Headlines today tout Barack’s impressive financial totals for the second quarter – but also about the staggering number of small, new donors who gave to the campaign. The LA Times reports Barack "far outpaced his rivals by tapping people who give less than $200." Almost $10 million of the total $33 million raised came in increments of less than $200. "This is a very powerful start," time Times quoted a campaign finance expert as saying. "Once they give a little bit, they are more likely to give more and to volunteer for his campaign." The Chicago Tribune noted that the campaign broke records with the number of donors that gave. More than 258,000 different people donated. The paper called the totals and the campaign’s grassroots support “a formidable achievement.” The New York Daily News calls the number of small donors “stunning.” "He will be able to go back to them again and again,” political scientist Larry Sabato said.The Politico quotes Anthony Corrado, another campaign finance expert: "The Obama cash number is a monster number. That is a lot of cash for a candidate who did not enter this race with a well-established financial base."New York Newsday: “But the most startling revelation in the mountain of numbers filed with the Federal Election Commission yesterday was the fact that Obama - whose campaign was a mere rumor until his February announcement - out-raised the vaunted Clinton money machine by about $10 million among Democratic primary voters in the second quarter of 2007."Marc Ambinder notes that Barack has the lowest burn rate of any of the campaigns – meaning Obama for America is the strongest at keeping more money in the bank than the campaign takes in. The campaign’s burn rate, which is calculated by adding the money spent plus debt, and dividing that by the amount of money raised for the primary elections - is 53%. That’s significantly lower than the next lowest burn rate, which is 71%.
Finally, the Rocky Mountain News observes that Colorado overwhelmingly supported Barack: "Colorado's financial love affair with Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama continued into the second quarter" as the Barack collected more than double any other Democratic candidate in the state.These impressive numbers are due to your support. Share your thoughts about the totals, and about the campaign's grassroots backing. And stay involved in the campaign, however you can. Every little bit counts.
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