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WASHINGTON: Democrat Barack Obama has built a huge financial edge over rival Hillary Clinton as the White House hopefuls gear up for a dogfight ahead of next month's crucial primary clash in the state of Pennsylvania.
The most expensive US presidential campaign on record carries on in full throttle as the candidates dig deep and scrap for each and every delegate in seeking their party's anointment to do battle against Republican John McCain in the November election.
The Obama fundraising juggernaut, figures show, out-earned and outspent Clinton's campaign in February, and finished the month with significantly more cash in hand as the pair rev up for 10 more nominating clashes.
The latest monthly financial reports to the Federal Election Commission (FEC) show Illinois Senator Obama raking in 55 million dollars in contributions in February, with less than one million dollars in debt.
New York Senator Clinton raised 35 million in February, but has outside debts reported at 3.7 million – not including the five million dollars of her own money she lent her campaign.
Obama had nearly 39 million dollars on hand at the end of February, compared with 33 million for Clinton, and the Obama campaign outspent his rival 41 million to 30 million in February, even though he burned through funds at a lower percentage of contributions than his rival.
The Wall Street Journal reported that of Clinton's cash in hand, only 11 million dollars of it could be spent on the nominating contests, further pinching the finances of the one-time frontrunner.
Clinton admitted to her financial disadvantage on Friday, writing in an email appeal that "we are facing a serious financial disadvantage against the Obama campaign", the Journal reported.
Money plays a crucial role in the US campaign process, with candidates shelling out millions of dollars per month for on-air advertising, travel and accommodation, and the salaries of advisors, consultants and staff.
Clinton aides last month acknowledged a cash-flow problem left the campaign unable to match Obama's advertising spending.
The New York senator was forced to lend five million dollars of her own money to the campaign as she looked to the March 4 primaries in delegate-rich Texas and Ohio, states she ended up winning to keep her nomination hopes alive.
Arizona Senator McCain, the presumptive Republican nominee, raised 11 million dollars in February and spent eight million, with cash on hand of eight million dollars and debts of four million, according to the FEC.
The numbers are substantially smaller than his Democratic rivals but the McCain campaign need not spend as much as he prepares for the general election.
Obama, whose campaign had slipped in the past week in the wake of incendiary statements made by his Chicago-based pastor, regained some footing on Friday with an endorsement from the country's only Hispanic governor, New Mexico's Bill Richardson.
The one-time member of the Clinton administration and former White House hopeful hailed Obama as a "once-in-a-lifetime leader" who could inspire voters, repair America's image abroad and overcome racial and political divisions.
Meanwhile, the State Department apologized over revelations that employees opened passport files for all three main candidates without authorization.
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack confirmed the passport records for Obama, Clinton and McCain were all examined without approval and promised a full investigation.
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice telephoned all three candidates to apologize for the incidents, which the State Department attributed to "imprudent curiosity."
Estimates show Obama leading the former first lady in nominating delegates 1,628 to 1,493. But Clinton, who also trails in the popular vote, hopes to build a case for her candidacy with a triumph in the April 22 primary in delegate-rich Pennsylvania, where she has a big lead in opinion polls.
Neither candidate has won the 2,025 delegates needed to secure the nomination.
- AFP/so
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