Obama raises record $66 million in August

CHICAGO (Reuters) - Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama raised a record $66 million in August, a campaign spokesman said on Sunday.

The latest figures may bolster expectations of a money advantage that Obama could have over Republican candidate John McCain in the final two months of the election campaign.

Obama spokesman Bill Burton said the August figure was helped by 500,000 new donors. The tally for the latest month exceeded the $55 million for February, which marked a record for Obama and an all-time high for any presidential candidate during a primary.

After far surpassing McCain in private fundraising, earlier this year Obama opted against taking public funds for the final stretch of the campaign.

Obama raises record $66 million in August....

Commentary: Can Obama's money buy him love?

By Leslie Sanchez
CNN Contributor

(CNN) -- As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama has proven he's "better, stronger, faster" than any other Democrat in the race. He's the Six-Hundred Million Dollar Man.

Last week, he opted out of the national campaign finance regime and is banking on his fundraising track record to build a war chest unlike any this country has seen since Richard Nixon's in 1972.

As the late Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksen once said, "A billion here, a billion there -- pretty soon you're talking real money." But what can Obama and the Democrats do with all the money they expect to raise?

The post-Watergate campaign rules, one national consultant reminded me, tried to keep both candidates in the general election to the same general level of spending. These rules, written largely by Democrats, were supposed to keep the playing field level by keeping the competition about ideas and issues, not who had the most money.

Is Obama trying to buy the election? He threatens to outspend McCain by six -- perhaps eight --- to one. Now, rather than engage in a "Great Debate" about America's future, Obama is trying to win through tactics.

COMMENTARY....