Strategists: Obama, Romney Fundraising Numbers In Philadelphia Don't Tell Whole Story
By Steve Tawa
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- New numbers are coming in on how much money President Barack Obama and Mitt Romney have raised in the Philadelphia region, through the end of May.
How much have their principal funds taken in?
According to recent reports that are required to go to the Federal Election Commission, the 'Obama for America' campaign had raised more than $2.8-million in the Philadelphia region.
That is less than the $4-million President Obama had taken in at a comparable juncture in 2008. But political strategist Ken Smukler recalls in '08, not only was it an historic campaign, then Senator Obama directed that no funds be raised by political action committees.
"Barack Obama was moving all of the money through Obama for America," Smuckler says. "He had essentially placed a ban on contributors moving money through independent organizations and independent expenditures."
But a Supreme Court decision on so-called super PACS changed that, and now Obama doesn't put that restriction on his funders.
Mitt Romney's campaign has raised $2.3-million through his 'Romney for President' committee, nearly twice as much as John McCain raised at a similar point in 2008.
But strategists point out that's not a true comparison, because McCain had wrapped up the nomination early on. At that point, McCain had stopped raising money, and agreed to take public financing for the fall election.
Strategists also point out both Obama and Romney have so-called 'Victory funds' - which are not counted in their principal funds, making accurate comparisons with 2008 more problematic.
