Print

Email story

Comment

Letter to the editor

Politics

McCain ended year in debt

WASHINGTON

John McCain, who ended the year with a $4.5-million debt, plans six coast-to-coast fundraisers in three days to capitalize on his front-runner status and build on the $7-million he raised in the first three weeks of January. McCain's end-of-year financial reports, filed late Tuesday with the Federal Election Commission, showed he raised $6.7-million during the last three months of 2007 and had $3-million cash in hand, not counting end-of-year debt. He also got a significant boost from a $3-million line of credit from Fidelity Bank & Trust, a loan he secured in November. He spent nearly $9.5-million during the quarter, with $4.3-million devoted to advertising. McCain, whose finances slumped last summer, has been rebuilding his treasury with every primary victory this month.

DENVER

Obama calls Clinton presidency a step back

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama said Wednesday that a Hillary Rodham Clinton presidency would be a step back to the past. The former first lady decried the tenor of his comments.

"I know it is tempting - after another presidency by a man named George Bush - to simply turn back the clock, and to build a bridge back to the 20th century," the Illinois senator said, a reference to former President Bill Clinton's pledge during his presidency to build a bridge to the 21st century. He was speaking before more than 10,000 people at the University of Denver.

"That certainly sounds audacious, but not hopeful," said Hillary Clinton, in a play on the title of Obama's book, The Audacity of Hope. "It's not hopeful and it's not what we should be talking about in this campaign," she said to the Associated Press, suggesting Obama was abandoning the core of his campaign.

SIMI VALLEY, Calif.

Schwarzenegger will endorse McCain today

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger will endorse John McCain today, giving a certain boost to the Republican presidential front-runner six days before California's high-prize primary, the governor's senior aides confirmed Wednesday.

LITTLE ROCK

Bill Clinton will review papers for release

Hillary Rodham Clinton's daily schedules as first lady will be forwarded to former President Bill Clinton by Friday for review, the first of two steps without a fixed time limit before any are released to the public, the National Archives said Wednesday. Last year, Clinton faced criticism from her Democratic presidential rivals over the number of White House documents from her husband's administration that have not been made public.

Associated Press

[Last modified January 31, 2008, 01:35:18]