Arnie Backs McCain

Obama rakes in White House cash, as Arnie backs McCain

February 1, 2008 - 6:09AM

Democratic hopeful Barack Obama Thursday announced he had raked in a record 32 million US dollars in January, as he went head-to-head with Hillary Clinton vying for a flood of Super Tuesday votes.

California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger meanwhile endorsed Arizona Senator John McCain giving the Republican front-runner another key boost before next week's crucial contests in some 22 states.

McCain was "a crusader, has a great vision in protecting the environment and also protecting simultaneously the economy," Schwarzenegger said. "He is a great American hero and an extraordinary leader."

Schwarzenegger's state has a wealth of delegates for the party's national convention in September which will endorse the Republican nominee to contest the November elections and succeed President George W. Bush.

His backing came after former New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani quit the race late Wednesday having failed to make an impact and threw his support behind his long-time pal McCain.

"John McCain is the most qualified candidate to be the next commander-in-chief of the United States," Giuliani said.

In a show of their differences, McCain and Romney clashed repeatedly late Wednesday in a heated televised debated at the Reagan Presidential Library outside Los Angeles.

Romney accused the McCain campaign of waging a dirty tricks campaign by suggesting Romney had previously advocated a phased withdrawal of US troops from Iraq.

"I have never ever supported a specific timetable for exit from Iraq. And it's offensive to me that someone would suggest that I have," Romney fumed.

Romney also took aim at McCain over the Arizona senator's endorsement this week by the left-leaning New York Times newspaper.

"If you get endorsed by The New York Times, you're not a conservative," Romney said.

The Democratic race has meanwhile been transformed into a straight fight between Obama, 46, and Clinton, 60, after former senator John Edwards pulled out on Wednesday.

Campaign organizers said the Illinois senator seeking to be the first black president had raked in some 32 million US dollars in funds from some 650,000 people in January alone.

"It's been a remarkably consistent month," said Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe, saying the donations had come from some 650,000 people.

"Our ability to raise this level of money is going to be crucial to transacting a very challenging calendar."

But a spokesman for the former first lady and New York senator however dismissed the figures, saying what counted was how people voted.

"Fundraising is one of the most important markers in the lead up to voting But once people start voting, that's a more important measure of a campaign's success," Jay Carson said.

"We've won four out of the six primaries so far, and we feel pretty good about where we stand."

The two rivals were set to face off later Thursday in a debate in the Hollywood Boulevard hall where the Academy Awards ceremonies have been held since 2001.

The debate could see tensions rise as the two candidates seek to differentiate themselves and undermine the other's credibility.

Speaking in her old hometown of Little Rock, Arkansas on Wednesday, the former first lady said voters in New Hampshire, Michigan, Nevada and Florida had backed her with "both their heads and their hearts."

Clinton said she was a battle-hardened veteran and "a leader they can count on" to address economic crisis and salvage middle-class dreams.

Both Obama and Clinton also have to look beyond the primaries to their possible Republican opponent in the November election, with the formidable McCain now favored.

National polls on possible November matchups show McCain closely matched with Obama and Clinton, showing they would all have an uphill battle ahead.

Theage.com