Hillary: $10 Million in 24 Hours

Going into Pennsylvania Hillary Clinton was in debt. Coming out, she's already raised $10 million.

That's an impressive haul. But will it be enough to seriously battle Obama in states like Indiana, which, as the Politico's Jeanne Cummings notes, has a pricey media market?

In May, the candidates will compete in a succession of contests that will leave little time for replenishing campaign war chests in between.

Several of those contests -- Indiana, North Carolina and Kentucky -- are also home to pricey media markets. In Indiana, for instance, candidates must advertise in six markets, including ultra-expensive Chicago, to reach the entire state.

"The closer the primaries are bunched together, the more compressed the cash crunch gets and the demands for money are relentless," said Bill Carrick, a Democratic political adviser who is not affiliated with the campaigns.

Clinton has already scheduled two fundraisers in early May and her finance team leaders are encouraging supporters to dig deep or reach further and more creatively for new donors.

Her campaign is also trying to ratchet up pressure on Obama to agree to more debates, which offer invaluable amounts of free media time. Thus far, Obama has turned down debate offers.

The good news for Hillary, at least in a state like Indiana, is that having a massive funding advantage doesn't necessarily translate into victory. As the Clinton campaign consistently reminds any and all, Obama outspent her 3-to-1 in Pennsylvania, and still lost by 10 points.

Copyright © Time Inc. All rights reserved.

Subscribe | Customer Service | Help | Site Map | Search | Contact Us | Privacy Policy
Terms of Use | Reprints & Permissions |
Press Releases | Media Kit Try AOL for 1000 Hours FREE!