In the ongoing discussion of how badly the Dems are whalloping the GOP in the eternal money race, the one glaring anomaly continues to be the DNC's financial disadvantage vis a vis the RNC. ($25 million on hand for the latter, vs. a paltry $5 million for the former.)
Somehow, I find this gap not terribly surprising: Whatever existential crisis their party is suffering, Republicans desperately want to win the presidency next year--particularly if there's still the slightest chance that Hillary will be the Democratic nominee. But thus far, many GOPers just can't bring themselves to open up that wallet for John McCain. Nominee or not, much of the base hates him--deeply, passionately, and beyond all reason. Sure, they know their RNC donations will ultimately go torward electing him, but that doesn't set off quite the same intensity of tremors as trying to write "John McCain 2008" on the payee line of a check.
By contrast, Dems are still falling all over themselves to fund the specific candidate of their choice. Witness the totals for each campaign from February: Obama $55 mil, Hillary $35 mil, McCain $11 mil.
Clearly, there are more Republicans interested in doing their part for the team than can yet bring themselves to actually funding the designated captain. That's not to say the situation won't change. (Though weirdly, McCain pulled in less last month--after the nomination was basically sewn up--than in January.) But it suggests there remains some serious fence-mending and butt-smooching for the Senator to do.
--Michelle Cottle