Obama releases August campaign figures

Posted to Politics Watch by Mary Daly at 2:03 p.m., Sept. 14, 2008

Democratic presidential nominee Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., broke the record for monthly presidential fundraising with his totals for August.

Obama raised $66 million in August, according to tallies his campaign disclosed Sunday morning.

Campaign officials also announced more than half a million new donors contributed to his campaign during August. So far, Obama's campaign has received donations from more than 2.5 million people.

"The 500,000 new donors to the Obama campaign demonstrate just how strongly the American people are looking to kick the special interests out and change Washington," campaign manager David Plouffe said in a statement.

Two weeks ago, Republican presidential candidate Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., announced his campaign raised $47 million during the month of August.