US candidates follow money trail to London

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Two spouses of leading Democratic presidential candidates - Bill Clinton and Michelle Obama - are to visit London next month to try to tap into an increasing source of campaign funds from Americans living abroad.

With the 2008 presidential elections emerging as the most expensive in US history, Democratic and Republican campaigns are looking across the Atlantic for campaign funds.

In the first six months of this year, US expatriates donated $471,000 (£235,000) to presidential candidates, a report by the Centre for Responsive Politics said, nearly as much as was donated in the entire 2000 election season. Most of the money was raised in London, which accounted for $270,000 of the total.

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The biggest beneficiary has been Barack Obama, who raised $194,000 outside the US in the first six months of 2007. Rudy Giuliani, the Republican frontrunner, took in $119,000 in the same period. Hillary Clinton's haul was $51,000.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/international/story/0,,2174482,00.html

[gateley]

1. Brilliant. I wonder who thought of it first. Edwards will probably take credit. nt