Maybe you remember -- it seems like only about three weeks ago -- former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney was flying back and forth across the country in a last-minute bid to score well in the Super Tuesday Republican primary voting.
And, sure enough, after a disappointing showing that day, he quit. Soon after, he endorsed Sen. John McCain.
But while Romney was talking to reporters before that Tuesday, someone asked how much of his personal fortune he was willing to invest in the campaign. Romney said that he and his wife of 38 years, Ann, had indeed set a limit. But he wouldn't say what it was.
Now we know: $42.3 million.
That works out to about $150,000 of his own money for every convention delegate Romney won. He also spent $55.7 million of other people's money on his campaign. A total of $98 million.
Those are some of the figures mined from the latest campaign finance reports filed with the Federal Election Commission. Other interesting financial tidbits:
The GOP candidate with the most cash in hand at the end of January? Ron Paul, the 72-year-old House member with the libertarian leanings and the devoted followers who've given so generously and left him with $6 million cash -- and no debt.
McCain had $5.2 million cash on hand at the end of January, but, oops, $5.5 million in debts. And Mike Huckabee, hanging way behind McCain in delegates but way ahead in quips, had less than $1 million in cash.
Do you remember a well-coiffed fellow who used to be a senator and a Democratic presidential candidate? John Edwards spent $41.8 million on his campaign through the end of January when he dropped out of the race. He raised $38.9 million and got a bank loan of nearly $9 million.
At the end of last month he had $7 million on hand, but debt of about $9 million.
No wonder Edwards was so opposed to foreclosures.
Bush ponders successor
President Bush landed at Andrews Air Force Base the other night after a long flight from Liberia and an even longer five-nation trip around Africa, news of which was overwhelmed back home by the political races to succeed him.
During a conversation aboard Air Force One with traveling reporters, including The Times' James Gerstenzang, Bush said the foreign leaders he met showed an intense interest in the unfolding American political story. "They were fascinated with the election," Bush said.
