Today on the presidential campaign trail

[Ron Burgundy]

AP - IN THE HEADLINES

McCain raises $27 million in July, his largest one-month fundraising haul ... Edwards' friend, supporter explains $14,000 payment to former candidate's mistress ... Former McCain adviser who called US a 'nation of whiners' back in candidate's good graces

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McCain raises $27 million in July

WASHINGTON (AP) — John McCain raised $27 million in July, his largest one-month fundraising haul since clinching the Republican presidential nomination, while the Republican National Committee brought in nearly $26 million.

The Arizona senator had $21 million to spend as August began and the national party started the month with $75 million to compete with the Democrats.

"Our fundraising continues to be very healthy," Rick Davis, McCain's campaign manager, said in a conference call with reporters, noting that July was the fifth-straight month McCain has improved his cash flow. He said the money came from 600,000 donors, who are part of the GOP's 1.5 million donors.

Comparatively, Democratic rival Barack Obama recently surpassed 2 million contributors. He and the Democratic National Committee have not yet disclosed their monthly takes.

Republicans have been trying to even out the financial playing field in this campaign after trailing Democrats in overall fundraising for most of the election cycle. The July numbers show they are making strides with McCain and the RNC combined raising $53 million, with $96 million to spend this month.

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Edwards' ally explains $14,000 payment to mistress

WASHINGTON (AP) — A $14,000 payment to John Edwards' mistress from the candidate's political action committee — after she stopped working for it — was made in exchange for 100 hours of unused videotape she shot producing short Web movies for which she already had been paid $100,000, an associate of Edwards told The Associated Press.

The explanation, which Edwards' advisers declined to discuss on the record, is the first effort to justify the payment in April 2007 to Rielle Hunter, which came months before Edwards' chief fundraiser quietly began sending money himself to the pregnant woman.

Edwards last week acknowledged he had an affair with Hunter in 2006. The former Democratic presidential contender and senator from North Carolina has denied any knowledge of those payments to Hunter from Fred Baron, Edwards' national finance chairman and a wealthy Dallas-based trial attorney. Baron also has described his payments to Hunter as a private transaction.

But the earlier, $14,000 payment to Hunter is significant because its source was Edwards' OneAmerica political action committee, whose expenditures are governed by U.S. election laws. Willfully converting money from a political action committee for personal use would have been a federal criminal violation.

An associate of Edwards, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the $14,000 was paid to Hunter only after she relinquished about 100 hours of cutting-room floor videotape excerpts that were not part of four short Web videos she had produced for Midline Groove Ltd. in 2006.

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McCain has kind words in spite of 'whiners' remark

ASPEN, Colo. (AP) — In exile from the McCain campaign since calling the U.S. "a nation of whiners," former Sen. Phil Gramm appears to be back in John McCain's good graces.

McCain singled out Gramm, among others, at a dinner Thursday night honoring more than 200 people who have raised at least $100,000 for his campaign.

"Thank you, Phil, for all your friendship and support," McCain said.

Interviewed before McCain addressed about 800 people during a forum at the Aspen Institute earlier in the day, Gramm said he had not spoken lately with the Republican presidential candidate.

"I'm just a grass-roots supporter," Gramm said, "a private in the army."

During the forum, Gramm sat directly in front of McCain.

The former senator from Texas, who taught economics in college before beginning a political career, had been a top economic adviser to McCain. Then, in early July, Gramm told The Washington Times that the United States consisted of "a nation of whiners" stuck in a "mental recession" that overstated economic woes.

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THE DEMOCRATS

Barack Obama travels to Chicago after vacationing in Hawaii.

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THE REPUBLICANS

John McCain has no publicly scheduled events.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY:

"We will start the general election fully flush." — Rick Davis, campaign manager for Republican John McCain, speaking about the candidate's campaign cash.

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STAT OF THE DAY:

Lyndon B. Johnson overwhelmingly won Hawaii in the presidential election in 1964. The Democrat took 79 percent of the vote compared with Republican Barry Goldwater's 21 percent.

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Compiled by Ann Sanner and Ronald Powers.

source: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080815/ap_on_el_pr/2008_race_rundown [link]