McCain campaign drain explained

John McCain raised $15 million in March -- which is about one-quarter of the combined March fundraising of Obama ($40 million) and Hillary ($20 million).

Sean Hackbarth is worried because only $4 million of McCain's cash came in via the Internet:

If anyone can wage a low-cost campaign to victory it’s John McCain. He won the nomination on a shoe-string budget. However, wouldn’t he have more room for error if he had the luxury of additional funds? By relying more on online fundraising McCain would have more time to do the townhall meetings he loves and talk with the press and webloggers. Getting more online donors means McCain would do what he does best: campaign.

Let me explain this for the benefit of anyone who doesn't understand it. McCain is not a grassroots candidate who can count on getting the majority of his campaign money in $50 and $100 contributions from online donors. He collects the bulk of his cash from elderly rich people and the big-money crowd on K Street.

As for the "shoe-string budget," McCain won the GOP nomination on the basis of (a) Democratic crossover votes in New Hampshire, (b) divided opposition, and (c) fawning media coverage. None of those factors will be in effect in the general election.

Hackbarth writes:

If you’re a Republican who wants to retain the White House in November you should be disappointed.

Right. I've been disappointed ever since McCain clinched the nomination. He's an albatross, a certain loser. McCain is not Reagan '80, he's Dole '96. I can't understand why some Republicans can't see that putting Crazy Cousin John at the top of the ticket guarantees a disaster in November -- probably the worst GOP wipeout since 1974.