Critics can’t deny heft of Obama’s war chest

A strong fundraising performance by Sen. Barack Obama, whose $25-million total nearly matched that of Democratic front-runner Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, came as welcome news Wednesday for a campaign beginning to face criticism as lacking substance.

Obama, a freshman lawmaker on his first try for the White House, has surged to the fore in the Democratic field, thanks in large part to his compelling biography and message of hope and political healing. With Wednesday’s announcement, he proved himself to be a fundraising powerhouse.

Obama said he raised more than $25 million from 100,000 donors in the first quarter of the year. Clinton raised $26 million from 50,000 donors in the first quarter, and former Sen. John Edwards raised $14 million, their campaigns said previously.

“It is very impressive, extremely impressive,” said Democratic consultant Bill Carrick of Los Angeles, who has not taken sides in the 2008 presidential campaign.

Obama’s strong first-quarter showing comes as the laudatory wave that ushered him into the race for the Democratic presidential nomination is giving way to less favorable assessments of his campaign, most importantly in states that will hold early contests in 2008. He is criticized as too vague on issues.

Although Obama continues to attract large crowds, his penchant for generalities has disappointed some audiences, particularly those most attuned to politics. His lack of specifics is especially apparent when he shares the stage with some of his more experienced rivals.

“He gets some nice publicity out of raising all this money,” said Alan Abramowitz, who teaches political science at Emory University in Atlanta. “He gets people’s attention, reinforces the idea that he’s one of the major contenders. He has a chance to be very competitive for this nomination. But I don’t think it dispels some of the concerns about where he stands on some of the issues.”

Said David Nagle, a former Iowa congressman and longtime Democratic activist who is neutral in the primary fight: “He needs to be more substantive.... I wouldn’t give him high marks.”

At a recent firefighters’ convention in Washington, Obama did not measure up to his rivals, at least in the view of some union members, said Harold Schaitberger, president of the influential International Assn. of Fire Fighters.

Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware spoke movingly of his long-standing personal relationship with local firefighters. Sen. Christopher J. Dodd of Connecticut drew multiple standing ovations as he recounted legislation he passed to benefit emergency workers. Clinton promised to fight for worker’s compensation and federal money for equipment.

Obama’s remarks were more generic. He praised firefighters and spoke of their desire for better pay. But his address focused largely on the needs of veterans and his opposition to the Iraq war.

“It was a little too solemn and sober,” Schaitberger said. “I don’t think there’s any question that it seemed to fall a little flat for us.”

At a Building and Construction Trades union gathering in Washington the following week, the crowd screamed their approval for Clinton, Edwards of North Carolina and even dark horse Rep. Dennis J. Kucinich of Ohio. Obama delivered a sometimes-monotone address focused on his desire to change Washington, eliciting a more muted response.

At a union-sponsored healthcare forum last month in Las Vegas, a questioner pressed Obama for details on his health plan, noting the sparse offerings on his campaign website.

“Keep in mind that our campaign now is, I think, a little over 8 weeks old,” Obama said.

Obama promised a detailed proposal within the next few months, after a series of voter forums that started Tuesday in New Hampshire.

But after the first session, some participants complained to the Portsmouth Herald, which sponsored the forum, that they found Obama’s appearance wanting.

“He gave no specifics. I have no firm idea where he’s going,” one told the newspaper.

Obama has gotten specific about withdrawing U.S. troops from Iraq. That has gotten him “a lot of mileage” among Democrats, said Gordon Fischer, a former party chairman in Iowa.

“But it’s not the only issue,” Fischer said. “Sen. Obama is going to have to -- I assume the plan is that he will -- eventually put forth a plan for universal healthcare. An education plan. And so on. That time should be coming.”

David Axelrod, the senator’s lead strategist, said Obama would put forth his ideas on a range of issues in due course. Axelrod said Obama would “be making a series of policy speeches this month, next month, and there will be debates.” He added that the clamor for specifics would “end up being moot by the time this campaign is over.”

“I think the political community has a sense that every day is election day, and every day is the last day of the campaign, and of course that isn’t true,” Axelrod said.

Candidates who capture major party nominations invariably are successful fundraisers. But in recent presidential campaigns, several candidates showed themselves to be adept fundraisers, only to falter: former Vermont Gov. Howard Dean, publisher Steve Forbes, Gen. Wesley Clark, and former Sens. Phil Gramm and Bill Bradley.

Like Clinton and most other major candidates, Obama is raising money for the primary and the general election.

But under federal law, money earmarked for the general election cannot be used in the primary.

Significantly, Obama said that $23.5 million of the $25 million he raised was eligible for use in the primaries. Clinton has not disclosed how much of the $26 million she raised is for primaries.

Clinton’s failure to reveal the amount she raised for the primary led to speculation that Obama actually may have surpassed her in primary money. However, Clinton has a $10-million cushion from her Senate campaign account, which she has transferred to her presidential campaign.

Obama proclaimed in his statement that his fundraising was “a measure of just how hungry people are to turn the page on this era of small and destructive politics and repair our American community.”

Obama said none of the money he raised came from political action committees or federal lobbyists, a swipe at Clinton and others who have tapped Beltway sources.

The statement said his donors had “sent an unmistakable message to the political establishment in Washington about the power and seriousness of our challenge.”

The statement said Obama raised $6.9 million over the Internet from more than 50,000 donors. Clinton’s aides said she raised $4.2 million over the Internet.

Obama and the other candidates aren’t required to file their full campaign disclosure reports with the Federal Election Commission until April 15.

Those reports will detail what they have spent and have in their bank accounts, and identify donors who gave $200 or more.

Obama’s fundraising continued over a lunch of chicken and mashed potatoes Wednesday at the Palmer House Hilton in Chicago.

Lawyer Dave Lundy, a communications consultant who was at the event, estimated 1,000 people attended, paying $500 to $1,000 a piece -- a haul of as much as $1 million.

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dan.morain@latimes.com

mark.barabak@latimes.com

Times staff writer Peter Wallsten in Washington contributed to this report.