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Even with Obama’s blessing, top Dem super PAC finds tough sledding

at 09:44 PM ET, 03/13/2012

The top Democratic super PAC is still having trouble raising money, despite getting President Obama’s blessing.

Priorities USA Action, a super PAC founded by former White House aides, raised $2 million in February, co-founder Bill Burton confirmed Tuesday.

That’s a big step up from a dismal January, in which the PAC raised $58,000, but half of the $2 million haul came from from comedian Bill Maher’s $1 million donation.

In addition, February was the first month in which the group was raising money with Obama’s approval. After a long-standing public policy against super PACs, Obama announced in early February that he would embrace the super PACs, encourage donations to them and dispatch campaign aides and cabinet officials to the groups’ events.

The $2 million is nothing to sneeze at, but it’s a pittance compared to what GOP super PACs are raising. American Crossroads, the top GOP super PAC, is aiming to spend $240 million on the 2012 election, and the super PACs supporting the GOP presidential frontrunners have been raising about as much as the candidates.

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