Campaign Financial Reports Show McCain Lagging Rivals

"Our restructured fundraising operation . . . will provide more accountability and metrics to ensure fundraising success moving forward," Communications Director Brian Jones said. "To raise presidential dollars, you need an aggressive, smart, accountable donor program. We now have that."

Jones declared the campaign "pleased" with the 51,000 individual donors who contributed. Giuliani had 28,356 donors, while Romney had 36,538. And campaign aides said the fundraising is moving in the right direction, raising about $2 million in January, $2.9 million in February and $8.1 million in March.

McCain's money was spent building one of the presidential field's most sophisticated and complex organizations, which included about 120 staffers in the Crystal City headquarters and in early-primary states, aides said. McCain has also hired several high-priced campaign consultants who once worked for President Bush.

In addition to the American Express card, other large debts include more than $66,000 for motor coach rentals, presumably for use of the "Straight Talk Express" McCain made famous in the 2000 campaign, $152,267 to a Minnesota company that handles fundraising calls, and $16,317 in catering costs for an event at the swank Beverly Hilton hotel.

Kent Cooper, one of the founders of the PoliticalMoneyLine Web site, said McCain's level of spending seems more appropriate to a less-well-known candidate, who needs to earn name recognition and to invest in prospecting for donors, than to a front-runner.

"Those activities are extremely expensive," Cooper said. "Somebody who has already established a name identity, someone who has already established a successful fundraising list, their costs would normally be less."

Giuliani reported Friday having spent $5.7 million on his campaign. Romney's campaign said he spent about $11.6 million during the period.

Staff writer Peter Baker in Des Moines and research database editor Derek Willis contributed to this report.