Tales of Failed Presidential Campaigns

No, I'm not talking about Alan Keyes. Turns out John McCain might be headed to blood banks to round up some ready cash.

"The campaign has raised only $3.7 million to date for the quarter," a longtime, influential friend of the Arizona Republican told The Washington Times.

"The hope was to reach $4.5 million, about a third of what was raised in the 'disastrous' second quarter,' " said the McCain supporter, who has access to the senator's daily campaign operations.

The figures he cited — although anything but rosy — mask the even worse state of the campaign's finances, said the source, speaking on the condition of anonymity to protect his relationship with the senator.

"Those are gross numbers, not net," the friend said. "Plus the campaign is carrying $2.5 to $3 million in debt. [He's] done for."

For context, Ron Paul raised an equivalent amount in the 2nd quarter.

And then there's Freddie, whose Tragical Memory Tour hit a major roadblock to his effort to woo social conservatives. Seems that Dr. Dobson is as unimpressed as... everyone else.

According to a private e-mail obtained by the AP, influential evangelical leader James Dobson told friends he will not be backing Fred Thompson's candidacy for president [...]

Said Dobson: "Isn't Thompson the candidate who is opposed to a Constitutional amendment to protect marriage, believes there should be 50 different definitions of marriage in the U.S., favors McCain-Feingold, won't talk at all about what he believes, and can't speak his way out of a paper bag on the campaign trail?" Dobson wrote. "He has no passion, no zeal and no apparent 'want to.' And yet he is apparently the Great Hope that burns in the breasts of many conservative Christians? Well, not for me, my brothers. Not for me!"

That's two down, only eight to go for Keyes. Keyes! He's got 621 signers to his "Pledge For America's Revival"! That's more votes than he got in Illinois in 2004!