The headline on the press release from Mitt Romney's campaign today: "Romney for President Totals Over $18 Million in Total Receipts for the Third Quarter."
The quote from Romney's campaign spokesman: "Our campaign made considerable progress this quarter expanding Gov. Romney's support across the country ... Gov. Romney has built a nationwide network of volunteers and supporters that are energizing our efforts as we work towards the first votes being cast in January."
The fact it all obscures: Of those "$18 million in total receipts," $8.5 million came from Romney himself.
The context Team Romney wouldn't mind if you'd miss: The amount Romney raised from people who aren't named Mitt Romney is a bit lower than what Rudy Giuliani is reporting today. The Giuliani campaign says it raised more than $11 million in the third quarter.
The context Romney and Giuliani both would like you to ignore: The money Romney and Giuliani brought in together is about what Barack Obama brought in on his own and substantially less than what Hillary Clinton has collected. Maybe more embarrassing, Romney and Giuliani have each managed to raise only twice what cold-day-in-hell GOP candidate Ron Paul did.
One bit of consolation for Romney and Giuliani: John McCain says he collected $6 million in the third quarter, which puts him solidly in Ron Paul territory.
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