Washington: Democratic White House contender Barack Obama demolished fund raising records with a February haul of USD 55 million, his campaign said.

The total obliterated rival Hillary Clinton s fund raising figure last month of USD 35 million, and easily topped Obama s own previous record of more than USD 32 million posted in January.

"No campaign has ever raised this much in a single month in the history of presidential primaries," the Illinois senator said in an email to supporters.

"But more important than the total is how we did it," he said yesterday, noting that more than 90 per cent of the donations were USD 100 or less, and the campaign in February passed the milestone of one million contributors in all.

Obama appealed for new donations to counter Clinton s "negative, throw-everything-including-the-kitchen-sink campaign," and "daily" attacks from newly anointed Republican candidate John McCain.

Loath to cede the spotlight, Clinton s campaign earlier said it had raised four million dollars online in less than 48 hours since her stunning victories in three of four states Tuesday, including Ohio and Texas.

"The excitement from Senator Clinton s victories Tuesday night has resulted in an historic outpouring of grassroots support," her Internet director Peter Daou said.

"Hillary s supporters have come through every time we ve needed them, and they are setting a record pace now as we move ahead to the upcoming contests."

Obama s campaign said the greater share of its February total was raised online - more than 45 million dollars - and over 75 per cent of the donors were giving over the Internet for the first time.

Source : PTI