Clark: hasn't 'raised a dime' to run for president

GOFFSTOWN, N.H. – Former General Wesley Clark's a busy travel schedule to Iowa, Nevada, and today to the Granite State suggests he is exploring a second bid for the presidency.

But unlike others looking to 2008 bids, Clark said he has not raised much money, preferring to focus on Democratic candidates running in the mid-term elections.

“I haven’t raised a dime to run for president this time,” Clark told a gathering of about 15 Democrats at a country diner. “I know others have raised $10-15 million to run for president, but I am so focused on 2006 that I am not raising that kind of money.”

In an interview, though, Clark said he didn’t think it was inappropriate for his potential Democratic rivals to raise money.

“Maybe they just don’t realize that this money is needed for these candidates now or maybe when they do realize it they give that money away,” said Clark.

He says he does raise money for his political action committee that allows him to travel around the country and keep a small staff.

Through Aug. 31 his political action committee, called Securing America, had $23,241 on hand, according to filings with the Federal Election Commission.

“We are always about two months away from bankruptcy,” said Clark. “That's the way I like it.”

Asked earlier in the day if he was running for president, Clark awkwardly said, “I haven’t said I wasn’t.”