Obama Raises $5K ... From Himself

The Obama campaign has a lot less money in the bank than Mitt Romney's, but it's gotten a little bit of help from a guy called Barack. The president made a $5,000 online donation to his campaign this week and his campaign released a video of him making the donation as he encouraged supporters to do likewise, reports ABC. "I want to make sure folks know I’m not just talking the talk—I’m walking the walk," Obama says, adding, "I have cleared this with Michelle" as he enters his credit card number. The sum is the maximum an individual can donate directly to a presidential campaign, although as the candidate, Obama is free to donate all he wants.

"On its own, what I gave won't be enough to surmount the unprecedented fundraising we've seen on the other side, both from our opponent’s campaign and from the outside groups and special interests supporting him," Obama wrote in an email to supporters. "But we have always believed that there’s nothing we can't do when we all pitch in." Mitt Romney, who spent $44 million of his own money on his failed 2008 presidential bid, has donated $150,000 together with wife Ann to his campaign and to the Republican National Committee. Obama has yet to donate to the DNC. (More Obama 2012 stories.)