Concerning the significance of rich contributors, I think it is useful to look at the total amount of contribution from the rich on one side against the total amount of contribution from the rich on the other. Among those who donated $1000 or more, Obama is ahead of McCain by a 4 to 3 ratio, with $91,435,211 raised by Obama and $67,964,523 raised by McCain.

Obama does have his army of small contributors, but he is clearly supported by rich people no less than McCain. And this does not include the influence of nonprofit organizations supported by rich donors; most of these “527 groups” are likely to be pro-Obama or at least anti-McCain.

I think the most interesting statistic from The Campaign Finance Institute is how Obama’s fundraising has been slowing down while McCain’s fundraising has been steadily improving. In fundraising terms, the story of McCain and Obama appears to be much like the story of The Tortoise and the Hare.