A little while back, I heard from an adviser to one of John McCain’s rivals that the Arizona senator’s fundraising was in serious trouble. I’m inclined to be skeptical of bad news coming from a rival, so I just tucked it away and looked for confirmation.

Bob Novak found a similar report, though:

McCain’s money-raisers are hard put to reach the $10 million goal set for the second quarter of 2008 [sic; I think he means 2007] by the June 30 deadline, after collecting $12 million in the first quarter. McCain raised $2 million in April and $3 million in May, and is expected to reach $2-3 million in June — falling short of the $10 million goal and of what his opponents have raised.

Meanwhile, Team McCain is eagerly pointing to evidence that suggests Fred Thompson is hurting Mitt Romney:

A $100 donation to Romney’s campaign by June 12 earns the supporter automatic entry into a contest to win a paid trip to watch a Major League game with the former Massachusetts governor’s eldest son, Tagg. Rebublican strategist Holly Robichaud said the ploy gives reason to believe that the dapper candidate is battling a financing slump. “It kind of confirms what I’ve been hearing, that they’re getting a little desperate on the fund raising,” she said. “They’re spending faster than anyone because everyone’s holding on to it until the end.” In April, the Romney campaign announced it had raised $21 million in the first quarter of 2007, far surpassing GOP opponents. But the cash flow slowed amid the rumblings that actor and former Republican Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson would announce his candidacy, Robichaud said.

(I have to wonder, though, with a candidate who can write $10 million checks to his own campaign if need be, whether a lack of funds will end up being much of an obstacle for Romney.)

Then again, according to The Hill, Fred Thompson may have to raise a lot in a short time:

The First-Day Founders took part in a conference call Friday, during which they were asked to raise a total of $46,000 for the effort, according to a source in Nashville.That amount reflects 20 donors maxing out the federally allowed $2,300 for a primary campaign. And if the First-Day Founders come through, Thompson presumably would start off with $4.6 million in “seed money.”
But Thompson apparently believes he has some catching up to do. Longtime supporter Barbara Outhier, a Republican grassroots organizer and contributor, said Thompson called her and asked her to begin recruiting volunteers for the effort because the campaign will be behind in fundraising.

So here’s a dog that isn’t barking: doesn’t anyone want to whisper that Rudy Giuliani’s fundraising is in trouble? Is this a sign that he’s having a good quarter?