Presidential candidates have just nine days until the end of the latest fundraising quarter and they are scouring the countryside to round up dollars in hopes they can announce big numbers that convince voters they have broad support and can win. 
 
 
John Edwards, who has been third in the Democratic fundraising race as well as national polls, issued a call on Friday hoping to raise $1 million online before the Sept. 30 quarterly deadline.

“These additional resources will make a difference over the next three months as we approach the caucuses and primaries,” said his senior adviser Joe Trippi in an email pitch.
 
Democratic front runner Hillary Clinton has trips planned to New York, California and this weekend she will be doing an event with popular novelist John Grisham in Charlottesville, Virginia, her campaign said.
 
 
The presidential campaign for Republican Sen. John McCain, who was seen initially as a top contender but has been lagging in the polls for much of the year, sent its own plea that highlighted the comeback he was making in recent weeks.
 
 
“Your immediate financial contribution is essential in these final days of the quarter to prove our viability and let us continue spreading John McCain’s message to voters,” McCain campaign manager Rick Davis said in an e-mail plea to supporters.
     
 
Clinton led the money race during the first half of 2007 hauling in $63 million, followed by rival Sen. Barack Obama with almost $59 million and Edwards lagging with about $23 million.
 
 
On the Republican side, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani were neck and neck during the first half of the year, each raising about $35 million. However, Romney loaned himself another $9 million from his personal fortune he amassed as an investment banker. McCain has raised about $26 million.
 
 
The wildcard on that side could be the newcomer to the race, Fred Thompson who became an official candidate earlier this month and has seven fundraisers scheduled before the end of the month. While he was raising money as he tested the waters for a White House bid, he was not expected to challenge the leaders in money-raising numbers since his formal campaign did not begin until this month.

Photo credits:  Larry Downing (Edwards delivering a union speech) and Tami Chappell (John McCain and his wife Cindy at an online fundraising event).