Parties chase fundraising dollars

WASHINGTON, April 16 (UPI) -- The Democratic National Committee and U.S. President Obama's re-election campaign had their best fundraising month so far in 2012, raising $53 million in March.

The figures for the DNC and the Obama campaign were announced in a video targeting grassroots donors, The Hill reported.

The two organizations collected in $29 million in January and $45 million in February. In the fourth quarter of 2011, the Obama campaign and DNC combined to raise $68 million.

"This really is how this works, people building this organization, five and 10 bucks at a time, to take on Mitt Romney," Obama campaign manager Jim Messina says in the video. "We are now required to file a fundraising report with the FEC every single month throughout the election, which means we'll be reporting back to you every month on what this organization is raising and how."

Romney is the likely Republican nominee.

The Republican National Committee called the president "fundraiser-in-chief."

"Giving lobbyists and special interests special access to the White House, it's no surprise Obama is still the fundraiser-in-chief," RNC representative Kirsten Kukowski said in a statement. "Big money contributions will not take away from the fact that President Obama cannot run on his record and is simply offering shiny objects to distract from his failure to bring hope and change to Americans as he promised."

Romney and the RNC began fundraising together this month, The Hill said. The RNC reported collecting $13.7 million in March. Romney hasn't released his March figures, but reported collecting in $12 million in February.

The president is scheduled to campaign in Michigan, while first lady Michelle Obama will stump in Washington, D.C., Pennsylvania and Tennessee, CNN said.

Romney will be on the campaign fundraising trail as well, with stops planned in North Carolina and Pennsylvania.

CNN said Ann Romney will host a birthday-themed fundraiser in New York Tuesday, a day after she and her husband are interviewed by ABC News in Boston.