US election at-a-glance: 31 Jan

DAY IN A NUTSHELL

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger endorses John McCain for the Republican nomination. The Democratic candidates take part in a TV debate, as Barack Obama announces that his campaign raised $32m (£16m) in January alone.

Primary roadmap

KEY QUOTES

"I am interested in a great future and I think that Senator McCain has proven over and over again that he can reach across the aisle to get things done."
Arnold Schwarzenegger endorses John McCain

In the long life of the republic, judgment trumps experience, almost every time Robert Dallek Political historian At-a-glance: 30 Jan

"If conservatives don't act now to stop McCain, he will become the Republican nominee and he will lose the general election. He is simply flawed on too many levels. He is a Republican Hillary Clinton in many ways."
Mark R Levin, National Review

"An examination of [President] Kennedy's own record - and of the broader sweep of history - leads us to this critical conclusion: Obama's lack of experience shouldn't be considered a liability. Many of our most experienced presidents have made disastrous choices. In the long life of the republic, judgment trumps experience, almost every time."
Political historian Robert Dallek, New York Daily News

"Both Democrats and Republicans are in spirited and, at times, heated contests. The difference is Democrats are running a nasty race that has as its subtext race and gender. The Republican race, on the other hand, is a serious debate about serious ideas."
Karl Rove, Wall Street Journal

"The Clinton-Obama race is close, fierce and at times petty. But it's nowhere near the nastiest in recent memory. And far from damaging the eventual nominee, it could actually help him or her."
Peter Beinart, Washington Post

NUMBER NEWS

Campaign funding reports released by two campaigns today revealed just how much victory in early primaries can be crucial to a candidate's ability to raise money.

The Obama campaign announced that it raised a record $32m in the month of January, on the back of wins in Iowa and South Carolina.

The total equalled the amount raised during the campaign's best three-month fundraising period in 2007 and is the largest amount ever raised in one month by a presidential candidate still facing a primary challenge.

The John McCain team's January fundraising figures also demonstrated the importance of an early primary win: before his victory in New Hampshire, Mr McCain's campaign was effectively out of cash, with $3m on hand but $4.5 million in debts.

Afterwards, the Arizona Senator was able to raise over $7m, more than his team had been able to raise in the last three months of 2007 put together.

No details of the Clinton or Romney campaigns' January fundraising totals have yet been made available.

DAILY PICTURE

Governor Schwarzenegger said that he had not wanted to endorse John McCain while Rudy Giuliani was still in the race