Yeah, these 2 Senators are going to change how things are done in DC. And Ron Paul is going to win a primary.

Jonathan D. SalantMon Feb 4, 1:29 PM ET

Feb. 4 (Bloomberg) -- Democrat Hillary Clinton has raised more money from lobbyists than any other presidential candidate while Republican John McCain has more of them assisting his campaign.
Clinton took in $823,087 from registered lobbyists and members of their firms in 2007 and the second-biggest recipient was McCain, who took in $416,321, according to the Center for Responsive Politics, a Washington-based group which tracks political giving. Barack Obama, Clinton's rival for the Democratic nomination, doesn't take money from registered lobbyists, although he received $86,282 from employees of firms that lobby, according to the center.
McCain has 26 registered lobbyists as campaign advisers or fundraisers compared with 11 for Clinton and none for Obama, according to review of records compiled by Public Citizen, a Washington-based group that favors stronger disclosure laws for lobbyists.
Even as they pledge to rein in special interests, the leading Democratic and Republican candidates are relying on lobbyists to bring in campaign cash by raising money from other donors, a technique known as bundling.
``These bundlers and advisers are central to the financial success of top presidential candidates,'' said Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics. ``As such, they will essentially carry with them an IOU from the campaign.''
Lobbyist Bundlers
Clinton's total from lobbyists is a fraction of what they raise on her behalf; her campaign doesn't disclose which donations are brought in by lobbyist bundlers.
Heather Podesta, a Washington lobbyist, donated $4,600 to Clinton, FEC records show. She's raised more than $250,000 for Clinton by tapping her network of contacts and holding fundraisers.
``Most of my attention is focused on raising money and new supporters,'' Podesta, sister-in-law to President Bill Clinton's Chief of Staff John Podesta, said in an interview. ``That's the best way for me to make a contribution.''
Like Podesta, former White House Deputy Chief of Staff Steve Ricchetti has also signed on to be a so-called Hillraiser. Ricchetti's firm was paid $1.7 million during the first six months of 2007 to lobby on behalf of Amgen Inc. and Sirius Satellite Radio, among others.
Won't Be Swayed
New York Senator Clinton, 60, said during a Jan. 21 debate that she won't be swayed by her support from lobbyists, saying she has ``withstood the full force of corporate lobbyists'' during her failed 1993 attempt at passing universal health care legislation as first lady and during her Senate career.
``I think I'm independent and tough enough to be able to deal with anybody,'' Clinton said.
McCain, 71, an Arizona Republican who led the successful 2002 effort to ban corporate and union donations to the political parties, counts as campaign co-chairman former Representative Tom Loeffler of Texas. Loeffler now runs his own lobbying firm, which was paid $2.5 million by such clients as AT&T Inc. and Southwest Airlines.
Last week, former Senator Phil Gramm of Texas, vice chairman of UBS Securities LLC who is registered to lobby for the bank, campaigned in Georgia for McCain.
On the campaign trail, McCain stresses his anti-lobbyist bona fides.
`Special Interests'
``I upset the special interests and Washington lobbyists when I fought for ethics reform and to stop union bosses and corporations from writing million-dollar checks to political campaigns,'' he said in New Hampshire in November.