Cheques and balances of Clinton, Barack and McCain

Washington: Hillary Clinton, who bowed out of the Democratic contest on June 7, reported a $22.5 million (Dh83 million) debt at the end of May, more than half of which was a personal loan to her presidential campaign, campaign finance reports filed on Friday show.

For the first time in the presidential campaign, John McCain matched Barack Obama's monthly fund-raising haul, as each presumptive nominee pulled in more than $21 million in May.

McCain has lagged behind Obama, who on Thursday became the first presidential candidate to opt out of the 32-year-old public financing system, a move that releases him from spending limits that would have applied after the Democratic convention.

Since the campaign began, Obama has outraised McCain, $287.5 million to $115.3 million.

Meanwhile, Obama has opened up a double-digit lead over McCain two weeks after he clinched the nomination, a new poll published showed.