Kerry's dash for the cash

WASHINGTON - Democrat John Kerry opens the general election campaign with the biggest financial disadvantage in political history - a $US100 million ($NZ151.58 million) gap fed by Bush's record-smashing fundraising and his move to decline public funds and their accompanying spending limits.

The newly minted Democratic nominee is launching a drive for cash, reaching out to financial supporters of his former rivals and embarking at the end of the month on a 20-city fundraising tour of hot spots like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Miami, Atlanta and Chicago.

At the end of January he had $US2.1 million in the bank with debts of $US7.2 million. Bush's campaign had $US104 million in the bank with negligible debt and more millions to come.