WASHINGTON -- Throw away all of those crying towels that have been held in reserve to sop the tears of Democrats whining about the financial superiority of the Great Bush Money Machine. John Kerry just beat the record for fundraising by a presidential challenger, and he has a month to go to keep piling up the money. The Massachusetts senator raised at least $34 million in June, bringing his total to more than $180 million.

Both Kerry and President George W. Bush are expected to accept full government financing for their general-election campaigns. Kerry's campaign will kick off in Boston later this month; the Bush campaign starts a month later when the Republican Convention formally endorses his candidacy. At that point, they will receive about $75 million in taxpayer funding -- the only money they can spend campaigning until the November election.

ush still leads the money race. He raised at least $218 million through the first week of June, with a report for the full month not yet filed. But over the past four months, Kerry has out-raised, and at times, outspent Bush. Credit the Internet for a large part of Kerry's success. It has raked in $56 million for him so far.