Vilsack drops out of the Democratic presidential race

Tom Vilsack, right, answered a question from George Stephanopoulos during a candidates forum in Nevada Wednesday. (Photo: Rich Pedroncelli/Associated Press)

This is off CNN News:

DES MOINES, Iowa (CNN) -- Former Iowa Gov. Tom Vilsack said Friday he is dropping out of the 2008 Democratic race for president.

Vilsack's campaign lasted 15 weeks.

"The reality is that this process has become ... about money, a lot of money," the former two-term governor told reporters.

Vilsack, a harsh critic of the Iraq war, was considered a long shot for gaining the Democratic Party's nomination. He faced stiff competition, notably from Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton of New York and Barack Obama of Illinois.

Vilsack opposed President Bush's plan to send more U.S. troops to Iraq, and said this week that Congress should immediately cut funding for the war, according to the Des Moines Register.

Speaking at the first issues forum of the 2008 Democratic presidential campaign, Vilsack said his rivals eventually will agree with his stance.

"As more and more of our young people die, as more helicopters are shot down ... I think more and more Americans are going to see the wisdom of this position," he told reporters after the forum. "And I will guarantee you, six months from now, virtually everybody on that stage today will be where I am today."

Vilsack proposes diverting the war funding to the development of alternative fuels.

Eight of the nine Democrats running for president participated in the Wednesday event in Carson City, Nevada, sponsored by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, an influential Democratic voting bloc.

Vilsack formally announced his presidential candidacy in November; his gubernatorial term ended in January.

So Vilsack has dropped out because he couldn't get enough money raised for his campaign. I guess this is going to be another money-raising, record-spending presidential election year that will make the 2004 presidential election look like a children's tea party.

Who is next on the drop-out list?