PHILADELPHIA — Democratic Sen. Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, made $4.2 million last year as widespread interest in the presidential candidate pushed the sales of his two books.
In tax returns the campaign released Wednesday, the Obamas reported a significant jump in their income from the previous year as profits from the books “Dreams From My Father” and “The Audacity of Hope” accounted for about $4 million. The Obamas paid federal taxes of $1.4 million and donated $240,370 to charity.
Their salaried income was $260,735, which included his $157,102 salary as a U.S. senator and hers of $103,633 as vice president of community and external affairs at the University of Chicago Medical Center.
For part of 2007, Michelle Obama collected a salary for serving on the board of Westchester, Ill.-based TreeHouse Foods Inc., which produces pickles, nondairy powdered creamer and other products. She resigned in May after two years on the board.
The position had generated some complaints because TreeHouse is a supplier to Wal-Mart, and Barack Obama has criticized some of Wal-Mart’s policies and treatment of employees. The Obamas reported $29,443 from Treehouse Foods.
In 2006, the Obamas reported income of $991,296.
Among the charitable donations in 2007 was $26,270 to Trinity United Church of Christ, where the incendiary sermons of Obama’s former pastor have created problems for the candidate. The Obamas’ largest charitable donation was $50,000 to the United Negro College Fund.
The campaign released the returns hours before a candidate debate with rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton.
Clinton and her husband, the former president, reported $20.4 million in income for 2007. Almost half the former first couple’s money came from Bill Clinton’s speeches.
Likely Republican nominee Sen. John McCain has not released his tax returns for 2007.
