So you are a presidential candidate.

You aren't doing too well in the race, according to polls and research. And your main rival is beating you on nearly every level, including the financial one. You have a limit on what you can accept in donations, and you really, really want more money. What do you do then? There's one thing you certainly shouldn't do, namely solicit illegal funds from a foreign government, especially one you've been slamming for months.

John McCain is known as one of the harshest critics of Russia. He wants to exclude Russia from the G-8 and considers the country to be one of the biggest threats to US national security.

"Russian leaders, rich with oil wealth and corrupt with power, have rejected democratic ideals and the obligations of a responsible power. They invaded a small democratic neighbor to gain more control over the world's oil supply, intimidate other nations and further their ambitions of reassembling the Russian empire" McCain had said.

Meanwhile, according to the circular, the Republican campaign would be satisfied with any amount from US $35 to $5000.

This is how it was worded.

Dear Friend,

Today I am reaching out to you to ask you to sign and return the enclosed 2008 pledge of support along with a campaign contribution of $US 35, 50, 100, 500, 1000, 2500 or even 5,000 to the McCain/Palin victory fund 2008.

Addressed to the Russian ambassador to the United Nations, Vitaly Churkin and signed by John McCain, the nine page appeal includes a donation form.

Confirming it had received the circular, the Russian mission to the United Nations said it had rejected the request. A press release on Monday said Moscow never finances politics in foreign countries.

The Russian side treated the incident as a joke, while the McCain/Palin campaign released a statement saying the letter was sent as a result of a computer glitch.

Printed courtesy of Russia Today and the Prague Project