By the time January 2008 rolled around, presidential candidates were already breaking campaign finance records. And by November 4th, they had shattered even more. With so many candidates, so much money, and so much riding on the outcome, campaign contributions were major headlines this year. Below is my list of the top five money and politics stories for 2008 (in no particular order).

President-Elect Barack Obama's incredible ability to generate small online donations has some members of Congress thinking they can apply his methods to their campaigns. That flies in the face of reality.

President-elect Barack Obama and the new Congress have an ambitious agenda come January. And those industries that donated the $5 billion to 2008 candidates will want to make sure their voices are heard. On Tuesday, Obama's transition team laid out an ethics plan that should assure some voters on the power of lobbyists in his administration.

There's been lots of talk about what will happen to public financing after the election is over. We're confident that Congress will work to fix the presidential system and also move a public financing system for Congressional races forward, and so is Nancy Watzman, former Public Campaign staffer and blogger at the Denver Post.

The news of Sen. Barack Obama's (D-Ill.) $150 million haul in September with an average donation under $100 combined with Obama's decision to opt out of the partial presidential public financing system gave political prognosticators and pundits the opportunity to declare the death of public financing. They signed the certificate and called the morgue.

The New York Times addresses Mssrs. McCain and Obama on the subject of bundling advising both should pledge to make it a priority to rein in the practice should be elected President. The Times goes a step further and says that while addressing bundling is important, full public financing of campaigns should be the ultimate goal.