There is an interesting article at the Washington Post about how a line of credit was used by McCain to help save/resurrect his strapped campaign.

By last November, John McCain’s presidential campaign was broke. To survive, he offered his fundraising lists as collateral for a $3 million line of credit from a local bank. But obtaining the loan required an unusual extra step: He had to take out a special life insurance policy in case he did not survive the campaign.

Anthony Corrado, a campaign finance expert at Colby College, said he had never heard of a candidate having to secure a loan with a life insurance policy.

“It was a big gamble, but I think one of the most important strategic moves the McCain campaign has made,” Corrado said. McCain was “rolling the dice to get the money early, and if they won, it would be easy to repay.”

Update: Mark Ambinder looks at the role of adviser Charlie Black credits campaign manager Rick Davis in running the finances.