The rope-a-dope: when does Kerry have to spend his $ by?

I understand that we don't have what they have and don't interrupt a train wreck, etc. BUT doesn't he only have until the convention to spend this stuff? I would like to see an ad assault at some point.

he is spending money on ads already. most of them are positive ads promoting himself as most don't know him .

With Bush imploding, this was the perfect time to roll out biographical ads to introduce Kerry to undecided voters in critical states. And that's exactly what they're doing, to the tune of $27 million.

However, I am puzzled about the spending deadline as well. My understanding is that once a candidate has won their major party's nomination, they receive ~$75M in public funds for the general election, and they're permitted to use only that money from that point forward.

There's more than a month between the Dems' convention and the GOP's. Was this a calculation, based on the assumption that the sooner the Democrats could tap into the $75M, the better? Kerry will have to make that money last 3 months, while Dubya will be able to burn through it in just two.

Maybe they're counting on MoveOn and the other 527's to even the playing field? But I think there's limitations on their spending too, effective on some date.

Help me out here folks...

-MR