McCain exits campaign money race

[sabra]

Source: Politico

John McCain is abandoning any hope of catching the Democrats in fundraising.

Based on new financial disclosure reports released Sunday, and interviews with his finance team, the Republican Party’s presumptive nominee will instead accept taxpayer money to finance his general election and share other costs with the Republican National Committee.

The strategy will allow McCain to stretch his campaign dollars by splitting the cost of television advertising and other campaign activity with the RNC.

But the decision also puts the Arizona senator at risk of being badly outspent – even with RNC help – by a Democratic nominee who will be allowed to spend as much as he or she can raise on the November race.

Read more: http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0408/9737.html

[bluestateguy]

1. I checked off NO on the federal camapign fund on my tax forms this year

I knew that the Democratic nominee would not take the money, so by having my money go to the federal kitty, I'd only be subsidizing John McCain's campaign.

[electron_blue]

2. Can you explain that a little more?

How do you know the Dem nominee would not take the money? What are the implications of taking it? Do the Dems never take it?

[bluestateguy]

3. Clinton or Obama will not be taking federal matching money for the fall election

They said this last year. By not takign the money, you are not bound by spending caps and you can raise as much as you want. This will be the first time a general election nominee does not take the money. Even Bush took the money in 2004.

Hence, all on the money that is in the federal campaign kitty will either be un-spent, or go to John McCain.

[electron_blue]

7. Ohhhhhh. Crud. I never understood this until now.

I wish I hadn't checked that box last week. I just assumed both parties took it and in some way this helped keep the campaign raising from getting out of hand. I suppose in a way that was the original intent?

McCain is already complaining about the limits placed on him bcs of the federal money he took for the primaries, right? So why is he taking even more - is he that broke?

[onehandle]

5. I never check that box.

Not when there's a chance that a repug will get a dime.

The theory of that bit of public financing is pointless as long as corporations are allowed to bribe candidates with no (effective) restrictions.

[Winterblues]

13. And I thought Obama had pledged to take it if the Republican candidate did..

Maybe campaign pledges just aren't binding any more.:shrug:

[bluestateguy]

14. He should break that promise

I'll be very honest about that. He should break his word. He's better off taking the heat for that (which is really an inside baseball issue that ordinary people don't give a fig about), and it will go away after a few days. Because if he ties his hands to the public money, he will be leaving himself vulnerable to being crucified by the 527 groups that can spend as much as they damn well please. The pro-McCain 527's have made no promises to limit their spending.

[Igel]

17. He will.

Making challenges and commits that turn out to be disadvantageous, and then keeping your word is honorable and shows a strength of character. 21st Century America is both post-honor and post-character. Both are only words, and we know that they mean little, which is exactly what they should mean.

Better the liar you don't know than the liar you do, I always say. Makes life more, um, interesting. Always keep your opponents--and especially your friends--off balance.

Both sides have 527 groups. Granted, unapproved political speech really should be banned. Otherwise we're not sufficiently post-Constitutional. But we've made a start.

[Winterblues]

18. "unapproved political speech really should be banned."

Should we start right here at DU.. I am sure some of the things we say would never be approved, so I guess they should be banned..:shrug:

[truthisfreedom]

4. So it's all but over.

Except for the swiftboaters.

[onehandle]

6. Swiftboating will be Intense this year. It's all they got.

Swiftboaters will get tens of millions of dollars to do their duty.

[AndyTiedye]

16. Swiftboaters Got *BILLIONS* of Dollars Worth of FREE AIRTIME in 2004

We could outspend them 2-1 OR even 5-1 and still be drowned out utterly by the swiftboaters, because they swiftboaters get most of their airtime FOR FREE! :(

The airtime the networks gave the Swiftboaters in 2004 was worth BILLIONS.

[rurallib]

8. And the free media

Expect to see JohnnyMac on the Fox all the time and see how the radio and print media cover him and have him on the Hannitys and Rushie wannabes.
The free media Mac gets will probably have a value equal to what ours spends.

[balantz]

9. I would say more than equal.

Media focus is nearly priceless.

American voters still do what their beloved media says to do.

[ladywnch]

10. it's because he knows he's got the 501-C4s and the 527s to do his

work. He's gonna claim the high road of public finance and then use all that private dirty money. He really is every bit as slimey as chucklenuts and company.

[liberal N proud]

11. How to steal an election on your dime

Others will be paying for the advertising for him
There will dozens of ads attacking the Democratic nominee without mentioning McCain and paid for by the extremist groups.

[grytpype]

12. hahahahaha!!!

[cstanleytech]

15. Only problem is the article fails to mention

that McCain will probably have the entire Fox News network backing him since he is a republican and that might help tilt the odds enough in his favor.