Obama Poised To Turn Down Public Financing

[book_worm]

I say Good! McCain will have others who will try to swiftboat Obama (or Hillary if she were the nominee). Obama has proven he can raise a great deal of money from small contributors and I say Go for it!

CBS) This story was written by CBSNews.com political reporter Brian Montopoli.

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Eighty-four million dollars sounds like a lot of money to spend in just over two months. But for Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama, it may not be enough.

Obama, like presumptive GOP nominee John McCain, is eligible for public financing should he be named his party's nominee. But if he takes the money, which would be allocated after the Democratic National Convention in late August, Obama would have to agree not to raise or spend money on top of what the government has provided. And Tuesday night, the Illinois senator indicated that's a deal he may well turn down.

"We have created a parallel public financing system where the American people decide if they want to support a campaign they can get on the Internet and finance it," Obama said at $2,300-per-person fundraiser in Washington D.C., "and they will have as much access and influence over the course and direction of our campaign that has traditionally been reserved for the wealthy and the powerful."

Obama's "parallel public financing system," of course, is his robust fundraising apparatus. The Illinois senator raised an $40 million in March, bringing his total to more than $230 million; McCain, by contrast, took in about $15 million last month and has only taken in about $75 million overall. Hillary Clinton has also raised large sums - more than $175 million so far - and has said she would opt out of public financing.

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/04/09/politics/main4004908.shtml

[leftofcool]

1. There goes the pledge he made

So much for change.

[Tarheel_Dem]

5. wasn't this pledge predicated on the premise that both parties would

have to agree to certain conditions? I'm sure you would love to see Obama at a financial disadvantage to prove a point, but I think most rational "DEMOCRATS" will see the necessity for Obama to opt out of the current confinements of public financing, especially against the many GOP funded 527 swiftboat groups.

You're almost irrelevant at this point. Your bias is so poisonous, I can't wait until you, Larry Johnson, and Taylor Marsh are no longer welcome to post here.

[F.Gordon]

8. Obama is dissin' the DEMOCRATS (your caps)

He doesn't want any funds going to the DNC. That is the "confinement" of public financing.

[Coexist]

9. I have no doubt that Obama will be an effective fundraiser for the DNC

and assist in downticket races. He already has helped fellow Democrats get elected.

[F.Gordon]

10. That's why he was a darling of the DLC

That was then. This is now.

If he doesn't have faith in the Democratic Party as a whole to provide funding for him, then what does that say?
:shrug:

And will people like Udall and Franken really have confidence in Obama to help them? Obama is a 'Pop Icon' and can draw huge crowds but will it translate into cash for the important Senate and House races?

If Obama outspends Clinton 3 to 1 and loses..... how much will he have to outspend McLame?

[Tarheel_Dem]

15. here...have a cup of STFU!

You sound like a screeching banchee. Obama will do what's good for the party as a whole. And since you've seen fit to reduce Senator Obama to a mere "pop icon", you can go f*** yourself.

[grantcart]

6. really? What exactly did he pledge to? link please

[godai]

2. Great! Only McCain and the Clintons want him to do otherwise.

It's shameful that Democrats (Clinton supporters) would want to handicap Obama in the GE by evening out the money available to Obama/McCain. That is a pure Repub talking point.

[papau]

3. The Obama fans will not worry about major lie #6 - but McCain will note it

[FrenchieCat]

12. Will McCain note his own change in position to taking Public Funds or not?

Or are you at all interested in beating John McCain?
Did you get hooked and join the Stoopid Generation? :shrug:


John McCain: Changing His Mind On Public Financing — Again?
Having accepted public financing last fall for the primary, then deciding to thumb his nose at it when it didn't suit his purposes, John McCain is now laying the groundwork for accepting public financing in the general. Aided by reform groups like Democracy 21 who have hammered Obama for not accepting it but have uttered nary a peep about the fact that McCain is breaking the law, he's obviously looking to play the "holier than thou" card in the fall -- confident that a compliant press and the wouldbe watchdogs will all take a nap while he does it.
http://firedoglake.com/2008/04/04/john-mccain-preparing-to-accept-public-financing/
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Friday, March 21, 2008
McCain, public financing, and the law
He was in the system when he was well behind in the race and needed money, then he tried to get out of the system when he started winning and jumped into the lead. Specifically, he wrote a letter to the FEC on February 6, the day after Super Tuesday, the day he became the clear frontrunner, declaring his intention to withdraw from the system:
http://the-reaction.blogspot.com/2008/03/mccain-public-financing-and-law.html

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McCain Myth Buster: John McCain and Public Financing

Today's McCain Myth: John McCain is withdrawing from the public financing system in the same way as other candidates.

To distract from his efforts to unilaterally withdraw from the campaign finance system he once supported, John McCain's campaign is arguing he is withdrawing from the matching funds program in the same way as previous presidential candidates. The fact is, John McCain is breaking the law by trying to unilaterally withdraw from the public financing system after having used the promise of matching funds as collateral for a loan as well as getting on the ballots in some states.

Unlike the McCain campaign, which claims it did not need permission from the FEC to withdraw from the matching funds program despite knowing this to not be the case, Governor Dean actually received a letter from the FEC releasing him from the system, saying "the Commission has withdrawn its certification to the Secretary of the Treasury that Howard Dean and Dean for America ('the Committee') are entitled to a payment from the Presidential Primary Matching Account. Please note that both you and the Committee will no longer be bound by the terms of the candidate agreement." In contrast, the FEC sent McCain a letter last week that says he cannot withdraw from the system until he has received approval from the FEC.

Clearly, McCain thinks the law applies to everyone but himself and is willing to distort the facts to win an election. After building a career as a Washington reformer, McCain's do-anything-to-win tactics have seriously called his integrity into question.
http://www.democrats.org/a/2008/02/022608_mccain_m.php

[Infinite Hope]

4. I think he should take it. He can purchase most things ahead of time...

...especially things like signs, leaving more of the $84 million for tv ads. At the same time, DNC can capitalize on Obama's fundraising potential and fund massive ad buys as well. Meanwhile, he protects his reputation on a technicality and has the best of both worlds.

[F.Gordon]

7. snip........

Still, why wouldn't Obama simply take public financing and steer donors to his party? Michael Malbin, executive director of the Campaign Finance Institute, suggested that one reason is that "many of the donors to his campaign are new to the system and may not be willing to give to the party."

What does it say about a nominee that is unwilling to work with the Democratic Party?
:shrug:

[Vinca]

11. Maybe Obama remembers how the Democratic Party failed

John Kerry in 2004. Instead of parting with a few bucks to beat back the Swifties, they sat on the sidelines. Obama intends to win and, considering how well he's managed the fortune he's already raised, I say we let him go for it.

[F.Gordon]

14. So, Obama doesn't need the Democratic Party?

I'm sure the 'Supers' would love to hear that. :eyes: And all of us that gave our blood, sweat, tears, and money to Kerry thank you for your kind words.

It's not how I would define "unity", but I don't have the Secret Obama Code Ring.

[Tarheel_Dem]

16. WE GET IT! YOU DON'T LIKE OBAMA....

But you sound as if you're having some challenges....:wtf:

[Vinca]

19. There's no reason to be snotty just because you don't support Obama.

Of course he needs the Democratic Party, but if there's a choice between letting the Democratic Party manage his campaign money and the Obama people managing it, I say, based upon how well he's done so far, we allow him to manage the money. As for Kerry, I loved him. But look what happened. Democrats put their tails between their legs and let a bona fide war hero be turned into a person less patriotic than the AWOL chimp in the White House. John Kerry knows that. Obama knows that. It's not going to happen this time around.

[book_worm]

21. secret Obama code ring! hilarious!!

where do you Hillbots get this stuff?

[Scoobs]

20. Dyamn straight

[DarienComp]

13. Good for him.

Why should he hamper himself?

[DearAbby]

17. Obama already is public financed

:shrug:

[BigDDem]

18. Keeping pledges is sooooooo old politics

"CHANGE!!!"

:rofl:

[zulchzulu]

22. I say let's keep the pedal to the medal...

McCain and The Fellas will try everything in the book to play dirty in the Election, so I say let's keep that money from small donations coming in.

McCain has flipped on enough stuff so it will be easy to smack him down if he whines.