All Obama has to do to end 'funding-gate' is to get on television and

[cliffordu]

say:

"The American people are involved in two hideously expensive wars, the loss of (x-number) jobs and 4 dollar a gallon gas."

"It was originally my intent to accept some form of public funding, but under the circumstances I cannot in good conscience take that kind of money from a budget that will be (x-number) brazillions short of being balanced."




And right about here, McCain's head explodes.

[Bleacher Creature]

1. It's not a gate. n/t

[cliffordu]

2. Ok, then, the funding-porthole.

[tridim]

3. At the same time he needs to reiterate the "No PAC money" rule

That's really the most important part.

[cliffordu]

4. Right!

[TBF]

7. McCain's head exploding is my favorite part - THAT I want to see!

:popcorn:

[cliffordu]

10. Like in the move 'Scanners'

[wvbygod]

8. No PAC cash...except for the DSCC, DCCC, DLC etc that is

*That* is really the most important part.

Sad, but true.

[flpoljunkie]

27. And, we must hold Obama to his promise to make public financing reform a high priority if he wins

[rucky]

5. It was never his intent to accept public funding. n/t

[wvbygod]

12. That does beg the question...

Then why did he challenge McPlain to public funding earlier on? If his intent was to sucker
McGullible into it then maybe it was a good plan.

[mrreowwr_kittty]

18. You seem concerned. nt

[wvbygod]

19. Nope, but you seem confused. nt

[Independent-Voter]

29. I honestly don't think that Obama had any idea that he'd raise this kind of cash from Internet donor

Pulling this kind of $ in small amounts of funds from millions of supporters is unprecedented.

[NC_Nurse]

6. Great idea. He should also stress his choice to turn down money from

lobbyists, etc. and that the DNC is following suit.

[wvbygod]

13. Yes, and he should convince the DSCC, DCCC, DLC and other Dems to follow suit too

That would be a real winner.

[NC_Nurse]

17. A lot of people aren't even aware of all those groups. I think his campaign

and the DLC will be enough.

The DLC probably would cease to exist without lobbyist donations...;) Not
that I care.

[wvbygod]

20. Right. And what people don't know won't hurt them

We don't want too much change now do we.

[NC_Nurse]

34. Winning matters. The Repubs are going to be funding all these groups too.

Things don't change overnight, and the DLC has always been the DINO's anyway.

[Zodiak]

23. You mean the DNC

The DLC doesn't publish its donor list.

[Cronus Protagonist]

9. He just needs to tell the truth

That people who give a crap about this trivial political red herring ought to spend more time looking into the current administration's illegal activities and John McCain's history as a traitor and enemy collaborator. Which is more important?

[wvbygod]

14. John McCain's history as a traitor and enemy collaborator

Why has this not hit the news circuit yet? Have you sent the details to KO to see if he can get it out there?

[rox63]

24. That is most likely a pile-o-crap

And Obama has declared McCain's military service as honorable, heroic and off-limits. And I agree with that decision.

[Cronus Protagonist]

30. Wartch the video and be educated

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBiti-ZbeO0

John McCain was the primary opposition to the Senate Select Committee on POWs. He bitterly opposed any attempt to rescue any other POWs. This is very strange since John McCain was himself, a POW.

The POWs that might have been rescued, would have been able to give testimony about the 32 propaganda tapes that John McCain made for the communists, while in Viet Nam. The 32 propaganda tapes are still "classified" so that no one can see them.

[Cha]

11. This is the email I got from David Plouffe

z --

Barack announced an important decision for our campaign today.

I want to add a little context to the video message you received earlier announcing that we will not participate in the public financing system for the general election.

Even though we stood to receive more than $80 million in taxpayer funding for our campaign, the system has been so gamed and exploited by our opponents that it is effectively broken.

John McCain, the Republican National Committee, and their allies in so-called 527 groups that raise and spend unlimited contributions are dedicated to manipulating this broken system to raise as much money as possible -- and they've proven that they're very good at it.

A top McCain adviser told MSNBC earlier this month, "now that we're in the general election, the RNC money counts, the DNC money counts. So the truth is today, John McCain has more cash on hand and more money than Barack Obama does."

In April alone, they raised nearly $45 million. That's more than our campaign and the Democratic National Committee combined. And that doesn't include the plans of 527 groups like the one called "Freedom's Watch," which has said it will spend as much as $250 million under Karl Rove's direction to attack and defeat Barack Obama.

To compete, Barack has put his faith in ordinary people giving only what they can afford. That's been the strategy of this campaign from the beginning, and more than 1,500,000 supporters like you have gotten us this far.

We have a historic opportunity to prove that a movement of ordinary people has the power to change the way political campaigns are funded. And we have a clear goal as we begin this new challenge: 50,000 people declaring their independence by making a donation before July 4th.

You've gotten us this far with your prior giving. But right now you can grow our movement by giving again. If you promise to match the gift of a first time donor, you could be what convinces them to give for the first time. You'll double your impact, and you'll get to see the name and town of the person you match. You can even exchange a personal note about why you've chosen to support Barack.

Declare your independence from our broken system. Make a matching donation now and bring someone new into this campaign:

https://donate.barackobama.com/promise

Opting out of public matching funds was an extremely difficult decision, and frankly we are at a disadvantage when it comes to raising money. Unlike John McCain, this campaign has never accepted donations from Washington lobbyists or special interest PACs.

While McCain has built his fundraising strategy around high-dollar donors giving huge checks to the RNC, you are creating a new model for publicly financed campaigns.

Thank you for your support and for taking on the masters of a broken system,

David

David Plouffe
Campaign Manager
Obama for America





-----Original message-----
Sender: Obama for America
Subject: Video: Important announcement from Barack

z --

Barack Obama recorded a video message with an important announcement that he wanted you to hear first:



https://donate.barackobama.com/bignews

We have made a crucial decision that will impact how we compete in the general election, and it's important that you understand the decision, its implications, and the challenge ahead.

Please take a moment to watch the video.

Thank you,

Obama for America

[TheDonkey]

15. I don't see Joe Public saying tonight at the dinner table, "I can't believe Obama!!"

"isn't taking public financing, the nerve!!!"

Most people don't even check the box to help fund it.

[Eric J in MN]

16. He could say that, but it wouldn't be true.

Obama is trying to win. If the public funding system offered $300 million for the general instead of $85 million, he would have taken it.

[nsd]

21. It's not a "gate" and it will have essentially no effect on the election.

McCain can complain all he wants, but that just makes him look weak. It underscores the fact that he doesn't generate the kind of enthusiasm Obama does.

Obama's best course of action is basically just what's he been doing: note that he never explicitly promised to take public funding, argue that his >1.5 million individual donors effectively do what public funding is meant to do, and accuse McCain of hypocrisy because of his primary campaign loan shenanigans. But he needn't make a big thing of it -- because it's not a big thing.

[Bleacher Creature]

28. Thank you.

I said the same thing earlier on. The fact that other posters are trying to rationalize the decision and come up with excuses is ridiculous. It was a valid decision and trying to "justify" it only feeds into the right wing nonsense that it was controversial.

[Warren Stupidity]

22. there is no scandal other than the false noise echoing in your head

[hokies4ever]

25. He's wise to let it just play out

If MSM is funderbating next week, they will look like they're making a big deal out of nothing.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

26. And he could add...

That he won't accept campaign contributions of more than $100. His current donor list is 1.5 million people assuming that few have maxed out, he could raise an additional $150 million from his current donors alone.

[Born_A_Truman]

31. So why has McCain been fundraising for the GE if he planned on public finance?

According to the FEC, candidates in the GE cannot accept contributions except for a compliance fund. McCain has been fundraising all along. Does anyone know if the compliance fund needs millions of dollars?

Contributions to Major Party Nominees in the General Election
A major party nominee who has accepted public funding for the general election may not accept any contributions to further his election. You may, however, help a publicly funded nominee by contributing to the candidate's compliance fund. A compliance fund is a special account maintained by publicly funded nominees solely for paying legal and accounting expenses incurred in complying with the campaign finance law. You may contribute up to $2,300 to the compliance fund of a major party nominee.

In the case of a major party nominee who is not publicly funded, you may contribute up to $2,300 to his/her general election campaign.

[phoenixriz]

32. I have a question

When is the cutoff date for making contributions to Barack. Can we continue right up to the election? Thanks for your reply.

[SmileyRose]

33. IMHO it's too late for that.

He already went the "Republicans are crooked" route. But you are right. This would have just politically beat the snot out of the Republicans and is a really great idea.

[BlooInBloo]

35. Uh.... there's no problem to be solved in the first place.