When Edwards decided to apply for matching funds, many wrote him off

[question everything]

saying that he won't be able to compete with... Romney?

Now, it appears, that McCain will have to rely on matching funds, too, and limit his own funding.

Ironic, isn't it?

[Donnachaidh]

1. yeah, especially with the Dems who think BLING is the answer.

He was bashed far more by the BLING lovers in his own party. :shrug:

[NNN0LHI]

2. I must be missing something?

[question everything]

3. I am not an expert but... the government provides matching funds

for campaigns but in turn the candidate is limited on how much s/he can spend in ads, etc.

In the past cycles, candidates like John Kerry, decided to skip these programs so that they could fund their own campaign. At least, I think that the alternative is for the candidate to be self supporting. Kerry mortgaged some of his mansions. Until this past cycle, the Republicans out contributed us by a lot of money.

So this time, both Clinton and Obama, and Romney, immediately announced that they would self support their campaigns, too. McCain could not, if you remember, last summer many already wrote the obituaries for his campaign, he was last in raising funds. So he apparently applied for matching funds from the government.

I think that now he wants to withdraw his application and our side say no way.

But hearing this story reminded me of the so many posts about Edwards losing any chance to effectively compete when he failed in matching the millions that went to Clinton and Obama.

[karynnj]

5. Kerry did not do it to "fund" his own campaign

He had already put in as much money as he could by morgaging his house. He opted out only after HOWARD DEAN did, feeling he had to to be competitive. Kerry only had 1/2 of a house - Teresa has several, but she was not allowed to use her money. (Interesting that neither McCain or Clinton have been scrutinized on whether the money belonged to their spouse.) Kerry's campaign was funded by a highly successful online effort.

[question everything]

6. Thanks for the correction. I think that many of us were not aware of these rules

until we heard that Kerry had to mortgage his... 1/2 house.

The point still remains that many here left Edwards and told others to do the same, saying that he could not run a competitive campaign relying on the government matching.

[AndyA]

4. Ironic isn't the word I'd use to describe this fact.

Sad would be more like it in my book, but it is ironic.

We could have had the chance for real change. Now we get second best at best. :(