This morning, Barack Obama sent this video an email to supporters explaining his decision to opt out of the public financing system for presidential elections.
You can get some immediate reaction from Jonathan Singer here and from Jerome Armstrong here. Marc Ambinder gives us McCain’s reaction and has some background info from the Obama campaign on their reasoning behind the decision.
Last fall, Obama told Common Cause that he would participate in the system by aggressively pursuing a so-called “fundraising truce” with the Republican nominee. But as Ambinder noted in his background statements, McCain and his campaign didn’t seem to want to participate.
My thoughts? I think this is a good decision, especially after witnessing what happened in 2004 by the Republican special interests and 527s. The problem itself isn’t money in politics but big money in politics…and the fact that there is a lack of regulation in certain arenas and too much regulation in others. Obama has raised millions of dollars from millions of small-dollar donors. And he’s publicly asked and demanded that 527s not support him but instead asked for those individuals to directly support his campaign or the Democratic National Committee. McCain is doing nothing to keep lobbyists and big money from trying to influence the system even though he says he’s committed to a system of reform and clean elections. McCain says one thing and does another (tacitly, at least, because he allows it to happen).
You can find the full text of Obama’s remarks below the fold.
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