Much has been made of Obama opting out of public Financing and McCain is making the most of dirtying Obama but I don't know if it is good or Bad?

I just don't know what to think but supposedly Sen. Barack Obama's decision to forgo public financing for his presidential campaign clears the way for him to outspend Sen. John McCain by 3-to-1 or substantially more in the general election, a financial edge that dramatically rewrites the playbooks for both candidates. With Possibility the key word: Sen. Barack Obama's decision to forgo public financing for his presidential campaign clears the way for him to outspend Sen. John McCain by 3-to-1 or substantially more in the general election, a financial edge that dramatically rewrites the playbooks for both candidates.

With the possibility of spending perhaps $500 million just in the final two months of the campaign, Obama will be the first major-party candidate to enjoy a spending edge in the general election in more than 30 years. The comparison with the consistently cash-strapped McCain campaign could hardly be more stark. "It'll be like George Steinbrenner's Yankees in the '90s — an All-Star at every position — against the '90s Kansas City Royals, barely able to meet their payroll," said Chris Lehane, a Democratic consultant who worked for Al Gore in 2000 and John Kerry in 2004

Though Obama risks a short-term political backlash by seeming to go back on his word, Democratic and Republican strategists say most campaigns would take such a hit in exchange for the unprecedented cash advantage he'll derive. McCain said Thursday he will accept public financing, meaning he'll be limited to spending only $84.1 million in the critical window between the Republican National Convention and Election Day. He'll be forced to lean more heavily on the Republican National Committee and outside groups that he cannot legally coordinate spending decisions with.

In that same time period, Obama will continue to be free to raise and spend unlimited amounts — with advertising specialists and party insiders projecting that he will bring in hundreds of millions of dollars, utilizing and expanding on the most efficient fundraising operation in American political history. "He's going to be able to raise almost unimaginable amount of money," said Tad Devine, a Democratic strategist who was a top adviser in the Gore and Kerry campaigns. "This is an incredible advantage for him and his campaign. He'll be able to dictate the terms of this election." Obama opts out of public financing

I don't know about that and I think a can of worms has been opened! Of course Republicans slammed the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee’s decision to abandon an earlier pledge to use the more than $84 million in public money if his Republican rival did the same. McCain’s campaign and supporters said the Illinois senator showed his true colors as a dyed-in-the-wool Washington player. And McCain said Thursday in Minnesota that “we will take public financing.” “Rather than sending a message that he’s about change or a new type of politics in America, it really looks and sounds like he’s about the same old … type of politics in America,” Republican Texas Sen. John Cornyn told FOX News. “The thing that is most important in terms of an office holder or a politician’s relationship with his constituents or the people is trust. And frankly when a politician says one thing and does another it erodes that trust,” Cornyn said. “It’s just another chink in the armor but a lot these things will add up over time.”

In Iowa, McCain criticized his rival for backtracking, reminding reporters that Obama “said he would stick to his word. He didn’t.” The Republican candidate added, “This election is about a lot of things. It’s also about trust. It’s about keeping your word.” A statement issued by the McCain campaign said Obama “has revealed himself to be just another typical politician who will do and say whatever is most expedient for Barack Obama … Barack Obama is now the first presidential candidate since Watergate to run a campaign entirely on private funds.” Even Democratic Wisconsin Sen. Russ Feingold, who worked with Obama on an ethics and lobbying reform bill last year, called Obama’s financing decision “a mistake” in a statement Thursday. “This is not a good decision. While the current public financing system for the presidential primaries is broken, the system for the general election is not,” he said. Having numerically clinched the GOP nomination, McCain says he will accept public funds for the general election — but Obama has gradually eased off his earlier pledge.

Obama and his supporters argue his reason for doing so speaks to his ambitions as a reformer. Obama has already “rewritten the book when it comes to financing campaigns” by rejecting Washington lobbyist and political action committee contributions, Illinois Sen. Dick Durbin, an Obama supporter, told FOX News.Durbin said that with his broad-based network of small donors, “He’s really behind reform and showing he can do it.”Obama, in his video announcement to supporters on Thursday, cast his approach as progressive, saying his supporters helped him build a “new kind of politics” where candidates don’t rely on a small pool of mega-contributors from inside the Beltway. Obama argued that the public financing system is “broken, and we face opponents who’ve become masters at gaming this broken system.” Look at the arguments

* Like you I happen to agree with Obama and I fear it will happen once again! Yes Obama is raising funds to combat the Republicans to the tune of 3 to one but the RNC is vastly better funded than the DNC. Correct me if I am wrong but can't the RNC infuse all the money they want in an effort to defame and dirty Obama and steal their false Republican God into the Presidency once again to continue their underhanded agenda?

James Joiner
Gardner Ma
www.anaveragepatriot.com