Unfortunately, Obama seems unwilling to give an honest reason for opting out of the system, specfically the fact that he can raise more money this way. Instead, he resorts to attacks on McCain using the talking point that we've seen several times already (including in several of the campaign messages you've reposted on this blog) that McCain relies on funding from lobbyists and PACs, a claim that we found to be lacking in our earlier analysis. As it happens, Annenberg Fact Check came to the same conclusion with regard to this latest attack, calling it "a large exaggeration and a lame excuse."
Obama is not "independent" from a broken funding system. He has simply decided that abiding by the system he has supported in the past doesn't benefit him in the present. It may be the smart political move, but it certainly isn't the new type of politics he purports to represent.
I am disappointed that Obama did not give an accurate or representative explanation for not taking public funds.
I do not understand much of the system and all that it entails when a candidate accepts the public funds with the $84.1M limit on spending. I was surprised to hear that all major candidates have taken this option since it was instigated after Watergate in the 70's.
I am curious to see what McCain decides to do. All in all, I continue to become more and more saddened at how complicated U.S. politics are and how little we, the people, really know about both the system and the candidates.
Unfortunately, Obama seems unwilling to give an honest reason for opting out of the system, specfically the fact that he can raise more money this way. Instead, he resorts to attacks on McCain using the talking point that we've seen several times already (including in several of the campaign messages you've reposted on this blog) that McCain relies on funding from lobbyists and PACs, a claim that we found to be lacking in our earlier analysis. As it happens, Annenberg Fact Check came to the same conclusion with regard to this latest attack, calling it "a large exaggeration and a lame excuse."
ReplyDeleteObama is not "independent" from a broken funding system. He has simply decided that abiding by the system he has supported in the past doesn't benefit him in the present. It may be the smart political move, but it certainly isn't the new type of politics he purports to represent.
I am disappointed that Obama did not give an accurate or representative explanation for not taking public funds.
ReplyDeleteI do not understand much of the system and all that it entails when a candidate accepts the public funds with the $84.1M limit on spending. I was surprised to hear that all major candidates have taken this option since it was instigated after Watergate in the 70's.
I am curious to see what McCain decides to do. All in all, I continue to become more and more saddened at how complicated U.S. politics are and how little we, the people, really know about both the system and the candidates.