Mr. Obama's Waffle: Backing away from commitment to pursue public financing for fall campaign

[Karmadillo]

One would think a truly different kind of politician wouldn't have put himself in this dilemma.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/15/AR2008021503193.html?hpid=opinionsbox1

Mr. Obama's Waffle
His commitment to pursue public financing for the fall campaign suddenly looks soft.

AS RECENTLY as November, Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) was unequivocal about whether he would agree to take public financing for the general election if his Republican opponent pledged to do the same. "If you are nominated for president in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?" the Midwest Democracy Network asked in a questionnaire. Mr. Obama's answer was clear. "Yes," he wrote. "If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

Or maybe not. Mr. Obama deserves credit for obtaining a ruling from the Federal Election Commission that allowed him to raise money for the general election campaign but reserve the right to return the funds if he were to win the nomination and manage to arrange a cease-fire with the other side. That outcome, once improbable, is now within reach. The presumptive Republican nominee, Sen. John McCain of Arizona, agreed long ago to Mr. Obama's deal, back when his prospects for securing the nomination seemed slim. Mr. McCain's campaign manager, Rick Davis, reaffirmed that pledge this week at a lunch with reporters sponsored by the Christian Science Monitor.

But Mr. Obama's campaign, which has been raking in money at an astonishing clip of more than $30 million a month, is starting to hedge. Speaking to the Associated Press, Mr. Obama's spokesman, Bill Burton, downgraded the Obama plan to "something that we pursued with the FEC and it was an option that we wanted on the table and is on the table." Asked about the campaign's earlier position, Mr. Burton said, "No, there is no pledge."

It must be tempting for a campaign that has reached dizzying new financial heights to give up the guarantee of $85 million in federal funds for the prospect of being able to rake in even more -- and to get a financial edge over an opponent whose fundraising has been lackluster and whose party seems dispirited. It must be chastening to think about the financial advantage that Mr. McCain will have in the months leading up to the convention, when Mr. Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (N.Y.), his remaining Democratic opponent, may still be battling for the nomination while Mr. McCain is spending "primary" money to build the necessary architecture for the general election.

more...

[boston bean]

1. Sort of reminds you of, are you going to serve your full term in the senate? Unequivocally he

answered YES to that.

I guess you can't take obama at his word.

[rug]

5. In all fairness, I expect he will end up serving his full term in the Senate.

[UALRBSofL]

7. McCain will fire back

Well, since Obama broke his promise, that would give him an enormous advantage over me so I guess that gives me the green light to follow suit. :)

[Karmadillo]

35. It certainly gives the Repbublicans an issue we didn't need to give them.

nt

[TheDoorbellRang]

36. But this story is so much balderdash; we merely have to keep the facts up front

Obama said he would do it if his opponents agreed to it, also.
Here's his quote from this link:

In a questionnaire for the Midwest Democracy Network, the details of which were released on November 27, 2007, Senator Obama was asked: "If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in presidential public financing system?"

He answered: ""Yes. I have been a long-time advocate for public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests."

But later in his answer he also said: "If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

Here's what he said last Friday:

"If I am the nominee I will make sure our people talk to John McCain's people to find out if we are willing to abide by the same rules and regulations with respect to the general election going forward. It would be presumptuous of me to start saying now that I am locking in to something when I don't even know if the other side will agree to it. And I'm not the nominee yet. We're trying to get through this process. As soon as we do I assure you my folks and John McCain's folks will sit down and see if we can arrive at a common set of ground rules," Obama told reporters.

BTW, here's Clinton's position on public financing:

Clinton has never said she would accept public financing if she were the Democratic nominee, even if the Republican candidate made that commitment.

This OpEd's argument seems much like a child taking a parent's "We'll see" as "But you proooomised."


:shrug:

[chascarrillo]

32. I guess you're siding with McCain.

Let me know how that works out.

[joeybee12]

2. Since Kos got all shrill defending Obama, I assume BO's hard-core supporters

are worried about this...and they should be...McCain has fired the first shot, and it was a smart move, politically. Obama-ites will get a taste of what negative media coverage is should--God forbid--he get the nom.

[zabet]

10. Most of the Obama supporters,

especially the younger ones, have no idea
what they are facing running against McCain.
The party as a whole is turning to support him.
Primaries and caucuses did not win Chimpy the
2004 election, it was the older, registered
repukes that were convinced to get out and vote
after not voting for years. The GOP will mount
this same ploy, in fact they already have. Open
primaries with pukes voting Dem to throw the opposing
party's primary away from the most feared candidate.
When the dust settles, regardless of who gets the
nominee, when it comes to the final leg of the GE,
maybe some will realized how well they have been
played by the GOP.
In closing, do not say the GOP could NOT pull off that
sneaky and that long term of an attack. Chimpy had
plans to attack Iraq before he even got 'elected'
the first time, he, along with the GOP orchestrated
the selling of an illegal war to AMericans. They have
gotten away with it so far, and many are so naive as to
think they will not do anything like this with the GE.
This is the clincher 3rd term for the BFEE, McCain will
be workable to them to continue their raping and pillaging
of America, and any other country that has something we
want.

[FrenchieCat]

12. You underestimate Obama and his supporters, just like Hillary Clinton

underestimated Barack Obama and his supporters.....even the young ones.

You and the Republicans are doing this at your own peril.

[zabet]

19. No. I do not.

From my personal experience, the younger
Obama supporters I have talked to, have no
idea of his policy proposals or even where
he stands on certain issues. A few do but,
for the majority they are just 'into the latest
fad'. No, I do not try to talk them out of
supporting Obama, I do not belittle their choice,
I am just happy they are involved in the process.

Anyone who underestimates the GOP does so at their
own peril. The last 7 years should have taught
you that.

[FrenchieCat]

27. Well then you haven't talked to me and the younger Obama supporters I know.....

In other words, whomever you spoke with, doesn't add up to enough for you to make the conclusion that you are making. But then, you knew that, right?

Maybe you should talk to Sen. Clinton about underestimating folks. Cause it looks like your candidate is guilty of what you are accusing the supporters of Obama of doing.

Hillary says she’ll be Democratic nominee by Feb 5th
December 13, 2007
Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton is anticipating that she will not have to wait long to become the Democratic presidential nominee, privately telling campaign donors in California that the race "is all going to be over by Feb. 5."

Though the focus of the 2008 presidential campaign is on Iowa and New Hampshire, the states with the earliest contests, Clinton suggested that California's influence might be larger than was commonly believed.

"You've got to realize that people in California will start voting absentee about the time Iowa and New Hampshire happen," the senator from New York said at a closed-door fundraising reception Tuesday evening. "In fact, more people will have voted absentee by the middle of January than will have voted in New Hampshire, Iowa and a lot of other places combined."

On Friday, California absentee ballots began going out to members of the military and others living abroad.

California's remaining absentee ballots will be sent out beginning Jan. 7, one day before the New Hampshire primary and four days after the Iowa precinct caucuses.

California holds its primary Feb. 5, along with 21 other states and American Samoa.

"California, Texas, New York, New Jersey — you've got way more than half the country," Clinton said at the fundraising event at a Sacramento restaurant. "And we're going to be ready, thanks to all of you. We're running a vigorous campaign here in California."

Voters in 22 states will vote after Feb. 5, as will those in the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and Guam.

The fundraising reception was closed to the news media, but an audio recording of Clinton's speech was made available to the Los Angeles Times.
http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-clinton13dec13,1,2613727.story

[zabet]

30. No one who does not support Obama,

can 'talk' to you. Aggressive behavior
by Obama supporters is so unattractive
for their candidate. I have not seen
blatant hatred for Obama allowed here like
the blatant hatred of Clinton is not only
allowed but, seemingly encouraged.

"Well then you haven't talked to me and the younger Obama supporters I know....."
Uhh, just where in my post did I say that? :eyes:

[joeybee12]

29. I agree with you...these Obama-ites are novices to the political process and BO is

taking advanatge of this...promising them the world. The nature of politics...not any one inidiviudal...will come back to bit them on their collective asses. This happens every political cycle, in 2000 it was Bradley and then Nadar, and in 2004 Dean. Young people get behind someone they think is going to change the system...ain't gonna happen...and yet they shrilly and ignorantly bash anyeon who disagrees with them.

[Saturday]

3. What? If Hillary did this it would be waffling. Since Obama is...

doing it it's thoughtful, hopeful thinking and a valid reason to change his mind. Not to mention a perfect campaign plan. ROTFLMAO

[boston bean]

6. They cannot see it, and never will. Atleast we know what we get with Hillary

[rodeodance]

16. If this were Hillary--there would be 100 threads about the Waffle

[griffi94]

9. Hahaha

why do you hate hope and change....why do you hate puppies lol

[kurth]

17. There's some CHANGE for ya

[TheWebHead]

4. it's because of that 527 issue

we can get more money from individual donors, but the big money in 527's without limits blunt that, so to me it doesn't seem wise for barack or hillary to take public financing.

[ShortnFiery]

11. BINGO! the 527s for McCain will be vicious - beholden to nobody. Obama must counter these ghouls.

I don't like this waffle on Obama's part, but I fully understand the vitriol spewed by ilk like The Swiftboaters, etc. :shrug:

[FrenchieCat]

8. I respect Obama's right to determine what he will choose to do,

as long as it ensures a win, in this case.

I'll trust Obama's tactical decision if he is the nominee. Period.

I will trust Hillary's decision, should she be the nominee as well.

Because at that point, it is Us against McCain.

[Enrique]

13. I agree with you

but I wonder, would you be as magnanimous if Hillary had waffled first?

[FrenchieCat]

25. If Hillary is the Nominee, whatever she says at that time will go.......

Obama has not yet answered.....

[joeybee12]

31. Up front, she was very clear she's not taking public financing...

...so if she's the nominee, then McCain's tactics won't work against her.

[rodeodance]

18. Obama will do anything to win. "as long as it ensures a win,"

I respect Obama's right to determine what he will choose to do,

as long as it ensures a win, in this case.

[karynnj]

14. A flaw in McCain/Feingold almost makes it neccissary

There is a gap between the two conventions - not as large as in 2004, but there - meaning the Republicans will be able to launch a major attack in that interval with unlimited primary or 527 money and he would have only general election money. This is the very dilemma Kerry had in August 2004.

[Firespirit]

15. Originally he said he wasn't even running for president. Can't he change his mind?

If McCain opts out, and our nominee opts in, we're at a huge disadvantage. I would hope that we'd agree that too much is at stake to sacrifice the election over a quixotic stand like this.

[rodeodance]

20. As long as you agree Hillary can change her mind.

[Firespirit]

21. I would be disgusted if our nominee went for public financing this year

Whoever it is.

Now is not the time to make a "point" on the issue of money in elections.

I am FULLY in favor of playing within the system (our $$$-influenced process) in order to acquire the power to take down the system.

[TheWebHead]

24. if you're talking about the war

she hasn't changed her mind about the authorization of military force vote...

[Saturday]

28. And Obama has. He was against it before he continued to fund it. nt

[mucifer]

22. Obama is cosponsoring Dick Durbins campaign finance reform bill

http://www.uspirg.org/money-politics/campaign-finance-reform

"Senator Dick Durbin (Ill.) and Arlen Specter (Pa.) have introduced the Fair Elections Now Act, a sweeping proposal to replace the current system of campaign financing with one that would provide candidates who agree to spending limits and reject special interest money with public financing for their races. At the presidential level, the existing public financing program is woefully outdated and, unless fixed, will likely be bypassed by the major party candidates in 2008. Reps. Christopher Shays (Conn.) and Martin Meehan (Mass.) and Senator Russ Feingold (Wis.) have introduced the Presidential Funding Act of 2007, which would modernize the previously successful 30-year-old program."


Clinton is not a cosponsor of the bill.

[Benhurst]

23. So much for our

Hopes for Change.

Same old crap in a new wrapper.

[FrenchieCat]

26. Why? I don't see where OBama has said anything about what he will do....

do you?

Or is your reference to the same ol' crap in reference to you infering something out of nothing?

[Vinca]

33. I think Barack should take the flip flop on this one for the sake of the party.

He never expected to be bringing in a million bucks a day and if he can continue to do this after the nomination, maybe this time we will actually defeat the GOP smear machine.

[smoogatz]

34. Fools.

Any Democrat who would urge Obama to decline private funding in the general is a damned fool. If you want McCain to have a better chance at winning the general, then by all means, insist that Obama level the fund-raising playing field by forgoing private funding. If you'd like a Democrat in the WH for a change, maybe it would be smarter to let Obama exploit his huge fund-raising advantage, which mostly draws on small internet donations by individuals.