Campaign Financing Reshaped

[kskiska]

Bush Edge Making Public Funds Moot

Tuesday, August 5, 2003; Page A01

President Bush's fundraising prowess is reshaping the way presidential campaigns are financed, pressuring Democrats -- if not in this election, then the next -- to devise ways to follow his example of relying solely on private donations. The trend already is choking a major feature of post-Watergate campaign regulation: the promise of federal matching funds in return for a candidate's vow to limit spending.

Bush rejected the deal in the 2000 presidential primary, and went on to collect far more money than did his Democratic rival, Al Gore. Bush again is spurning public funding in the 2004 primary, and he is shattering his money-raising pace of four years ago.

Democrats say they cannot compete in such a climate. And it's not just 2004 they worry about. The nation's new campaign finance law, which greatly rewards a candidate who can gather piles of $2,000 checks, strongly favors Republicans. That advantage seems unlikely to vanish in 2008 and beyond, several analysts say.

(snip)

While some Democrats fear Bush's fundraising operation could turn into a permanent Republican weapon, GOP campaign finance lawyer Jan W. Baran said he thinks the next politician most likely to adopt Bush's strategy will be a Democrat: Sen. Clinton.

"Republicans may be relishing this moment in 2004," Baran said, "but I think they will be breaking out in a sweat if Hillary becomes a candidate in 2008." It takes a politician with strong appeal to his or her core constituents to do what Bush is doing, he said.

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A18995-2003Aug4.html