McCain returns $3m in checks as he considers public funding!

[napi21]

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2008/04/04/mccain_returns_3m_in_checks_as_he_considers_public_funding/

In another sign that John McCain is moving toward accepting public financing this fall, the Republican's campaign is returning about $3 million in checks to contributors who have given money for his general election campaign, funds he could not use if he opts into the public system.

more stories like thisMcCain's campaign, in letters to contributors, is asking supporters to write new checks to a special fund created to help the Arizona senator pay legal and accounting expenses related to compliance with the public funding system.

The move is largely procedural, and McCain's campaign said yesterday that it has not yet decided whether to accept public funding or to raise money on its own for the November presidential election. But the decision to return checks - which was made as the Democratic candidates announced raising $60 million combined in March, nearly as much as McCain had raised for the entire campaign through February - indicates that McCain is laying the groundwork for doing so.

"Senator McCain has made it clear that he expects to participate in the general election public financing system, and he hopes the Democratic nominee will do so as well," Brian Rogers, McCain spokesman, said in a statement. "The campaign reserves the right to change course, but these developments reflect our current plans."

Hmmmm....if there's any truth to the belief that $$ = winning, it sure looks like McBush is going to lose!

[NJSecularist]

1. McCain's only prayer is to get Obama to commit to public financing. He knows that.

This is why the national polls mean so little now, Obama will have a significant fundraising advantage if he accepts private financing. It will do nothing but help him. Polls are meaningless this early.

[BadgerKid]

8. McCain already tried confronting BO publically

as you were probably thinking. I think it was in a very early debate. BO's response was to the effect that it wasn't appropriate to discuss financing until a Dem. nominee was made.

[featherman]

2. Political suicide - let's hope it's true

[stevietheman]

3. Obama doesn't have to commit to public financing, as the public is financing him...

just in a more direct manner. That can be his response.

[Coexist]

4. FDL has been all over this issue - CHS's response:

"Maybe it's just me, but this sounds like a post hoc justification from the McCain campaign whose federal election compliance team must have taken a peek at the law and said "ooops-a-daisy!"

http://firedoglake.com/2008/04/04/mccain-finance-maneuvers-shamed-into-it/#more-21013

[madfloridian]

5. He has to stay in that system....DNC and bloggers filed suits against him.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/03-20-2008/0004778110&EDATE=

It would be illegal if he did not. He is already in public funding...he can not get out of it.

The media just chooses to pretend.

[Coexist]

7. I love that they forced his hand like this.

however, the downside is that his donors may choose to fund the 527s instead - the upside - he doesn't have that many donors!

[BigD_95]

6. McCain just wants to

play this both ways. He will say he wanted to do "public financing" but since the Democratic nominee wont then he cant either.


Smart move.

Plus he will say that Obama agreed before that he would do public financing. So he will use that against Obama.

He gets to take the high road but still take private funding.