Another broken promise--Obama wants out of election public funding

[carlotta]

I'd really like to understand how Obama supporters obsess over whether book bags really existed when Hillary was a student, but find nothing to question when Obama does a 180 on truly important issues.

http://thepage.time.com/2008/04/09/obama-sets-up-argument-against-public-funding/

[stellanoir]

1. He didn't break a promise.

He said he'd reassess the matter for the general election if he became the nominee.

I heard him address that quite directly.

[EmperorHasNoClothes]

2. Try again. He never promised to accept public financing

He said that if the other candidate took public financing, he would look into it.

[carlotta]

17. He sure as hell did

http://www.democracy21.org/index.asp?Type=B_PR&SEC=%7B91FCB139-CC82-4DDD-AE4E-3A81E6427C7F%7D&DE=%7B6754C630-51EC-4B19-A44F-1160D8CAC5AA%7D

[slinkerwink]

32. no, he didn't.

[not_too_L8]

67. here... he said,

"Senator John McCain has already pledged to accept this fund raising pledge. If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

notice the words

pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee


indicating no agreement yet

[Usrename]

84. Right, and McCain has refused to discuss an agreement.

Obama is probably still willing to hammer something out. Why wouldn't he be?

It's McCain who went back on his word. He signed the affidavit to request public funding and everything.

[GarbagemanLB]

3. Good for him. Considering the 1.2 million+ people who have given an average of 98 bucks per donation

I'd say he has a strong argument for letting the people speak.

[Benhurst]

18. Yeah, let the people speak.

Goldman Sacs, JP Morgan Chase, Citigroup ,Morgan Stanley, Time Warner, GE, Microsoft AT&T, Blue Cross/Blue Shield,Boeing, Walt Disney, Vivendi, UPS, Lockheed Martin, General Motors, American Airlines,Pfizer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly & Co., GlaxoSmithKline, etc., etc., etc, are people, too. Since they are bundling for Obama, these folks obviously want what's best for America, too, otherwise why would they be giving? Surly they don't expect anything back in return.

http://www.qando.net/details.aspx?entry=8224

As the French would say, "Plus ca change, plu c’est la meme chose."

[GarbagemanLB]

26. Do you really want to get into an argument over which Democrat takes more corporate money? LOL

[Benhurst]

29. No, they both are a disgrace.

The only thing they have going for them is McCain is even worse.

http://arunachala1008.blogspot.com/2007/11/hillary-clintons-corporate-donors.html

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/22/681/

[PoliticalAmazon]

85. Obama cannot touch Hillary Clinton when it comes to corporate whoredom...

...the fact that she keeps Mark Penn on staff at all speaks volumes for her willingness to whore her political position for profit, even if it harms Americans, and even if it goes against her own professed policies.

[Benhurst]

95. Being a little corrupt is

like being a just little bit pregnant.

Neither candidate is worth bragging about.

[mopinko]

72. employees or companies?

i think those are just companies whose employees donated. nice try, tho.

[Ka hrnt]

99. Looking at the math....

1,200,000 x $98 = $117,600,000

Obama's raised $193,600,733...so these millions of individual donors account for ~61% of his total income.

[democrattotheend]

4. I have really mixed feelings on this

Initially, I was really disappointed that Obama decided to opt out, because I believe in public financing and I am afraid his opting out will make it harder for candidates in the future to take public financing and still be credible candidates. I had the same concern when I was asked to vote on it as a Dean supporter four years ago. But I also think Obama makes a good point (the same point Dean made) that grassroots fundraising has the same effect as public financing, by making the candidate less dependent on corporate fatcats and less beholden to them once in office. So I see it both ways. But I am still a little disappointed in Obama for declining public funding.

[KittyWampus]

33. millions of donors giving $100 IS PUBLIC FINANCING! What Obama is doing embodies the very spirit

of Public Financing.

[democrattotheend]

48. To some degree, yes

But I worry about the impact on the system for the future. I even hesitated before checking the box this year on my taxes, wondering if I was essentially contributing to John McCain. And I believe strongly in the public financing system.

[GOTV]

69. What would it cost if we ...

... just said if you accept public financing we'll match the highest privately financed opponent (who polls over some limit) but at least some reasonable fixed amount.

What would be the point of taking private donations if it won't give you a financial advantage? Wouldn't everyone accept public financing and they would all be limited to the smaller reasonable fixed amount.

I guess there'd still be 527s

[PoliticalAmazon]

86. Absolutely correct. n/t

[woolldog]

76. Even if it costs him the election?

I read somewhere that Kerry said public financing cost him the election.

[NJSecularist]

93. Kerry and his advisors choosing public financing did indeed cost him the election. n/t

[Bullet1987]

5. Isn't Obama mostly funded by the public anyway? I don't understand what the problem is

[AnarchoFreeThinker]

6. can't you wait to shill for McCain until after PA?

[bluestateguy]

7. I'd rather he take the heat for breaking the promise than tie his hands

The 527's that are gearing up to smear him have made no such pledge, and he needs unlimited money if he is to fight back. Better that he take the heat for breaking a campaign promise and the issue will go away in a few days, than to shackle himself to outdated spending limits that compromise his ability to respond to attacks.

[backscatter712]

8. This is important how?

He's being funded mostly by small donations (in other words, US!) so I'd rather see him not take public financing so he's not hamstrung by limits on those donations.

[Name removed]

9. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[carlotta]

13. Oh yeah?

Senator Barack Obama: "Senator John McCain has already pledged to accept this fundraising pledge. If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

[Ian David]

16. "aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed...

What part of that did you read as "I promise to accept public fundraising no matter what"???

"Pursue an agreement"

Nice try.

That was as clumsy as it was stupid.

[BzaDem]

20. He's not even trying to pursue an agreement!

He's trying to justify not pursuing an agreement. That image really applies to you a lot more than it does to the OP. Even some Obama supporters here realize that.

[berni_mccoy]

27. Now you're just making shit up. Good luck with that.

[BzaDem]

34. Hello mouth, insert foot.

http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalpunch/2008/04/obama-prepares.html

In case you can't read, here is the title:

"Obama Prepares Argument to Discard Public-Financing Principle."

He is not trying to pursue an agreement. He is trying to justify not pursuing an agreement. Pursuing an agreement would be meeting with McCain and working out an agreement.

[berni_mccoy]

57. Ah yes, quoting a shitty OpEd piece as fact: sounds like you.

[KittyWampus]

39. #1.He hasn't actually GOTTEN THE NOMINATION YET. #2. McCain will NEVER control 527's

so no agreement could ever be reached or held to. Because Freedom Watch, the GOP 527 headed by Ari Fleischer, will be flinging millions of dollars and mud into the ring.

Oh, and right now, Obama is busy dealing with the Primary and not McCain because Hillary is an ego-maniacal loser who won't get out of the race.

[polichick]

10. "Another" broken promise??

Maybe you could list the promises Obama has broken.

[Life Long Dem]

11. McSame is the same. It's not the time to promote McSame.

McSame is the same. It's not the time to promote McSame. You have a choice. Make it. :shrug:

[endarkenment]

12. Unlike McCain, Obama has never been in public financing.

He said he would consider it and discuss it with McCain. Consider this: McCain is right now willfully breaking the campaign finance laws. Obama cannot cripple his campaign by agreeing to any limitations on spending as McCain has already demonstrated that he will ignore the restrictions.

[DefenseLawyer]

14. I guess you would prefer that he get screwed by McCain

The republicans (and you obviously) would love to goad Obama into making a definitive statement about public funding (which he has not done, contrary to your assertion) and then opt out themselves and leave him in the fundraising dust. Fortunately Obama knows what he is doing. He has said he prefers public funding and would do it if McCain did it. But he hasn't said he would do so unilaterally. Typical Halpern spin.

[BigDDem]

15. Warning to Team Barry, tighten the blinders...

“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?”

Obama replied “Yes.”


but, but, but....
what he really meant was....

[redqueen]

24. See the thing is though I'm not nearly so worried by his apparently

changing his mind on this...

as I am about Clinton's decision to believe the lies about Iraq having ties to Al Qaeda, and repeating the lies in her speech about her decision to vote for the IWR.

Not to mention her decision to go around on talk shows parroting the white house lies about Iraq 10 months AFTER the war had started.

See, that's the sort of thing that I think one might need blinders to ignore.

Obama's decision not to tie his own hands... that makes sense.

The decision to spread the White House's lies about Iraq... eh... I dunno about that one.

[BigDDem]

35. Oh, I understand. When Hillary lies it's earth shattering

when Barry "changes his mind" it's all good!
I'm very clear that the flock views him as flawless.

:rofl:

[redqueen]

38. Well... I thought you were familiar with politics... but... well... I got bad news for ya.

Politicians are shifty with the truth. I hope you're not too shocked... if you need to lie down, I understand.

The difference though, see... is in how they do it, and *why*.

Good luck! :hi:

[BigDDem]

50. I'm with ya, I understand.

I understand all politicians (and human beings) lie.
The difference is that Barry's lies are "changes his mind" type of lies.
Gotcha!

Barry traces his "very existence" to the generosity of the Kennedy family.
but, but, but....
what he meant was...

(nice try!)

[redqueen]

52. Nice try?

I gave up trying after you brushed aside Clinton's aligning herself with Bush's lies about Iraq, in favor of poiting out nonsense about "Barry".

If that won't get through to you, nothing will.

Like I said... good luck. :hi:

[BigDDem]

100. Honey, I get it....his lies don't matter, only Hillary's

[GOTV]

68. You don't understand if you're whining about the Kennedy "lie"... pathetic bumber sticker reasoning

Could you find something more trivial?

[BigDDem]

103. Oh, so the Kennedy money thing was the truth in your version

of reality?

Sounds about right.

[GOTV]

105. It is irrelevant. There are bigger issues but you want squabbling over trivialities

I don't care about the Kennedy thing.

[BigDDem]

106. Thanks. You've proved my point I've made over and over

Barry's lies don't matter. Period.
I get it.
Your blinders are secure.

[GOTV]

107. You need to look up "prove". My preference for substance proves nothing about "Barry"

This capacity to jump to false conclusions won't serve you well.

[BigDDem]

108. Thanks for the laugh!

[PoliticalAmazon]

87. No person is flawless. AND I would be pissed if my ability to donate to....

...my candidate was stopped because of a "nonpromise" made.

He did not say he would accept public financing. He did not say he would not accept rank-and-filer donations.

[PoliticalAmazon]

88. All this talking about donations makes me want to donate to Obama again. n/t

[KittyWampus]

41. Gee, you didn't bother posting Obama's ACTUAL QUOTE, thus you are lying.

[GOTV]

64. I don't care what he meant - I want him to adequately fund his campaign. End of story.

If it's a lie, it's a lie. If it's a change of heart based on new information, all the better.

I don't want him to tie his hands.

How about you?

[illumn8d]

73. but, but, but

McCain isn't going to forgo public funding...

[Cronus Protagonist]

79. This is no big deal, but for sure, the blinders are fast and tight

Who cares what he wants. He's not breaking the law.

[dansolo]

102. Do you have a reading comprehension problem?

Which part of "and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding" do you not understand?

[thereismore]

19. Yeah. "Truly important issues." Like the IWR or Kyle-Lieberman. Yeah. nt

[Barack_America]

21. Isn't this what McCain supporters were all up in arms about?

Interesting.

[SoCalDem]

22. He said ...If he was the candidate, he would confer with the opposing side

and would consider public financing..

He does not NEED to DO it.. They'll confer, and he'll decide not to.. why SHOULD he?

The 527 thing makes ANY financing system moot anyway..

Mccain knows that he personally won't raise much money (he can't anyway)..but the republican slime machine will crank out all the negative stuff they can think of..at NO cost to him or his campaign..

[BigDDem]

31. Don't look!

"If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."


but, but, but...
:rofl:

[endarkenment]

60. But McCain is breaking the law right now.

Why on earth would Obama agree to any restrictions with this idiot?

[DearAbby]

78. Exactly who's side are you on?

I will aggressively pursue an agreement << is not an agreement made.

why do you want to tie Obama's hands against McCain, exactly who's side are you on?

[Pisces]

23. He is publicly funded by us.

[mckeown1128]

30. Smartest thing I have heard all week. nt

[uponit7771]

25. He said he'd talk about it not just do it...McSame wants public funding because he's broke and

...no one likes his opportunistic ass.

[kwenu]

28. Why would you handicap your funding assuming you are trying to get elected?

[BzaDem]

37. Because the entire point of public financing is for both sides to be on an equal playing field.

You can argue that they really aren't on an equal playing field (with 527s, etc).

But if everyone just said "I'm not going to handicap myself," then the leader in fundraising will never accept it. It will just be another game.

[kwenu]

51. Then pass a law that says public financing is mandatory. Otherwise, it's silly. This is a contest.

That means a winner and a loser. Your supposed to try to win. You don't win by competing badly. If we don't like the rules we can change them as long as its not in the middle of the competition.

[GOTV]

65. Or make PF scale to the largest non-PF'd candidate. THen there'd be NO reason to not accept PFing

[endarkenment]

70. Fine - but it doesn't do that so it is bork'd.

As you point out 527s now work entirely outside of the established system. As you don't point out, the media operates as a functional part of the republican campaign system. The current system of public financing does not create anything like an equal playing field. Until it does we would be idiots to agree to use it.

Do you want our candidate to win the GE or not?

[PoliticalAmazon]

89. Pass a law that limits all contributions to $100. There you go, public funding. n/t

[UALRBSofL]

36. Thanks for the post

I remember that. I'll send it to the MSM as a refresher so they can dust off the old film of Obama stating that. :)

[Skwmom]

40. He'll need money to fight the media attacks and spin.

Public finance is a MOOT issue until the media consolidation is undone and the fairness doctrine is once more.

[redqueen]

42. Hmmm... the Fairness Doctrine... I remember our last Dem president

promised he'd get that back for us.

Remember? Back when we had a Dem congress and President? I wonder whatever happened with that...

[Unsane]

43. Wrong

[Milo_Bloom]

44. How can he break a promise he didn't make?

[redqueen]

45. We can call everything a promise now!

Hillary PROMISED she never supported NAFTA!

Weeeeeeeeeeee!

:crazy:

[UALRBSofL]

47. Give me a wink and a nod on that one

Would ya so I know when your just making a joke. :)

[redqueen]

49. *snort*

Were the "Weeeeeeeeeeeeee!" and the crazy eyes not enough? :P

Here ya go, just for you: ;)

:hi:

[Milo_Bloom]

54. Where did he make this "promise"?

[redqueen]

59. Nowhere.

Surprised?

[BigDDem]

53. Tighten the blinders!!!!!!!!!!

"If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election."

[Milo_Bloom]

55. Hmm, and you read that as a promise to do it?

Wow, talk about blinders.

[BigDDem]

58. It's clearly a lie.

I realize that with the obsessed there can be no wrong done by
the savior.
That statement was just a joke or sarcasm, right?

:rofl:
:rofl:
:rofl:

[Milo_Bloom]

94. No, it was a statement.

And nothing in that statement could be construed as a promise to opt out of funding... that is, unless of course you have the need to streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch the truth.

[JayFredMuggs]

46. That dog don't hunt! And we know it!

This is just a thread started by another sad and sorry Clinton supporter, or maybe a McCain supporter, who wants to throw more mud (or is that some other brown stuff) at the most likely Dem candidate, just because that candidate wants to use a legal means to win.

Hillary supporters, try to grin and bear it, your candidate has made a mess of a campaign, and the majority of Dem voters in all states combined have voted for Obama more than her by hundreds of thousands of votes, even counting Mich where Obama wasn't on the ballot.

[BigDDem]

56. Only Hillary's lies count

Barry's lies are just sooooooo adorable, that 'lil scamp!

:eyes:

[endarkenment]

61. There is no lie there.

[PoliticalAmazon]

90. Put your feet together, darlin'. We only have one nail. n/t

[Terran]

62. Unfortunately...

it takes a lot of money to win a presidential race. If Obama's making more money through small donations from the public *as well as* corporate funding, then so be it. I would prefer that he win instead of McCain, and I don't see a "promise" being broken here.

[GOTV]

63. On this issue I don't care what he said in the past...

... I want him to show the good sense and judgment we'd expect from a President and make the correct decision now about how to best fund his campaign.

Last thing we need is another stay-the-course, there-is-no-plan-B president.

[BigDDem]

91. "I don't care what he said in the past"

Join the club, all his lies are non-issues around this joint.
But Hillary? Different story.

[knixphan]

66. Let's give even more!

This is one time we will not handicap ourselves because of repug intimidation.

Donate, donate, donate!

[RamboLiberal]

71. Thom Hartmann just made a good point

Obama is taking public financing. We the public will finance his campaign via our contributions. And if that is what it takes to beat McCain - then fine and dandy!

[intaglio]

74. Going back over old ground again

This is at least 4 weeks old and has been answered numerous times. go away and mess up another board

[stillcool]

75. Another bait and switch job...

[Buzz Clik]

77. Not this shit again. Is it 2007 still?

[superkia]

80. I dont think its a good idea to try publicly finaced campaigns...

at a time when the economy is about to crash and people will be lucky to eat and have a roof over their heads. If we do it that way now, only the wealthy that can afford to donate money when everything goes in the shitter, will be able to control the election.

Now do we really want the country's future decided by the wealthy, it hasn't been working out so well because they haven't been looking out for the average citizen.


As for Obama, I would need to know what his reasons were for changing his mind if he has done so. If he actually sees the point that I have made and realizes what could take place...good job by him but I don't have the details to answer the question.

[goletian]

81. why should he keep a promise when mccain would not return the favor?

the usa does not negotiate with terrorists, and obama does not appease flakes.

[blogslut]

82. Thanks for the reminder

I just donated to Barack Obama again. Direct money from individuals. Public financing straight from the public. People Power!

[Vinca]

83. Assume for a moment Obama is the nominee whether you like it or not.

He has raked in record breaking amounts of money during the primaries and will be able to continue through a general election. So there's a choice - McCain, who is apparently opting out of public funding, or Obama. A Republican in the White House or a Democrat. Do you want Obama to be outspent by John McCain? If you think about it, Obama's 2 million small donors are what "public" funding should be in the first place. The original intent of "public" funding was to take the corporate donors out of the picture. I think Obama left himself wiggle room on this issue, but even if he didn't, I want him to have all the money he needs to win over McCain.

[NJSecularist]

96. It's pretty clear who the Hillbots are rooting for. It's Hillary or McCain. n/t

[kdpeters]

92. Yep. That's a reneg. No two ways about it.

I will say this, however. Raising lots of money from millions of small doners IS public financing to me. It's very consistent with the principles that the legislation was intended to address and is a direct reflection of the voice of the people. If the legislation for public financing doesn't have any provisions for small personal contributions to be included, I think it should. But at this point in time, it's backtracking on a promise, you're right about that.

[pointsoflight]

97. Are you a dem? Why would you want him to use public funding?

He would have a very large money advantage over McCain. Why would any dem want to criticism him for shunning public funding? We need new campaign finance laws, which Obama strongly supports, but you'd be an idiot if you didn't use any advantage you have under the current rules.

[VotesForWomen]

98. ahh, the excuse fly, don't they... nt

[lastliberalintexas]

101. First, if he is our nominee, I would want him to be able

to spend any amount necessary to win.

Second, the book bag thing is stupid.

Third, I'm uncommitted but answered anyway. :)

[Political Heretic]

104. That's in everyones best interest.