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McCain Returning General Election Checks, In Preparation For Public Finance
John McCain is now returning contributions totaling $3 million that were raised for the general election, in preparation for opting into the public finance system — a sign that he will not be attempting to privately raise the millions he would need to go up against the Democratic nominee, but which he has had trouble getting on his own.
Instead, the man known for campaign finance reform is asking his contributors to write checks to a new fund — a fund set up to help him pay legal fees and other expenses in his dealings with the public finance system.
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Does this mean ill stop getting stupid emails asking me to donate to him!!!!
April 4, 2008 9:44 AM | Reply | Permalink
"What Is He Hiding? McCain Delays Release Of Medical Records Again"
Uh oh. I am guessing McWar has the big c.
April 4, 2008 9:47 AM | Reply | Permalink
That's not a very nice thing to be saying about the man you're going to be voting for in November.
April 4, 2008 10:23 AM | Reply | Permalink
Does this mean McCain will be pressuring the Dem candidate to accept public fund restrictions too? Because if he goes up against the Obama fundraising jauggernaut, he's toast. Against Clinton, he has a better chance, since so many of her donors are maxed out.
In any case, it looks like the 527s will be a loophole large enough to drive a truck through.
April 4, 2008 10:04 AM | Reply | Permalink
DING DING DING... we have a winner. McCain will in now way be able to match the Obama fundraising machine and will be the first GOP candidate to not be able to outspend the Dems since Reagan. So the GOP will pivot on this, scream that Obama is a liar and flip-flopper on "public financing" etc. and try to attack Obama because he will have so much more to spend (even though it will be mostly from a multitude of small dollar donors, which IS reformed campaign finance).
April 4, 2008 3:08 PM | Reply | Permalink
**McCain has already proven, with his earlier bank loan secured by a fictitious agreement, that he cannot be trusted when it comes to campaign finance. Obama has an easy out. Just remind everyone of McCain's as yet unresolved FEC shenanigans
April 5, 2008 12:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
This is one flip-flop I think Obama has to make. And one that I would not fault him at all for (although I'm sure gotalife will, but who cares).
His fund-raising abilities are just far too superior to throw away.
April 4, 2008 10:13 AM | Reply | Permalink
His average donation is so small that he can't get slammed too hard for opting out.
April 4, 2008 10:30 AM | Reply | Permalink
What happened to the situation where McCain was supposed to have violated the Public Financing requirements, and was no longer eligible to get Fenderla funding?
April 4, 2008 10:15 AM | Reply | Permalink
Dunno gotalife - it may be the big a, or p-sd
(Alzheimer's or pre-senile dementia).
April 4, 2008 10:20 AM | Reply | Permalink
He didn't flip flop on public funding. Obama said he would have to agree on certain conditions before they would both opt in. I think it's a fair conditional because they have to worry about 527s.
April 4, 2008 10:21 AM | Reply | Permalink
So Mr Servicing America will forgo the hard work of raising campaign funds and instead opt into the campaign dole.
Campaign Welfare King, John McCain says: Get off my lawn!
April 4, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
hyperRevue - remember that Obama didn't promise to go with public funding. He promised, if he won the nomination, to "aggressively pursue an agreement" with the Republican nominee to use public funding.
Said agreement to cover a fair amount of ground, including 527 groups unaffiliated with the campaigns.
April 4, 2008 10:22 AM | Reply | Permalink
liam: Why do you think he's asking contributors to donate to a legal defense fund?
He knows that he has broken the law, so he's hiring table-pounders.
April 4, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
We'll call it the "Help pay for my exorbitant fines for my owned damned law during the primary" Fund.
April 4, 2008 10:24 AM | Reply | Permalink
"In any case, it looks like the 527s will be a loophole large enough to drive a truck through."
And that's what's so stupid about public financing.
Until it's fixed, I'd say Dems should opt out.
April 4, 2008 10:37 AM | Reply | Permalink
I don't know if the Dems should opt out, but Obama should definitely opt out.
April 4, 2008 11:25 AM | Reply | Permalink
Why?
April 4, 2008 3:10 PM | Reply | Permalink
Senator Obama should just ignore the entire subject as long as John McCain remains in legal Limbo.
Why should Senator Obama declare before he knows what his opponent will have to do.
There is no reason for Senator Obama to rush inot unilateral disarmament.
Let McCain keep the spotlight on his legal conflict.
It makes him look look like a double dealer.
April 4, 2008 11:54 AM | Reply | Permalink
how much does that mean mccain will have left to spend in the general?
April 4, 2008 12:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
Hold on - does this mean that Big Republican Money is not backing their nominee? Is that what we're to read into this?
McCain on Public Financing:
He was for it before he was against it. (And then for it again.)
April 4, 2008 5:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
BREAKING - gotalife revealed as a registered sex offender in Florida. Video of him disco-dancing in front of machine-gun toting police officers in full anti-terrorist regalia!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kUm5VVrncDs
April 5, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink