Comments on: Obama May Accept Public Financing Limits

By: Presidential election 2008 |Republicans Vs. Democrats » Obama May Accept Public Financing Limits

Thu, 21 Feb 2008 07:40:01 +0000

[...] Glenn Kessler and Jonathan Weisman wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptHammering Senator Barack Obama for a fourth straight day, Senator John McCain said here on Friday that he expects Senator Obama to abide by his pledge use public financing for his general election if Mr. McCain does so as well. … Read the rest of this great post here Posted by [...]

By: just me

just me — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 21:24:33 +0000

Yep, if he accepts the limits, this thing will be the year of 527's.

Actually limits or no limits, I suspect 527's will be playing a huge role.

By: jeff b

jeff b — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 18:30:42 +0000

The more McCain runs his yap on this topic, the more conservatives are reminded that they hate him because of campaign finance reform. So yap away, John McCain.

By: Sister Toldjah

Sister Toldjah — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 17:01:07 +0000

Michelle Obama: Barack is the only man who can “heal” this nation and “fix our souls”...

I just got done listening to the most disturbing speech of this campaign season, and it wasn’t given by any of the candidates, but by the wife of the Dem frontrunner for the nomination: Michelle Obama. It was given two weeks ago at UCLA. Captai...

By: Mark O

Mark O — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:55:23 +0000

Yeah, well, if Triumph is typical of those opposing the good senator from Illinois, then I don't think he's got much to worry about. Not much brain power behind those comments.

By: Triumph

Triumph — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:42:51 +0000

I anticipate that the sneaky Hussein will "agree" to spending limits with mcCain, but that his oil-baron Islamic backers will likely fund 527s that will run attack ads against Mccain.

Luckily, the American people will see through the Imamn's plans and reject their pawn, B. Hussein.

By: Mark O

Mark O — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 16:08:11 +0000

Cernig, There are a number of ways Obama could play this. But a problem I see with committing himself too early (and especially at this sensitive phase of the campaign) is that he doesn't want to be seen to be throwing away the Democrats' fundraising advantage in this unusual election year. Not something that would impress the superdelegates I expect. They want someone who can beat the Republicans, so why do a deal with McCain at this stage that could be construed as giving too much away? I know Clinton would pounce on it (which is, I suspect, what crat3 would like to see happen). McCain's just mischief-making at the moment, and Obama has to play this with a straight bat (as you say in cricket).

By: Cernig

Cernig — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 15:30:50 +0000

As a non-involved Leftie Brit, I find it interesting that people so readily accept the false meme that Obama has no actual policies. He has a 64 page PDF of them on his website and actually goes into a bit more detail than Clinton's website does about her very similiar plans. It appears that, having so little light between policy platforms, the Clinton campaign is trying to make her opponent's platform disappear by talking it away. (This, of course, is something conservative campaigners are just fine about helping with.) James, you're right that Obama should accept McCain's offer. It would put clear daylight between Clinton's "play to win" campaign and Obama's "it's about more than just winning - it's about how you win" rhetoric. But he should do so by one-upping McCain and pledging not to support or allow 527 attack ads favoring his campaign - and very publicly ask McCain to pledge likewise. That would either take away McCain's strongest election card or expose McCain as the pledge-breaker, which would in turn allow Obama to renege with honor. Regards, C

By: Mark O

Mark O — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:59:14 +0000

Obama is taking a sensible approach - after all, he's not the nominee yet. Why telegraph one's position to your opponent before you need to? It's a basic negotiating skill. Anyway, what's all this about Hillary being a "hands-on, decisive decision maker?" She hasn't exactly made many great decisions in this campaign, has she? Money troubles, bickering staff, an uncontrollable spouse, changing the focus of her campaign just about every week. Ready to lead from day one? What a joke!

By: Below The Beltway » Blog Archive » McCain Pushing Obama To Conspire To Take Your Money

Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:33:21 +0000

[...] the other hand, James Joyner argues that the ploy may not accomplish what McCain is aiming for: [I]f Obama is the nominee, he would enter the general election race as the favorite. It may well be [...]

By: crat3

crat3 — Sat, 16 Feb 2008 14:32:24 +0000

Obama is running on hope, inspiration, change, no substance, no specifics. So he says, “my folks will sit down and see if we can arrive at a common set of ground rules.” Is this how he would run his presidency - decisions by "my folks"? The answer is simply a yes or no to public campaign financing. Obama shows he is not a decisive decision maker and he would depend on "folks" to make his decisions because he got no substance. He would be another four years of Bush-style presidency. There is also rivalry and bad blood between McCain and Obama in the Senate, so Obama, the great uniter, ain't going face-to-face with McCain but delegating decision making to his "folks". In contrast, Hillary Clinton would be a hands-on, decisive decision maker, making change real in leading our country forward in a new direction.