Barack Obama had once promised to run for president in the public financing system, the Watergate-era attempt at reform that which would limit the amounts he could raise and spend. He's been hinting for months that he'd break his promise, and today he did. Obama is a politician -- it's not the first time he's flip-flopped or changed his story (remember the flag pin explanations?...I liked the first version better) and it won't be the last. Despite what the commenters here like to say, Obama isn't running for Messiah, he's a politician running for president against another politician named John McCain. Vote accordingly.
His big mistake wasn't now but making a dumb promise last year. Even Obama didn't realize in 2007 he could do two things at once -- stop taking most lobbyist donations and yet raise a ton of money from energized normal citizens. Ironically, it took some free-market economics -- as practiced by a liberal Democrat -- to create campaign financing in America that actually works.
Posted by Will Bunch @ 10:36 AM
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23 comments
This is just the beginning of broken campaign promises. The people who are naive enough to believe that they aren't the ones who are going to pay more taxes, more for fuel, more for food, more for everything if this man is elected than they get what they deserve. Let's just hope we don't all get that. This man has made an art out of promising something for everyone so he can get elected. Please wake up.
Obama recently declared he would institute a middle class tax cut.
For the record, the biggest campaign promise by Bill Clinton in 1989 was also the middle class tax cut. After inauguration, it took Slick Willie less than 1 month to declare he couldn't do the tax cut. Blamed it on "the situation was far worse than I was led to believe." Uh-huh.
jwad56, What do you think you will get if we get McBush? Less services, less support for education, more spoil eviroment, more war, more death, more poeple in prison. Whinning and complaining clueless conserveatives, always whinning about paying their fair share, then complaining about why they are not getting that sweet contract.
It only took 3 sentences from Will The Shill to produce the typical DemocRat defense when they get caught - it's the "well, they all do it" defense. ("...he's a politician running for president against another politician"). Point out any wrongdoing, hypocrisy, etc. about a Democrat, and they'll defend, defend, defend, and when it becomes indefensible, you'll invariably get "well, they all do it" and they slither away... Tsk, tsk, tsk. I guess now all the Obamassiah has to do is apologize and all will be peachy. That's the other thing Democrats love... apologies.
Ahhh, I love whiny despondency in evidence from the right on this. Every time you hear a wingnut complain about these terrible "broken promises" make sure you hear what's really being said: "A Democrat has more campaign cash than the Republican? That's not FAIR!! Waaaah!"
Will I realize you're going to make some token anti-Obama posts to try and create the appearance of objectivity.. but could you at least do it on real issues? Obama only promised to accept public funds in the context of the GOP nominee also accepting public funds and an agreement between the two camps. The Obama campaign claims that no such agreement could be reached and that McCain is already spending his private donations, which would make him ineligible for public funding.
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not that ironic - we all know that Democrats are far more likely to be closer PURE freemarketers than the Republicans, no matter what "they" want you to believe.
Doesn't Obama support campaign finance reform, which is McCain's baby, and getting the money out of politics? So when he has the chance to keep some the money out of his politics, he balks, citing a "broken" system. Now McCain is saying since Obama is not taking the federal funds, he may not either. McCain's name is on the campaign finance reform bill for crying out loud! Now I think they should be able to spend whatever they want, and the campaign finance reform bill is a direct violation of the Constitution, but again it's say one thing, do another. Will's got this one right. Obama and McCain are politicians first and foremost. If you think somebody like Obama is above politics or partisanship, and is going to save the world your being naive at best.
We're going to see more flip-flopping from both sides between now and November than the kitchen at a pancake house.
Will- you better stock up on vallium if you are going to react to every time these giys re-think a previous position.
"Despite what the commenters here like to say, Obama isn't running for Messiah, he's a politician running for president against another politician named John McCain."
Well, I'm certainly glad that Messiah thing got cleared up.
Ironically, it took some free-market economics -- as practiced by a liberal Democrat -- to create campaign financing in America that actually works.....Dont tell Maxine Waters about free-market economics......"en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maxine_Waters" In May 2008, Waters told Shell Oil President John Hofmeister at the House Judiciary Committee's Task Force on Competition Policy and Antitrust Laws, that if he didn't guarantee reduced gasoline prices if Congress let the oil industry drill where it wanted, she would be in favor of the government nationalizing American petroleum companies. Hugo Chavez and American liberals, perfect together!
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And John McCain will admit he was a memeber of the John Birch Society back in the 60's. Anything to energize that base.
Re E. Plebnista at 1:42 PM: Nearly all Democrats are to the right of Maxine Waters--far to the right of her when it comes to nationalization (which you will recall is actual socialism, not the ersatz socialism that right-wingers try to pin on Democrats).
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Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
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