Obama's decision to opt out of public financing

[descamisado]

@magellan01

I find it interesting, and entertaining, that most of the “defense” of BO is simply a tu quoque “yeah, but look at McCain”. I ask:

1. Who pledged that he would seek to have the election held with public financing?

2. Who went as far as to state that he would personally sit down with McCain to make such an agreement happen? But didn’t?

3)What person is stopping Barack Obama from adhering to his supposed high-minded principles and deciding to use public financing?

4. Which candidate is actually using public funding?

Answers: 1,2,3: Barck Obama; 4: not Barack Obama.

Can you provide a cite that, as you state in #2 (and a post or two back) where Obama states he would personally do such a thing; and, if you can’t, how a meeting between representatives for the two campaigns is wiped off the record?

Also, can you as explain, re #4, how McCain’s handwringing on this matter is not hypocritical and disingenuous? This, given the fact that, before any of the latest invovling Obama, McCain used the fact that he would be receiving public funds, meaning he was opting in, to secure a loan for his campaign and then when he secured the nomination tried to opt out?

Also, can you speak to why and how he was prevented from doing so by the FEC if he had not chosen to participate and, thereafter, illegally using the promise of future public financing to secure a loan, which is against FEC and bank rules and is only now using the fact that he’s participating against Obama because he has to participate?

Even in thread dedicated to Obama, why is it a to quoque argument to bring up the fact that, given McCain’s failures to participate in the public financing system with sincerity and law-abiding intentions or his unwillingness to pursue an agreement with Obama in good faith?

[Bosstone]

@Fish

He didn’t change his position — his position is “reduce the influence of moneyed special interests.”

Good eye. I think you’ve hit it here.

[Quartz]

Is raising $22M in May good or bad?

[Whack-a-Mole]

@John Mace

• I have been a long-time advocate for public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests. [Barack Obama]*

So, yeah, I think a lot of the “outrage” (such as it is) is about him changing his position.

Looks like Fish beat me to it but bears repeating as it jumped off the page when I read it.

Obama is sticking to his position here. His fund raising is almost devoid of special interest influence.

[ElvisL1ves]

Right, a *policy * can be reversed as long as the *position * is unchanged.

Whether that’s adaptability to changed circumstances or simple weaseling depends on one’s prior support for the candidate in question.