McCain to Obama: I know you’re not going to break our deal by raising money for the general election, right?
posted at 5:13 pm on February 20, 2008 by Allahpundit
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Would the triumph of word over flesh lie?
Most of you ignored this post last week but it’s going to be Maverick’s first line of attack against The Lamb so catch up now. Nutshell: Obama kinda sorta promised early last year that he’d accept public funding for the general in lieu of going out and raising his own funds. Now that he’s got a money machine, his view of that pledge has become increasingly nuanced. McCain knows he’s going to weasel out of it but it’s an easy early way to knock his authenticity and alleged commitment to a new brand of politics.
Here’s the money quote from Obama’s USA Today op-ed that McCain references. What does this mean?
As USA TODAY has critically observed, outside groups have come to spend tens of millions of dollars “independently,” while the candidates they favor with these ads “wink and nod” at this activity. There is an even greater risk of this runaway, sham independent spending now that the Supreme Court has wrongly opened the door to more of it in a recent decision.
I propose a meaningful agreement in good faith that results in real spending limits. The candidates will have to commit to discouraging cheating by their supporters; to refusing fundraising help to outside groups; and to limiting their own parties to legal forms of involvement. And the agreement may have to address the amounts that Senator McCain, the presumptive nominee of his party, will spend for the general election while the Democratic primary contest continues.
Note: not refusing fundraising help from outside groups but refusing help to them. Which I take to mean 527s are encouraged to raise money and chip in so long as they do so without any formal assistance from the campaign. Limiting the DNC and RNC to “legal” fundraising isn’t much by way of concessions either. Exit question per last week’s post: This is option number 4, isn’t it?
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Republicans for public funding of campaigns. Wonderful. :/
lorien1973 on February 20, 2008 at 5:14 PM
Shouldn’t we reform campaign finance anyway?
MT on February 20, 2008 at 5:16 PM
Anything that puts a chink in the Obama armor.
NeoconNews.com on February 20, 2008 at 5:17 PM
Seems that conservatives and RINOs alike want to bargain from a position of weakness this election season. Conservatives want to fall in line, then feebly make demands to JMac (which will go ignored), and now our RINO candidate is begging the Messiah to show him mercy. No wonder we can’t get a damn thing accomplished.
doubleplusundead on February 20, 2008 at 5:21 PM
How does it feel to have a knife in your back, McAMNESTY !!!
stenwin77 on February 20, 2008 at 5:22 PM
It’s not going to do a single thing to Obama, it’s only going McCain look really really stupid.
stenwin77 on February 20, 2008 at 5:23 PM
This might work for the Maverick: pull Obama off of the cross and compare him to the lying crap weasel that most polticians are.
billy on February 20, 2008 at 5:23 PM
Oh, and that’s only the first one, I think McCain’s gonna be truly dumbstruck by how fast the big media outlets are gonna turn around and start trashing him once the Dem nominee is chosen.
doubleplusundead on February 20, 2008 at 5:24 PM
Of all the things to go after the O over this just doesn’t do it for me, and I seriously doubt anyone gives a flip. Maybe it’s because I think the whole concept of public financing is a bad idea.
Buy Danish on February 20, 2008 at 5:27 PM
You have to go after Obama carefully and judiciously. Death by a thousand cuts, if you will. Because the press hasn’t done the job, McCain will have to expose the weaknesses in Obama. And he can’t do it with one swing; it’ll have to be incremental.
That’s going to be tough. It’s like telling a room full of 8-year olds that there isn’t a Santa Claus.
Bit of a backlash will take place.
SteveMG on February 20, 2008 at 5:29 PM
Nah….Johnny Mac knows he can’t make it with just public funds and will have to accept private donations. This way O can’t throw another ‘flip-flop’ on him. Just covering his tracks.
Limerick on February 20, 2008 at 5:29 PM
You reap what you sow. He has stabbed enough people in the back ad it will be good to see him go down.
Barry-O can shellack McCain without the money.
All he has to do is continue his feel-good tour across the nation.
Valiant on February 20, 2008 at 5:33 PM
Here is what the Obama meant to say:
And how can we be sure the Obama actually wrote his own op-ed?
sleepy-beans on February 20, 2008 at 5:34 PM
If a Republican is dumb enough to trust in an agreement with a Democrat, the Republican deserves to get crushed. It’s like a Darwin Award.
Buddahpundit on February 20, 2008 at 5:34 PM
How stupid does it look for a republican whining about the other candidate NOT USING TAX DOLLARS for their campaign.
And Mrs. McCain looked ridiculous yesterday with her little “I am ALWAYS proud of my country” bit….looked extremely pathetic. This is the next first couple? Dont thinks so.
This is going to be comically weak….President Obama…get used to it.
Roger Waters on February 20, 2008 at 5:36 PM
McCain to Obama “Use your hope chest to fund your campaign.”
William Amos on February 20, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Agree.
And Mrs. McCain looked ridiculous yesterday with her little “I am ALWAYS proud of my country” bit….looked extremely pathetic.
Disagree.
Buy Danish on February 20, 2008 at 5:40 PM
We’re going to fight this election with public funding? Seriously?
amerpundit on February 20, 2008 at 5:40 PM
Doesnt anybody wonder WHERE all that money actually ends up????
Is it any wonder that a good portion of it is spent buying ads on the MAIN STREAM MEDIA……
The media that is totally in the Democrats pockets….
oh well.
Always Right on February 20, 2008 at 5:41 PM
Yeah, Bush and Kerry did, I believe.
Allahpundit on February 20, 2008 at 5:42 PM
It just gets worse and worse for the Repubs. The McCainiacs won the battle but I believe will lose the war. Come on, a 72 Year Old Grampa against young, good-looking man with 2 adorable little girls.
stenwin77 on February 20, 2008 at 5:42 PM
A process issue — and with us on the wrong side, no less: That’s what we got? Thrilling.
paul006 on February 20, 2008 at 5:43 PM
I can almost smell McCain’s bad breath in the clip.
Valiant on February 20, 2008 at 5:44 PM
Oh, ok.
amerpundit on February 20, 2008 at 5:46 PM
Fixed it.
stenwin77 on February 20, 2008 at 5:47 PM
lol.
That and “50 cents” will get you a cup of coffee.
MB4 on February 20, 2008 at 5:50 PM
stenwin77 on February 20, 2008 at 5:47 PMFixed it.
Buy Danish on February 20, 2008 at 6:06 PM
Obama signed a pledge. It’s just the sort of idealistic “new politics” thing he would do - when he thought it was in his interest. It’s getting BO some terrible press on CNN and in other outlets. It’s also no accident that the Hillaryites have tried to pick up on it - unfortunately, on this one as on so many other issues, she’s in no good position to exploit it.
If Barry O does give in, it’s a triple play for John McCain - erasure of $ disadvantage, tacit admission that his hedging to this point was wrong, and further proof that he can be pushed around. If BO doesn’t give in, then it’ll come up every time he tries to start talking up his good government bs. It underlines an attack on BO’s political character that’s completely fair game - because BO has made it so.
This argument and issue aren’t decisive by any means, but they’ve inflicted a small wound that won’t heal and that can lead to a low level infection of the type susceptible to flare-up at any time.
If the argument ever goes to a second level, say in and around a debate, McCain will be able to bring up how Obama - back when he was trolling for “bi-partisan” initiatives to join - promised to co-sponsor an anti-lobbying bill, then backed out. It was an event that McCain commemorated in a truly scathing open letter sent to BO at the time. You can probably find if you search around a little.
CK MacLeod on February 20, 2008 at 6:13 PM
So what if Obama uses his superior fundraising in the election? As much as I disagree with his policies, I defend people’s free speech rights to donate as they please.
MexicCain brought this on himself. His own campaign finance laws are now going to screw him over. Schadenfreude at its finest!
John McCain: Still an idiot.
HYTEAndy on February 20, 2008 at 6:16 PM
If this is how he intends to get started…
Second Look At Staying Home.
Was I actually going to vote for this idiot?
Dorvillian on February 20, 2008 at 6:28 PM
Juan’s pollos coming a casa to roost.
MB4 on February 20, 2008 at 6:30 PM
There will be no nominee from the Republican Party in this election.
Just Democrat Right and Democrat Left.
Enjoy making your choice.
EJDolbow on February 20, 2008 at 6:31 PM
Choice between being shot and hung.
MB4 on February 20, 2008 at 6:34 PM
Option 1: Obama reneges on deal and McCain looks stupid for being a “real conservative” who thinks public funding for elections is the only true way
Option 2: Obama keeps his promise giving him greater credibility as the “change” candidate and McCain looks stupid for setting him up with a stronger talking point.
pecan pie on February 20, 2008 at 6:46 PM
BTW, I haven’t heard John mention Hillary lately…looks like at least he’s decided she’s the Democrat’s Huck.
AUINSC on February 20, 2008 at 6:53 PM
Obama, the guy who packages himself as a new and improved kind of politician, is suspiciously like the old kind — you know, the ones who lie and betray their promises the first moment their opportunistic noses sniff a chance for self-advancement.
When he was running for his Senate seat in Illinois, Obama repeatedly promised the voters that he would not run for President during his first term.
From “Meet the Press” Jan. 22, 2006:
Russert: “When we talked back in November of ‘04 after your election, I said, ‘There’s been enormous speculation about your political future. Will you serve your six-year term as United States senator from Illinois?’ Obama: ‘Absolutely.’”
Obama: “I will serve out my full six-year term. You know, Tim, if you get asked enough, sooner or later you get weary and you start looking for new ways of saying things. But my thinking has not changed.”
Russert: “So you will not run for president or vice president in 2008?”
Obama: “I will not.”
Obama, the candidate you can trust.
Not.
AZCoyote on February 20, 2008 at 6:54 PM
P.S. - RedLasso is a terrible video source. It locks up and crashes my Firefox every time.
HYTEAndy on February 20, 2008 at 7:06 PM
Obama shouldn’t have much trouble making ends meet even with the handcuffs of public financing. He’ll be feeding the masses at his rallies with a few loaves and fish and turning water into Merlot at the fundraisers.
Sugar Land on February 20, 2008 at 7:10 PM
McCain/Feingold -> Dog bites Owner.
CliffHanger on February 20, 2008 at 7:39 PM
When Obama passes the collection plate…is that public money?
SouthernGent on February 20, 2008 at 7:42 PM
It sounds like McCain is afraid of Obama getting more money than him. If I were Obama I would take the matching funds and thumb my nose at McCain just to watch him squirm.
Rode Werk on February 20, 2008 at 7:58 PM
One think we should always remember is that McCain isn’t just a jerk to us, he’s a jerk period.
He snarks and attacks everyone equally, especially if they’re in his way.
Barack Obama is now in his way.
Seriously Barry O, you have maverick McCain and Hillry targeting you, you better fraking duck!
BKennedy on February 20, 2008 at 8:28 PM
I despise these posturing tyrants and the horse-race bvllsh1t surrounding their statements. Every stricture they advocate or place on spending on political speech violates men’s rights of speech, press, and peaceable assembly. Nor are they making money less influential by making it harder for candidates to obtain it. If caps on donations and spending were lifted altogether, money would scarcely any longer be an object for candidates for American political offices. In the American economy in which GDP is $14,000,000,000,000 ($14 trillion) annually, a Presidential candidate and his supporters, freed from the limits and complexities imposed by campaign-finance laws, could raise arbitrarily large sums. One can raise $1,000,000,000 ($1 billion) from small donations averaging just $3.33 per American or, very roughly, $10 per employed adult. Near the other extreme, one could raise $1 billion from 10,000 generous donors giving $100,000 per person, if donors could contribute freely. If Congresses, Presidents, and Courts had not taken away the Americans’ liberty, money would be far easier to obtain and, being easier to obtain, would be less precious and less influential.
It’s on grounds such as these that I declare I despise this horse-race bvllsh1t. Campaign finance “reform” is an artificial issue. Treating it seriously is a disgusting form of obedience to fake superiors; it’s slavish cooperation with your trashy masters. The Americans would do better to spend freely, speak freely, write freely, and in doing so, make plain by words and deeds that they will use any prudent means to defeat men who oppose their fellow citizens in the free exercise of their natural liberty.
Kralizec on February 20, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Will Obama keep his word?
Or just another promise, that will go unfulfilled?
Along with the promise of Sugar Coated Rainbows.
Chakra Hammer on February 20, 2008 at 11:09 PM
McCain expected a politician to keep his promise?
Is he that stupid?
Obama’s supporters will just laugh at Mac’s naivete and phony “outrage” and see it as the cheap posturing that it is.
You’d have to catch Barack in a crib with a crack whore before anybody in his Hallelujah Chorus noticed anything dubious about The
MessiahMahdi.And then they’d quickly accept his apology ["My wife and I were going through a rough patch after her 'I was never proud to be an American' comment...sob!!"] and get right back to winning the Oval Office, just as with Billy Jeff.
They want power more than perfect candidates.
McCain needs to stop throwing marshmallows and get to the grapeshot.
profitsbeard on February 21, 2008 at 12:13 AM