Barack Obama: A Man of His Word...

[hjmick]

Or not. The polititcian of change proves that he is just like any other politician. Willing to do or say anything for the sake of political expediency. Seems that his pledge to forgo private funding in the general election turned out to be as hollow as a chocolate Easter Bunny.

Barack Obama: Just another politician in an expensive yet hollow suit, speaking out of both sides of his mouth.

Obama to Break Promise, Opt Out of Public Financing for General Election
June 19, 2008 8:58 AM

In a web video to supporters -- "the people who built this movement from the bottom up" -- Sen. Barack Obama, D-Illinois, announced this morning that he will not enter into the public financing system, despite a previous pledge to do so.

"We've made the decision not to participate in the public financing system for the general election," Obama says in the video, blaming it on the need to combat Republicans, saying "we face opponents who’ve become masters at gaming this broken system. John McCain’s campaign and the Republican National Committee are fueled by contributions from Washington lobbyists and special interest PACs. And we’ve already seen that he’s not going to stop the smears and attacks from his allies running so-called 527 groups, who will spend millions and millions of dollars in unlimited donations."

In November 2007, Obama answered "Yes" to Common Cause when asked "If you are nominated for President in 2008 and your major opponents agree to forgo private funding in the general election campaign, will you participate in the presidential public financing system?"

Obama wrote: "In February 2007, I proposed a novel way to preserve the strength of the public financing system in the 2008 election. My plan requires both major party candidates to agree on a fundraising truce, return excess money from donors, and stay within the public financing system for the general election. My proposal followed announcements by some presidential candidates that they would forgo public financing so they could raise unlimited funds in the general election. The Federal Election Commission ruled the proposal legal, and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) has already pledged to accept this fundraising pledge. If I am the Democratic nominee, I will aggressively pursue an agreement with the Republican nominee to preserve a publicly financed general election..."

In April Obama seemed to be preparing an argument to opt out, as we noted at the time.

"We have created a parallel public financing system where the American people decide if they want to support a campaign they can get on the Internet and finance it, and they will have as much access and influence over the course and direction of our campaign that has traditionally been reserved for the wealthy and the powerful," Obama said at the time...

Obama said, "I’m asking you to try to do something that’s never been done before. Declare our independence from a broken system, and run the type of campaign that reflects the grassroots values that have already changed our politics and brought us this far."

Declaring independence from a "broken system" by breaking a promise. Obama hopes you'll care more about the former than the latter.

Complete article...

So much for the hope that there might finally be a change in the way candidates conduct a campaign. Maybe next time...

[red states rule]

Another promise broken

I guess it depends on what the meaning of hope and change is

[Yurt]

hey, he did say his motto is "change"

it doesn't matter what he does, his followers are so blind they will still elect him...people hate bush so bad, that mccain is going to have a tough time beating this pompous ass, not that mccain is anything great...