The Jealous Are Troublesome to Others, but a Torment to Themselves

Senator McCain reminded everyone that Barack Obama's television special was paid for by broken promises. Besides being a great demonstration of jealousy this is just another misleading statement aimed to make voters question whether Obama is the right choice.

Barack Obama filled out the Midwest Democracy Network questionnaire in September of 2007. This survey 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 answered "Yes." But he also elaborated that "My plan requires both major party candidates to agree on a fundraising truce."

Obama said he would stay in the federal public financing system if he did win the primary fight, as long as his GOP opponent did the same. McCain agreed immediately. The system gives candidates $85 million, funded by the $3 check-off fewer and fewer taxpayers choose to pay on IRS forms. But that's the only money candidates who take the funding can spend after the nominating conventions. They can't use campaign contributions from private donors.

Senator Obama wanted to not only keep the candidate's own campaign finances in accord with the agreement, but he insisted that the Democratic and Republican National Committees stay below the limit as well as privately funded 527s (famous for the John Kerry swift boat ads in 2004). This agreement was never reached; without that truce, Senator Obama walked away from the table and raised his own money.

During the primary season, Senator McCain took out a loan to save his flailing campaign. At the same time, he also declared himself eligible for a public-financing program that gives candidates matching funds, keyed to the level of their private fundraising, for primary campaigns. The Federal Election Commission (FEC) imposes strict spending caps in the process. McCain broke the law because he spent more than the $51 million the public match allows during the primary season. If the FEC would have had enough members for a quorum, McCain would not have been able to spend a penny on his campaign from the time he passed the threshold in February until after the Republican National Convention in September.

Both men used the system to their advantage and they both appear a little hypocritical. McCain's broken promises story lacks authenticity though because he would be doing the exact same thing if he were in Obama's shoes. You don't think he would have turned down the television slot right after Obama's ad, do you?