Obama and Campaign Finance

As an Obama supporter, I'm initially depressed to hear the candidate's decision to renounce a pledge to stick with public financing for his general campaign - especially since campaign finance reform is one thing that both (a) he supported and (b) I believe to be essential to renewing American confidence in the political system. While I won't dip into the same vitriol as New York Times columnist David Brooks, I find his response to be sadly compelling:

Fast Eddie Obama threw public financing under the truck. In so doing, he probably dealt a death-blow to the cause of campaign-finance reform. And the only thing that changed between Thursday and when he lauded the system is that Obama’s got more money now...

I have to admit, I’m ambivalent watching all this. On the one hand, Obama did sell out the primary cause of his professional life, all for a tiny political advantage. If he’ll sell that out, what won’t he sell out? On the other hand, global affairs ain’t beanbag. If we’re going to have a president who is going to go toe to toe with the likes of Vladimir Putin, maybe it is better that he should have a ruthlessly opportunist Fast Eddie Obama lurking inside.

Read the entire piece: The Two Obamas