Big Money

I've heard a lot of nasty comments from both sides over Barack Obama's decision to spurn public financing for his presidential campaign - the first presidential nominee to do so since the Watergate-inspired reforms of 1974 - but since nearly half of Obama's money is coming from small donors (much like the way Howard Dean funded his 2004 presidential bid), I don't think it will damage Obama's reputation as a new-style politician. After all, the Republicans will have some advantage with the right-wing independent "527 groups" (named after the section of campaign finance law that allows them to operate) smearing the Democratic candidate, and besides, this is a perfect way for Obama to force John McCain to defend more states normally considered safe for Republicans. If I sound cynical, that's because I don't expect much from efforts to reform the system anyway. Obama didn't so much go back on his word as realize that the system as it is is broken and, if he can avoid using a broken system to maximize his advantages, that's what he'll do.