“Yes”

Guys, you are making this hard; claiming (now) that he didn’t agree to it IS.A.LIE … no real need to parse.

Was it stupid, sure; he could have simply said that he would look into that at the right time or some other feel-good HOPE! CHANGE! bullshit, but he chose to stand his ground and say yes to the question. Now of course we know that the question isn’t the question he knew before.

All I see is a conditional promise. If McCain is “in,” then Obama will join him. Or so he said.

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Maybe his secret “plan” (in contrast to his phony speech about how grand public financing of political campaigns is) was that McCain would reject public financing in the general election. Then they can both be breaking their word while setting up an array of poo-flinging options. “Never made a promise.” “He promised, I didn’t.” “He was first to opt-out, I’m just following suit.” “Can’t we just be friends and move on to something else?”

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The question that prompted the one word answer.

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I’ll say it again. I see this issue as a gotcha game where both sides have ammunition. Not that I mind, I rather enjoy a good political poo-flinging contest. Especially when it’s being done by the cream of the crop. It makes me feel guilt-free about doing the same thing myself.

Notice the level of his devotion to the principle of public election funding. His answer exudes some of his passion on the topic – it is a point of perceived superiority and elevation to foreswear non-public financing.

How does he get away with say “Ooops! Didn’t really mean “yes”"

Was he lying then about his passion and principled stance to gain some political points, or is he lying now? I don’t see how he can blithly “change his mind” on such a foundational issue as campaign financing since he thinks that non-public financing creates corruption…

OBAMA: Yes. I have been a long-time advocate for public financing of campaigns combined with free television and radio time as a way to reduce the influence of moneyed special interests. I introduced public financing legislation in the Illinois State Senate, and am the only 2008 candidate to have sponsored Senator Russ Feingold’s (D-WI) bill to reform the presidential public financing system. 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.

What a tool. Bill Clinton II