Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Kuros]

Its hard to waffle when you have so few positions on the public stage. Those 'present' votes in the Illinois Senate make it difficult just to pin Obama down.
But there are moments where Obama has yet fallen back on previous commitments. I understand I am unlikely to change anyone's mind here, but that hasn't stopped others from expressing their views.

Here's one such instance. Mr Obama's Waffle.

[stillnotking]

Yep. It's a flip-flop, plain and simple, if he turns down public financing now that McCain has agreed to it. (He hasn't said he will, yet, and he isn't the nominee yet, so this is all hypothetical.)

Of course, he's be an absolute fool to take public financing. He is raising buckets of money; McCain is not. It would be unilateral disarmament. Obama did not anticipate his current, unprecedented wave of popular support when he made his commitment. If he doesn't opt out, I will have less reason to vote for him, because it would be so freakin' stupid. Who takes public financing is one of those "process issues" that only a tiny fraction of the electorate gives a crap about. Whatever hit he takes from opting out will be more than offset by his ability to outspend McCain at least 2:1.

However, the WaPo comment about "big bundlers" is nonsense -- 99% of Obama's contributions come from individual donors, most of them under $100. In fact, Obama may counter-offer some kind of deal where each candidate can only accept individual contributions of less than $150. It'd be a neat way to help defuse the issue, because McCain would never accept; he gets too much money from PACs and corporations.

[blaseblasphemener]

[Milwaukiedave]

I personally think it would be stupid for him to assume he is the nominee, therefore, until he does it's moot point. I also think it would be dumb of him opt in for public financing this early. As soon as he does, it severely limits fundraising. For McCain that's not much of an issue. The Republicans need the public financing unless they can massage the party base and start getting some money out of people.

I also think personally it was kind of stupid to start a thread with a similar topic, just because someone else did about Clinton. Clearly you've noted on that thread I've stayed neutral and only pointed out my personal experiences related to Oakland and its mayor. This is stooping to a new low.

[Kuros]

[agentX]

McCain, all of a sudden, is an expert on "waffling"? The Flip-Flop express dares to challenge "the Great One" to a public campaign financing event?

McCain has the Swift Boat vets smear groups on his side and the corporate media; that's why he's asking for this. If he gets Obama on a level playing field, he'll have the advantage because the smear groups raise their funds from the big business groups and he was 1 network (FOX) plus most of the radio on his side (unwittingly). So his motives are never altruistic.

If I were on his campaign, I would accept McCain's challenge; on November 6th. That way whatever tricks he got up his sleeve can be checked.

[Kuros]

[Ya-ta Boy]

Missing votes is not the big deal it is alleged to be--it comes up every election year. People in Congress simply find someone on the other side of an issue and both agree not to vote, thereby cancelling the effect. The end result is not changed.

[Justin Hale]

I'd worry about the energy policy too.

[mithridates]

Kind of a weird thread. Each remaining candidate has flipflopped on something - Obama on public funding (ooh, I'm not voting for him!), Hillary on the delegate issue (first she agreed Michigan and Florida should be stripped of their delegates, suddenly she wants them to count), McCain on just about everything (abortion, waterboarding, etc. etc.). So I guess I'm not that shocked by Obama's reluctance to take public funding. Let's not forget that he 'flip-flopped' on running for president in the first place. First he said he wasn't going to, then he changed his mind. He can make the same argument now as well, that he underestimated the amount of support he was going to get and it wouldn't be fair to his supporters to do anything to damage the chances of a successful campaign.

[Joo Rip Gwa Rhhee]

I think even many people who are not going to vote for Obama like him personally.

[mithridates]

[Kuros]

[brento1138]

Well, I think people over-rate flip-flopping. Personally, when I flip-flop, I am making educated decisions. I am calculating what is best for an ever-changing situation. Perhaps we need more flip-flopping.

[Kuros]