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Obama: On second thought, cash will be fine

You can’t blame him. In the race for money, he’s beating McCain like a teenage girl. But Obama’s apparent decision to forgo public financing is a broken promise, and a reminder that hope can be not only audacious, but also misplaced.

McCain will accept public financing. (How else could he get $85 million?) This gives rise to a fascinating juxtaposition. The Democratic candidate, a full-on liberal, will support his campaign by relying on the market. The Republican candidate, a putative conservative, will support his campaign by relying on the state.