In light of the intensemedia focus on Sen. Barack Obama's decision to forgo public financing inthe general election, many in the media have portrayed Sen. John McCain as acampaign finance hero. Equally troubling are reports that neglect to noteimportant information that paints a different picture of McCain. For example, USA Today reported today in a storyconcerning Obama's decision that a McCain spokesman said, "UnlikeBarack Obama, John McCain believes in keeping his word to the American people,and he will undergo public financing for the general election." But while the McCain campaign now says McCain will not optout of public financing because he is "keeping his word to the Americanpeople," McCain himself previously indicated that his decision overwhether to take public financing if Obama opted out would depend not on"keeping his word" but on whether it would be financially prudentto do so. Nor did USA Todaynote that while McCain has exceeded primary election spending limits under thepublic financing system -- after stating that he had opted out of the system --Federal Election Commission chairman David Mason has taken the positionthat McCain cannot legally opt out without FEC approval, after McCain signed anagreement last fall for a loan that The NewYork Times described as being "secured in part by the promiseof federal matching money."
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