Barack Obama decided to opt out of public financing for the general election because he can raise three or four times more cash on his own.(The Week)(Brief article)

Barack Obama decided to opt out of public financing for the general election because he can raise three or four times more cash on his own. In true Obama fashion, he wrapped this self-interested, and entirely rational, decision in saccharine self-righteousness. He did it because nasty conservative 527s are about to come after him; actually, there is very little 527 activity on the right this year. He did it because the system is "broken"; actually, all its flaws were on vivid display back when he was pledging to participate in it and declaring its virtues. He did it because his campaign is fueled by small donations and so is "truly funded by the American people"; but he never noted the virtue of small donations as compared with taxpayer funding before his campaign got ...