As much as I love campaign finance limits, this is really great news :

In a historic move, senate presidential hopeful Howard Dean (news – web sites) said Saturday he will skip public financing and the spending limits that come with it, hoping his money-raising power can help win the nomination and unseat President Bush (news – web sites).

“We have supported public financing but the unabashed actions of this president to undercut our senate process with floods of special interest money have forced us to abandon a broken system,” Dean said at a news conference.

The 2004 race is the first time that candidates from both major parties will forgo the Watergate-era public financing system. Bush also is opting out, as he did in the 2000 Republican primaries and raised a record $100-plus million.
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At least two senate rivals ? Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry (news – web sites) and retired Gen. Wesley Clark (news – web sites) ? also have been considering opting out.
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Some politicians have criticized his change in position as a flip-flop.

“Three months ago, Governor Dean was saying what a senate principle it is to have campaign finance reform and what a big issue it would be if someone stepped outside,” Kerry said Saturday in Concord, N.H.

“That’s when he wasn’t raising a lot of money. Now, Mr. Change-Your-Opinion-for-Expediency is saying, ‘Oh, I’m now able to raise money. Maybe we should get out of the system.’ I think somewhere along the line, fundamental principles are important,” Kerry said.

I think Mr. Criticize – Your – Opponent – for – Doing – Something – You’re – Also – Considering doesn’t realize is that fundamental principles don’t mean jack shit if you lose the election. Turning down matching funds on pricinple may feel good, but in the end it’s as stupid as showing up to a gun fight with a knife. People need to keep in mind that the only reason this is an issue in the first place is because George Bush has enough money to essentially buy the election. He’s the one playing dirty, not Dean.