Changing His Mind

Barack Obama, in the midst of breaking all fund-raising records, has gone back on a pledge he made a few short months ago and now says he will not accept federal funds for his campaign (and the accompanying restrictions on how much he can spend). The move likely puts his erstwhile Republican opponent, John McCain, in a bind, since he is one of the primary architects of the current campaign finance restrictions. To compete with his rock star opponent, McCain may also have to turn down the whole federal funding regime, which he may have been counting on because of Obama's earlier pledge.

But I don't view Obama's flip-flop as the usual political expediency. I prefer to see it as change we can believe in.