Moreover, this decision breaks a promise Obama made repeatedly to use public financing if his opponent in the general election would agree to do so as well.

So if his opponent in the general doesn't agree to use public financing, then Obama isn't breaking his promise, is he?

Every quote I've seen from Obama making his "promise" to use public financing seems stipulated on the condition that his opponent also use public financing. This makes his promise conditional.

Critics of Obama's move seem to think his "promise" was absolute. They view it as a lack of commitment to "ideals." The campaign finance system is not an "ideal;" it is a broken, mostly useless system whose sole purpose is to prevent candidate like Obama from prevailing in the general by limiting his funds, thus limiting access to media as well as travel, GOTV efforts, and rapid-response.

Had he committed to this system as "idealistic" Democrats insist, he would now be hobbled regarding his fundraising. He would be at a severe disadvantage with regard to advertising alone; he would have to lean heavily on 527s to get his message out, which would open him to charges of being influenced by "special interests" (as is already happening). He would be unable to reply to attacks from McCain and others; his air time would be limited to what sound-bites the media decided to run, and further limited by the time they devoted to McCain (and we all know how the media looooooves McCain).

Subjecting himself to the restrictions of public financing would seriously weaken and hamper Obama in the general. Such a suicidal commitment to broken ideals is the hallmark of the self-defeating Democrat. Thankfully it is not one of Obama's traits.

We may not like it, but it takes millions of dollars to run for President. Until we have (re)established regulations and laws which control the pricing of political advertising (which is now a pure-profit venture for broadcasters), or which guarantee equal time for all candidates, then any candidate dedicated to victory in the general has little choice but to forego the handcuffs of public financing.

Call it spin if you want - but this is one liberal Republican voting for Obama who is happy and impressed he made this stand.