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McCain Criticizes Obama on Public Financing

Senator McCain is stepping up his criticism of Mr. Obama for backing off a commitment to public financing in the general election, deriding as "Washington doublespeak" the Democrat's plan to seek a condition-laden agreement with the likely Republican nominee. "I committed to public financing. He committed to public financing," Mr. McCain told reporters in Ohio yesterday. "It's not any more complicated than that. I'll keep my word, and I want him to keep his." Public financing would limit how much the candidates could spend in the election, and by participating in the program Mr. Obama could give away much of the fund-raising advantage he has built during the campaign.