The presumptive Democratic Party presidential nominee, Barack Obama,has opted out of using public financing in his general electioncampaign - a move criticized by the campaign of his Republican rival.
Withthe decision announced Thursday, Obama will not take any public funds,but is free to privately raise as much money as he can for the generalelection campaign.
Candidates who take the $84 million in publicmoney cannot raise money from donors. Obama raised record amounts ofmoney during the primary election.
The campaign of thepresumptive Republican presidential candidate, John McCain, harshlycriticized the move, saying it shows that Obama is just "anothertypical politician who will do and say whatever is most expedient." The campaign faulted the Illinois senator for reversing a promise toparticipate in the public financing system.
In a statement,Obama said forgoing the public financing was not an easy decision, butthat the current public financing of presidential elections is"broken," saying opponents have become "masters at gaming this brokensystem."
Obama said McCain's campaign and the RepublicanNational Committee are fueled by contributions from Washingtonlobbyists and special interest political action committees, which haveno limit on the amount of money they can raise for advertisements notcontrolled by campaigns.