Alex Konetzki of Chicago Report posted this morning that he had recieved a mass mail from the Dean Campaign asking him to vote on whether should accept federal matching funds that would cap his campaign cash at $45 million. The natural question then was why would Dean put such a decision in the hands of his supporters? Of course Dean's public explanation is that "This is a campaign of the people, by the people and for the people." But there's a little more to it.

Dean has a record demanding that politicians accept matching funds and the cap that comes with them. To now deny matching funds would create fodder for a political feeding frenzy amid the Democratic contenders. So Dean conveniently gives himself an out by letting his "people" decide. This is a pretty good strategy especially since he can probably count on "the people" coming through for him.

To Dean's credit he addresses the apparent hypocrisy:

I have always been committed to public financing. But the federal matching funds law, though it was meant to provide an incentive for ordinary Americans to participate in the funding of our elections, is doing the opposite of what it intended. It could end up punishing a movement that has raised more from ordinary Americans than any campaign in history, while rewarding the campaign that has blatantly abused both the spirit and intent of campaign finance, selling off piece after piece of our country.

Other Sources: Newsmax