Candidates rejecting campaign finance reform? In 2000 and 2004 George W. Bush declined public funding -- and its accompanying restrictions on raising and spending money -- for the primaries, as did Howard Dean and John Kerry in 2004. In 2004 candidates accepting taxpayer funding were restricted to spending $45 million before the conventions. Bush and Kerry raised $269.6 million and $234.6 million, respectively, before the conventions. Any candidate who accepts public funding in the 2008 primaries will be considered second-tier. And almost certainly neither party's nominee will accept public funding for the fall campaign. . . .So will John McCain and Russ Feingold drop out of the campaign finance reform system in 2008? abudzar Related Posts Candidates rejecting campaign finance reform? 4/ 5 Oleh abudzar