Complete video at: fora.tv

Thomas Mann addresses Barack Obama's decision to decline public funds for his campaign, arguing that the existence of Party Committees, PACs, and other independent groups essentially negate funding limits for any Presidential candidate.

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Thomas E. Mann discusses Financing American Elections: A Turning Point in 2008? as a part of Restoring Legitimacy to Our Election System during the 2008 Chautauqua Institution morning lecture series.

Thomas E. Mann is the W. Averell Harriman Chair and Senior Fellow in Governance Studies at The Brookings Institution. The author of numerous books on American government, and a contributor to major magazines and newspapers like Washington Post and New York Times, he is a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Mann has served as co-director (with Ornstein) of the Transition to Governing Project and senior counselor (with Ornstein) to the Continuity of Government Commission.