Americans’ opinions are split on Barack Obama’s recent decision to opt out of public funding for his presidential campaign. A recent Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that 42% of adults believe his decision was smart, while 40% think it was hypocritical.

Not surprisingly, the survey found that the majority of Republicans (62%) believe Obama’s reversal was hypocritical, while just 17% thought it was smart. Among Democrats, 66% believe his decision was smart, while 23% found it to be hypocritical.

Unaffiliated voters are much more evenly divided on the question. While 39% found the decision to be hypocritical, 36% considered it to be smart. Another 25% were not sure.

Despite the media focus on Obama’s announcement, a separate Rasmussen poll found that it is unlikely to hurt Obama’s campaign. The survey found that just 30% of adults are in favor of public funding and only 16% consider it a Very Important voting issue. The only potential downside for Obama is that it might cause some reporters and media outlets to look at Obama in a new light. Voters tend to believe that friendly reporters are as important as campaign cash. They also believe that Obama has received the most help from the media so far.

Still, Obama’s decision to opt out of public financing generated much media controversy. In the months prior to this decision, Obama had stressed the importance of curbing the influence of money and special interest on campaigns, which is the primary argument for the system. However, Obama claims that the public financing system in place is “broken” and opponents have found ways of getting around the restrictions posed by this form of funding. Of course, this decision also means Obama’s campaign is allowed to raise its own funds and is no longer tied to spending limits.

The survey was conducted in partnership with Fox Television Stations, Inc.
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