Obama shuns public campaign funds

DEMOCRAT Barack Obama has said he will not take public financing, allowing him to raise unlimited private funds in his campaign for the US presidency.

Obama yesterday said he was forgoing more than $80 million in public financing for his White House campaign, leaving him free to tap unlimited private cash against John McCain.

“We’ve made the decision not to participate in the public-financing system for the general election,” Obama said in a video message to his supporters.