Commentary: Can Obama's money buy him love?

By Leslie Sanchez
CNN Contributor

(CNN) -- As a presidential candidate, Barack Obama has proven he's "better, stronger, faster" than any other Democrat in the race. He's the Six-Hundred Million Dollar Man.

Last week, he opted out of the national campaign finance regime and is banking on his fundraising track record to build a war chest unlike any this country has seen since Richard Nixon's in 1972.

As the late Sen. Everett McKinley Dirksen once said, "A billion here, a billion there -- pretty soon you're talking real money." But what can Obama and the Democrats do with all the money they expect to raise?

The post-Watergate campaign rules, one national consultant reminded me, tried to keep both candidates in the general election to the same general level of spending. These rules, written largely by Democrats, were supposed to keep the playing field level by keeping the competition about ideas and issues, not who had the most money.

Is Obama trying to buy the election? He threatens to outspend McCain by six -- perhaps eight --- to one. Now, rather than engage in a "Great Debate" about America's future, Obama is trying to win through tactics.

COMMENTARY....