PUBLISHED 6/26/08 ----

Barack Obama has tried to portray himself as the face of change, and Americans in growing numbers are paying attention.

His across-the-board appeal speaks to voters’ interest in moving away from politics as usual — from corporate influences, from omnipresent lobbyists, from big money in general.

But Obama took a big step backward earlier this month when he changed course on public campaign financing.

Before he demonstrated the ability to attract vast amounts of campaign cash, Obama was in favor of public financing. He was the little guy going up against the intimidating Republican machine, the everyman who would carry the day with ideas and leadership, not advertising blitzes.

How things change. Now that Obama is the unchallenged king of campaign donations, he has changed his tune.

And his decision not to accept public funds for his presidential campaign puts the entire public financing system at risk.

As even Sen. Joe Biden, an Obama supporter, said recently, it’s “going to be harder to make the case for public financing” in view of Obama’s decision.

Now that he can raise twice as much from donors as the government would have given him if he’d forswore private donations, he’s opting for the bigger bucks.

Almost 80 percent of Obama’s contributions are $100 or less, “so he’s keeping with the purpose of public financing,”' Biden said.

Obama had the chance to demonstrate that he is a different kind of politician, ready to place principles above cold political strategy. Instead, he has demonstrated that, like so many others before him, successful or failed, he’ll take the cash, thank you very much.

In May, Obama brought in about $21.9 million — his lowest total in several months. He raised $31 million in April, $40 million in March, and a record $55 million in February. His total to about $287 million, 21/2 times the nearly $110 million Sen. John McCain has raised.

Had Obama opted for public financing, he would have settled for the same $84.1 million in public money McCain is accepting.

But $287 million is a lot of money. Sadly, much of that money came from donors who gave money because Obama seemed like the sort of candidate who would act on principle.