The one question I'm left with at the end of this article is, Why is there no Swift Boat equivalent among Democrats or pro-Democrat 527s? McClatchy's not really in a position to speculate on that, and the fact that it didn't speaks to the article's neutrality. Overall, very informative and fair.

in a good story from McClatchy's Steven Thomma point out using quotes and historical comparisons the lack of donations by big supporters to the 527 groups. He points out many reasons for this phenomena. This story is not trying to be opinionated it only lays out what is happening on the Republican side.

This a good omen for the coming election. Maybe, for the first time in a long time, we can have a race based on real issues rather than schoolyard taunts.

No active 527's yet. So far so good. However, there are ample negative email campaigns as noted in todays lead article on NewsTrust.

And one more thing the article didn't mention, rich GOP backers got that way by knowing when to play and when to fold. They know a loser when they see one, and they're not willing to play a losing hand.

The article indicates that while no large 527s have emerged yet to attack Obama, this could change since they have raised significantly more money than they did 4 years ago. They do not ask why these groups are raising so much money if they are not going to use it. What was odd in this article was the statement from a Republican strategist that he was not authorized to talk about Rove and another Republican said he was not authorized to speak about Pickens or Rove. What does that mean? Why wasn't there any follow up about this chain of command structure in the Republican party that no one wants to violate or question?

Though mentioning Democratic 527 groups, this is mainly a story about the lack of Republican 527 groups and the whys behind the fact. As such, it is a good, solid piece of journalism. It is importantly noted that because 527 groups can receive unlimited monies, they can spring up over night. This means follow-up stories will be necessary as the campaigns play out, for there are likely to be new developments on the 527 front.

The article sites unnamed Republican sources in explaining why no big right-wing 527s have started to attack Obama yet, but it misses the real point. Every indication is that Obama will win by a landslide, and donors don't want to waste their money on a losing effort. The article even suggests that Obama's decision not to accept federal financing for his election was not necessary, but it does not back up said statement.

It relies a bit much on anonymous sources and leaves some open questions (why do people care about the FEC if it is toothless?), but it was concise and informative.