I want to see Kerry on the campaign trail, not on the phone raising money (that free media exposure is worth lots of $, by the way). Money will still be pouring in - to the DNC, the 527s, and the down-ticket races that need the money most - and all of this money will help bring people out for Kerry. The money doesn't need to go straight into Kerry's own coffers to bring out the vote for him. And besides, money isn't everything.
Kerry can show his support for public financing by accepting 75 million dollars in FREE money, freeing up 75 million dollars that can be raised for other democrats (Kerry can help raise it, too, can't he?). Bush, on the other hand, is spending money like (insert clever analogy or cliche here) - money that's not going to down-ticket Republicans. I believe that if Kerry can win this at all (and he can), he can win it with 75 million dollars. With public financing for Kerry, we can send more money to congressional candidates - we can have our cake and eat it too. A Kerry presidency will be much better for the country if we send lots of good Democrats to Washington with him.
Accepting public financing is a winning strategy - for Kerry, for the Democrats, and for America.