While the election comes down to the wire, and last-minute money
in the tens of millions remains a critical element in determining
who can get their message out and potentially squeeze out a victory
in many of the toss-up House and Senate races as well as gubernatorial
battles, a couple of major media outlets have decided that it’s
time to take a close look at one of the pioneering states where
something really different is happening: the Clean Elections state
of Arizona.

We thought you’d want to check out these stories for yourself:

Yesterday, "The News Hour with Jim Lehrer" aired a
segment on the AZ Clean Elections system. If you want to listen
to the story, which featured in-depth interviews with gubernatorial
candidates Janet Napolitano (D, and running “clean”),
Matt Salmon (R, and running with private financing) and Cecilia
Martinez, the director of the Arizona Clean Elections Institute,
go to: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/politics/july-dec02/arizona_10-30.html.

In addition, the Arizona Republic released a poll today showing
"64 percent of 600 likely voters thought that the Clean Elections
law is good for Arizona." Only 16 percent said they did not
think the law is good for the state. Twenty percent were unsure.

Friday morning, Public Campaign executive director Nick Nyhart
is slated to appear on the syndicated radio program "Marketplace,"
in a segment that also focuses on Arizona. The show generally
airs ten minutes before the hour during NPR’s “Morning
Edition.” For schedule information or to listen to the segment
on-line, go to http://www.marketplace.org.

Last but not least, Friday night the PBS program "NOW With
Bill Moyers" is airing a feature at 9 P.M. ET/PT on the status
of the Arizona Clean Elections system. This in-depth look at Arizona’s
innovative and far-reaching effort to transform the role of private
money in elections is part of a one-hour special broadcast on
the state of our democracy. On the eve of what could be the most
important mid-term election in decades, NOW with Bill Moyers will
grapple with the limits and potential of the current two-party
system through an in-depth examination of what's at stake for
America. Participants include Kevin Phillips (author of Wealth
and Democracy); Manning Marable (Columbia University), and Ruben
Navarette (Dallas Morning News), among others. For local broadcast
times, go to http://www.pbs.org/now/sched.html.