CNN: The dirty little secret of 2016 announcements

By Dana Bush, CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent, May 18, 2015, CNN

Washington (CNN)Republicans like Jeb Bush and Scott Walker are criss-crossing early primary states, doing TV interviews on their policy positions and meeting with campaign donors.

But they are not running for president. Not technically, anyway.

That's why when Jeb Bush accidentally said last week he was running, he quickly slipped in a correction - "if I run."

Of course he's running, but there's one overriding reason for Bush to be coy: money.

The dirty little secret of the 2016 campaign is that would-be candidates like Bush and Walker in particular can use super PACs, campaign accounts that allow unlimited contributions, to raise millions of dollars as long as they aren't official candidates. Until someone like Bush, Walker or New Jersey Gov. Christie formally declares for president, they are legally permitted to personally ask for money for a super PAC that will ultimately benefit their campaign. But once they formally acknowledge their candidacy, a legal wall goes up between the candidate and the super PAC that supports them.

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