Kerry decides to mortgage his house (metaphorically, but also perhaps literally) and opt out of public financing. The key graf:

Kerry becomes the second Democratic presidential candidate to abandon the system, but unlike rival Howard Dean, he plans to keep his spending to the $45 million limit the program imposes for the primaries. He will not follow its state-by-state limits.

Translation: I will spend everything I can to bring down Howard Dean in New Hampshire, and I don't care if that means I won't have any money left over to try to combat George Bush in the spring and summer. Personal ego over party, principle, and country, baybee!!

They haven't even mentioned this over on the official Kerry weblog yet. That suggests they're not going to be looking to the grassroots for real support.