This weekend Clean Elections was the talk of the town. A variety of newspapers ran stories and opinion editorials articulating the importance of publicly financed elections. Doris Haddock, known as "Granny D" to most, published a striking piece on her efforts to push for the public financing of political campaigns. Noting that Clean Elections allows a more diverse group of individuals to run for office, and removes the influence of special interests, Haddock posits that now is the time for change.   "Throughout America, we must sell the story of what good things are happening in these reformed states. We must be a new Chautauqua, rolling like thunder through America's villages and cities, where the people thirst for a fair and just democracy. We must spread the gospel of public financing of elections, and also give hope to those people across our land who have nearly given up on the ideal of democracy in America. Our social justice values hang in the balance. Our idea of a strong middle class - which has been the rock under-girding our democracy - hangs in the balance. And so we had better all hang together, as Ben Franklin said, or we shall indeed hang separately."   Haddock's inspiring words urge her home state of New Hampshire, where the legislature created a study commission to consider public funding options for certain campaigns, to become another model of Clean Elections success.  New York is another state that has been making strides toward an overhaul of their campaign finance system. Stories popped up in the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle and Newsday discussing the need to remove the influence of big donors. Both articles touted the Clean Elections system, arguing that in such dire financial circumstances, the focus needs to be on the public good.   From Nathan Jaschik, vice president of Citzens for Better Government in New York: "...(W)e need clean elections through public financing. I'm afraid we're about to get a painful lesson in why we need it as the life-changing decisions mentioned above are more likely to be based on what is good for the big donors than the public good. And the financial crisis brings heavy hitters into play - the unions, insurance industry, banks, developers. Whose interest do you think will prevail as long as elections are financed the way they are?Reform is critical; we cannot afford to be hung out to twist in the wind."  Over in North Carolina, where judicial candidates and those vying for three Council of State races are able to apply for Clean Elections, we are witnessing what happens when big donors and special interest money is taken out of play.  "'I'm most excited about the fact that the role of the insurance industry in the insurance commissioner race has plummeted,' said Chase Foster, director of N.C. Voters for Clean Elections, which pushed for public funding of both the judicial and Council of State races."  North Carolina is doing a great job of leading by example.  We can only hope that New Hampshire, New York and the many other states working on the passage of Clean Elections laws can follow suit.