It apparently is little noted, but the "Campaign Reform Act" which limits(?) campaign donations, including sponsoring of media, contains a provision that no one may contradict anything that "the media says" during the final days before an election. Some of us believe that this is intended as a "gag rule" - and is a violation of free speech principles. The NRA, and several other groups thereby prevented from responding to potential campaign rhetoric did protest. They lost, because politicians on both sides supported the provision.

The argument for the provision was supposedly to prevent a lobbying organization from "blitzing" the media immediately before the election. The effect is that any candidate, or any "recognized broadcaster" can make any claim they want to in the last couple of weeks, and NO ONE WITH A CONTRARY OPINION - except perhaps another broadcaster - is ALLOWED to buy broadcast time to refute them.

"Only the Press is entitled to free speech?"

John