McCain said what?

Captain Ed, and others, have commented on Senator McCain's appearance last week with Don Imus, in which McCain made a very disturbing comment.

He [Michael Graham] also mentioned my abridgement of First Amendment rights, i.e. talking about campaign finance reform....I know that money corrupts....I would rather have a clean government than one where quote First Amendment rights are being respected, that has become corrupt. If I had my choice, I’d rather have the clean government.

I suppose it's noteworthy because he was willing to put it in such bald language. But, while it's a disturbing comment, it's not shocking or even surprising. Captain Ed says that "Senator McCain apparently has no love for the First Amendment, nor any understanding of why it occupies the primary position in the Bill of Rights."

He's right, of course, but the fact is, we already knew that. Only someone with those qualities could possibly have sponsored the piece of legislation that bears his name. Of the many things that President Bush has done to disappoint me - and there have been a great many - his signature on that piece of legislation, his willingness to pass the buck to the Supreme Court (and we can't let them off the hook for letting it stand) is near the top of the list. But McCain's comment didn't reveal anything that wasn't already patently obvious to anyone paying any attention. Everyone who's already upset with Senator McCain because of that law understands what his position is - everyone who isn't already upset won't care.


Technorati tags: McCain, Feingold, Imus, FirstAmendment