A good sign, but not as strong as it could have been:

“The Supreme Court loosened restrictions Monday on corporate- and union-funded television ads that air close to elections, weakening a key provision of a landmark campaign finance law.

The court, split 5-4, upheld an appeals court ruling that an anti-abortion group should have been allowed to air ads during the final two months before the 2004 elections.

The case involved advertisements that Wisconsin Right to Life was prevented from broadcasting. The ads asked voters to contact the state’s two senators, Democrats Russ Feingold and Herb Kohl, and urge them not to filibuster President Bush’s judicial nominees.

Feingold, a co-author of the campaign finance law, was up for re-election in 2004.”

This is a victory for free speech, but the court didn’t go far enough in my opinion. The entire act should be repealed as it is an afront to the First Amendment – thus unconstitutional.

Still, this is a small victory for sure.

UPDATE: McCain’s take:

“ARLINGTON, VA – This afternoon, U.S. Senator John McCain issued the following statement regarding the Supreme Court’s decision in Wisconsin Right to Life v. Federal Election Commission:

“While I respect their decision in this matter, it is regrettable that a split Supreme Court has carved out a narrow exception by which some corporate and labor expenditures can be used to target a federal candidate in the days and weeks before an election.

“It is important to recognize, however, that the Court’s decision does not affect the principal provision of the Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act, which bans federal officeholders from soliciting soft money contributions for their parties to spend on their campaigns.

“I am grateful to the Bush Administration and all those lawmakers, both past and present, who have joined us in our efforts to put an end to the corruption bred by soft money. Fortunately, that central reform still stands as the law.”"

arrrrgg…..How long do we have to suffer this moron?