When Criticizing Obama is Outlawed, Only Outlaws will Criticize Obama
Obama's general counsel has sent letters to a bunch of television stations saying that an NRA ad against Obama is wrong (as determined by the Washington Post) so:
1) the stations aren't required to run it 2) they're liable for the content of the ads
The claim is based on a string of cases, all tangential to the matter at hand. The bottom line, though:
If you don't want to risk your broadcast license or fines, all you have to do is take down the ads our campaign doesn't like.
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Supporters of Obama in Missouri, meanwhile, are promising to use their full powers as prosecutor and sheriff to stop unfair speech against Obama. Since libel and slander are civil crimes, and since politicians running for office enjoy only the weakest protections against potentially defamatory speech, it's a little bit mysterious what they could actually do.
But, again, it's not about whether or not you have the right to disagree with Obama and express your disagreement. It's about making people just a little bit more nervous about speaking up because of the cost in time and money that might be required to defend your rights.
