Republican and Conservative political analysis and commentary

Ryan Sager has a round-up of reaction from candidates, bureaucrats and bloggers to the Supreme Court's decision striking down a part of the odious McCain-Feingold "campaign finance reform" anti-free-speech law.

Mitt Romney: Boston, MA — Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the United States Supreme Court decision overturning a portion of the McCain-Feingold campaign finance law: "Score one for free speech. Today the Supreme Court reaffirmed the First Amendment by rejecting a key feature of McCain-Feingold. The law trampled the basic right of the American people to participate in their democracy. It also purported to reduce the influence of money in politics, but we now know that influence is greater than ever. McCain-Feingold was a poorly-crafted bill. Today's decision restores, in part, to the American people a right critical to their freedom of political participation and expression."

John McCain: 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...

Score one for Romney, who comes out unabashedly in favor of free speech, while McCain comes out still standing firmly in favor of government regulating political speech.

Update: From Redstate: "The Supreme Court has begun the condign process of relegating Senator McCain and Senator Feingold’s attempt to emulate the Chinese Government to well-deserved unconstitutionality. Two or three more 5-4 decisions like the most recent one in Federal Election Commission v. Wisconsin Right to Life, 06-969, and McCain v. Wisconsin Right to Life, 06-970, and the McCain-Feingold Act will be almost as relevant as the McCain Presidential Campaign."

Hah.