Thomas Daschle: “I think it is a sad commentary that anyone could actually subscribe to the proposition that freedom of speech is…”

“I think it is a sad commentary that anyone could actually subscribe to the proposition that freedom of speech is directly related to the freedom to spend. The freedom to spend actually blocks out the freedom of speech, because if we are spending more and that becomes in essence the cacophony of voices in a campaign, the real freedom of speech--that is, the substantive debate, the opportunity to conduct meaningful campaigns on the issues--is drowned out. So that in essence is what is happening. More and more money goes into 30-second attack ads, and less and less real speaking to the issues occurs. That in essence is the irony of this whole debate. That is the problem we are facing. We are reducing real freedom of speech with this unlimited freedom to spend.”