Bush and the Repubs have been saying this for days. It's ridiculous: independent groups have every right to say whatever they want, even the Swifties. But the Swifties' ad crosses a line that none of the others even approaches. Bush needed either to endorse or disavow this particular ad. Nice try, Shrub, but this dog won't hunt.
Indeed, the time is past for Bush to disavow the Swifties' ad anyway. As you said, the damage is already done, and Bush can't unring this bell. He will have to live with his tacit support of the Swift Boats ad for the duration of the campaign.
It shouldn't be framed in terms of free speech. Plenty of people don't really care about some groups right to free speech. It's really about Bush being against grassroots. No grassroots! Gigantic party donors only!
The turth comes out and Kerry and his sheep cry like little bitches. There is a special place in hell for his scum,
I don't see how this deal could even work, seeing as how the legal basis upon which 527s exist is that the political campaigns can't control what they do.
Not that I'd expect George Bush to keep his end of the bargain, either.
Before my evil liberal friends note that when the "turth comes out" it really really hurts, I'd like to say that Google finds fully 4780 instances of "turth" on the net. You can find it here, on a page about "Searhcing for Turth," and here, where we ponder "Time Travler - Turth or Hoax."
Thanks, NoKerry04, for an edumacation. And also for that other comment, since deleted, which was too vile even for someone who enjoys trolls as much as I do.