To >Bleep< or not to >Bleep<

The DSCC has sent an attack ad against Sen. Conrad Burns (R-MT) to Montana that repeats some of the harsh words Sen. Burns used to describe forest fire fighters. However, the words he used ("piss-poor" and "God-damned") are prompting some broadcasters to reject the ad because of fears that the FCC will fine them for airing obscenities.

Here's the irony. If the media covers the controversy over this ad they will probably have to broadcast it in whole or in parts. That will increase its penetration into the electorate.

But it would be doubly ironic if news channels, when airing the ads as part of a story, decided to bleep out the "piss-poor" and "God-damned". If they don't, then they risk FCC action. If they do, then they make it sound even worse for Burns since people will fill in the blanks with potentially even worse words.

>Bleep< if they do. >Bleep< if they don't.