In 2003, Senator Byron Dorgan (D-ND) sponsored a resolution condemning the Federal Communications Commission's massive relaxation of its media ownership rules. It passed the Senate by a big but not overwhelming margin: 55 to 40. Thirty-eight Senate Republicans voted against the measure, including Republican John McCain.

But yesterday the Senate by voice vote overwhelmingly approved Dorgan's Joint Senate Resolution repudiating a far less sweeping FCC revision, one affecting only the agency's newspaper/TV cross-ownership rule that allows companies to own more of both types of media in a single market. Just two senators expressed opposition, Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isakson, both Republicans from Georgia.

What a difference a Presidential election makes.

The Senate resolution states: "Congress disapproves the rule submitted by the Federal Communications Commission relating to broadcast media ownership (Report and Order FCC 07-216), received by Congress on February 22, 2008, and such rule shall have no force or effect."

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