While I agree that Google’s behavior is blatantly partisan, that doesn’t excuse the continued misunderstanding of the First Amendment repeated in this Examiner editorial:

On its face, a policy that allows censorship of political speech critical of the trademark holder is a violation of the First Amendment. If Google maintains this policy, it will be handing a powerful tool for crushing dissent not only to political groups like MoveOn.org but to every corporation with a trademarked name.

Sorry, no. As I wrote not long ago:

Ahmadinejad had no First Amendment right to speak at Columbia, and he had no First Amendment right to not be criticized, either before, during or after his speech. And I have no First Amendment right to AT&T DSL service, or to not have it cut off if I express an opinion over its tubes. All that the First Amendment says is that “Congress shall make no law,” not “Columbia University will grant a podium and audience,” or “AT&T shall provide Internet service regardless of the behavior of the customer.”

It also doesn’t say that “Google shall not discriminate by political beliefs in which ads it chooses to run.”

Not that Google shouldn’t be criticized, and its hypocrisy pointed out on a daily basis, of course.