A Senate bill to establish such a shield has broad bipartisan support, including from McCain's opponents in the presidential race, Sens. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) and Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.). The House passed a similar measure by a vote of 398-21 in October, and another conservative, Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.), a sponsor of that bill, has been an outspoken advocate.

"As a conservative who believes in limited government, I believe that the only check on government power in real time is a free and independent press," Pence explained to the same group of news executives. "The Free Flow of Information Act is not about protecting reporters. It's about protecting the public's right to know."