Seriously, When Do I Get My $240,000?

Another government-propaganda story was unearthed this morning by USA Today.

Seeking to build support among black families for its education reform law, the Bush administration paid a prominent black pundit $240,000 to promote the law on his nationally syndicated television show and to urge other black journalists to do the same.

The campaign, part of an effort to promote No Child Left Behind (NCLB), required commentator Armstrong Williams "to regularly comment on NCLB during the course of his broadcasts," and to interview Education Secretary Rod Paige for TV and radio spots that aired during the show in 2004.

More on the arrangement, which USA Today discovered using Freedom of Information Act requests, here.

Comments

[Ruthless]

My government trying to boggle my mind boggles my mind.

[Brian]

I want to know what bloggers, if any, are gettin' paid. I have my own ideas.

No problem at all with the Bush election campaign paying its propagandists with its own money but jeez. This is a bit much.

[thoreau]

I'll gladly say "But Kerry would be much worse" for $240,000.

[Daniel Carver]

Brian, I'd say it's fairly certain bloggers are paid, in various ways. The price of most of 'em is probably a good free meal, so Bush overpaid for Armstrong, but that's what wealth does to them...
Daniel (not)

[gaius marius]

glenn reynolds

[Brian]

ding-ding gaius wins a bubblegum cigar

I dunno why else you'd go from ornery, independent, libertarianish gadfly to Republican hack. Read his stuff from 2001 if you don't believe me.

Could just be a gimmick to increase traffic I guess. Reliably partisan blogs are the most popular traffic-wise.

[Gary Gunnels]

This is a clear example of them forcing me to support speech I may or may not support. crimethink would argue that if the subject is important to you, well, then its alright; I disagree.

[James]

ding-ding gaius wins a bubblegum cigar

I dunno why else you'd go from ornery, independent, libertarianish gadfly to Republican hack. Read his stuff from 2001 if you don't believe me.

Could just be a gimmick to increase traffic I guess. Reliably partisan blogs are the most popular traffic-wise.

If this were the case this would be bigger than "RatherGate", but isn't more likely Glenn is just a 9/11 "ornery, independent, libertarianish gadfly".

[andy]

Thoreau:

"I'll gladly say "But Kerry would be much worse" for $240,000."

Let someone else say that. You're already rich, Mr. "I won Ben Stein's money" 😉

[Brian]

Post 9/11 . . . read the post 9/11 stuff.

The estimable Ken Layne provided some nice examples without the paranoid baseless accusations:

http://kenlayne.com/2004/08/terror-twilight.html

[Dan]

I dunno why else you'd go from ornery, independent, libertarianish gadfly to Republican hack. Read his stuff from 2001 if you don't believe me

That's the stupidest thing I've ever seen anyone say in the Reason forums.

Reynolds went from orney, independent, libertarianish gadfly to ornery, independent, libertarianish gadfly who vehemently supports the war on terrorism. This happened in mid-September of 2001. Can you remember anything important that happened in mid-September of 2001? Hint: it wasn't that a big check arrived in the mail from the Bush Administration.

[Isaac Bartram]

Dan Schorr on NPR this am complained (jokingly) that nobody ever offered him a quartermil for promoting any program.

My response to self was, "of course not you've always done it for free."

Another diff between dems and reps;

Republicans are high-priced whores while Democrats are just sluts. 🙂

[Les]

"Republicans are high-priced whores while Democrats are just sluts."

Oh, that's good, Isaac. Thank you for that.

[DnB]

I saw the commentator (? Williams) on the O'Reilly show. He said that he was open supporter of the program before the gov't showed up and pretty much looked at the $$$ as a windfall. If someone wants to give you money for something you already do, how much would you leave on the table? He also stated that his show "sometimes" noted that the spots were paid for by the gov't.

O'Reilly gave him coaching on such matters and he seeemed to "get it".

[thoreau]

Republicans are high-priced whores while Democrats are just sluts. 🙂

Republicans are also kinkier. While Democrats express indignation at beating people on leashes, Republicans think it's an excellent idea!