Say Anything Blog

This is despicable.

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.

Williams said Thursday he understands that critics could find the arrangement unethical, but "I wanted to do it because it's something I believe in."

The top Democrat on the House Education Committee, Rep. George Miller of California, called the contract "a very questionable use of taxpayers' money" that is "probably illegal." He said he will ask his Republican counterpart to join him in requesting an investigation.

The contract, detailed in documents obtained by USA TODAY through a Freedom of Information Act request, also shows that the Education Department, through the Ketchum public relations firm, arranged with Williams to use contacts with America's Black Forum, a group of black broadcast journalists, "to encourage the producers to periodically address" NCLB. He persuaded radio and TV personality Steve Harvey to invite Paige onto his show twice. Harvey's manager, Rushion McDonald, confirmed the appearances.

Williams said he does not recall disclosing the contract to audiences on the air but told colleagues about it when urging them to promote NCLB.

Regardless of your stance on the No Child Left Behind legislation you have to admit that paying critics or pundits to talk nice about it is beyond the pale. It's wrong and reprehensible. I said much the same when it came to light that the Kerry campaign had paid for Al Sharpton's support.

I'm embarrassed by the Bush administrations desire to advance their political agenda in this way but the greater sin, as far as I'm concerned, lays with Mr. Williams. When you begin selling your opinions to the public you absolutely must disclose the details of any transactions or relationships that may influence those opinions. Not doing so is nothing short of a bald-faced lie to the public.

Update:

Michelle Malkin weighs in:

I'll add this: Rod Paige should be fired. Those who came up with this disgusting scheme should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Any other pundits who accepted money from the Bush administration, whether from the Education Department or any other bureaucracy, should come forward now and disclose. And then they should immediately return the money.

Grow some principles, for God's sake.

I'll second that.

This story broke this morning yet the right-side of the blogosphere seems to be, for the most part, silent about it. This is an ugly story for the right, but Rod Paige and the Bush administration need to be held accountable for this.