I have nothing to be ashamed of. On my FR Home Page, I pledged to admit when I am proven wrong. I haven't been. You have been now.
Armstrong wasn't paid by the White House. Armstrong was paid by a Communications company that was employed by the Department of Education...Armstrong was paid to run advertisements on his Radio show. Armstrong wasn't paid to promote policy on the non advertising portion of his show. Paid advertisements by their nature are not -- secret.
From the USA Today article that broke the story:
Praytell, why would Williams admit that some would "find the arrangement unethical" if it was just as simple as buying advertising time?
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.(snip)
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."
(snip)
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 [Education Secretary Rod] Paige onto his show twice. Harvey's manager, Rushion McDonald, confirmed the appearances.
You get your news from Malkin and others in the MSM, don't you? How else could you be so wrong...so often.
Michelle Malkin, part of the MSM? You're kidding me. Do you even know who Malkin is? Is her disagreement with the First Lady the first you've ever heard of her?
Whatever, dude. If you don't wanna believe her, here's something from NewsMax, founded by Christopher Ruddy, a reporter who was so tenacious about the Vince Foster death/suicide and Whitewater that 60 Minutes dedicated an entire segment to trying to discredit him. Not an MSM outlet.
Now, why would people in the Education Department warn the White House about concerns of an "inherent conflict" if the White House hadn't approved of the contract?
Saturday, April 16, 2005 9:18 p.m. EDTReport: Armstrong Williams' Contract Violated No Laws
Senior Bush administration officials showed poor judgment and wasted money in hiring commentator Armstrong Williams to promote the president's agenda, an internal inquiry has concluded.
They violated no laws or ethics rules, however, according to the report, released Friday.The report also revealed that two Education Department officials warned the White House last summer of concerns about the Williams contract, including the "inherent conflict" of paying a pundit to endorse the president's education law.
David Dunn, then special assistant to the president, agreed with the concerns, yet neither the White House nor the department halted the contract until it was disclosed in news reports in January.
The department paid $240,000 to Williams, a commentator with newspaper, television and radio audiences, to promote President Bush's "No Child Left Behind" law. The deal was part of a $1.3 million contract the department had with Ketchum, a public relations firm.
The report said the ads that were produced appeared to be of poor quality, and the department had no assurance that they actually aired.
Me:Armstrong wasn't paid by the White House. Armstrong was paid by a Communications company that was employed by the Department of Education.
You:It's shameful to pretend that you are an independent commentator when you are being secretly paid to promote policy.
Me:Armstrong was paid to run advertisements on his Radio show. Armstrong wasn't paid to promote policy on the non advertising portion of his show. Paid advertisements by their nature are not -- secret.
I will now prove that what I was saying was true. I'll use direct quotes from Armstrong Williams.
Direct quotes from Armstrong Williams;
Oh the horror.
That's all he did. But, sadly, after a barrage of propaganda from the left and even the right, I'm afraid Armstrong succumbs to what is politically correct.
Enough of the graveling Armstrong. Now imagine Rush Limbaugh or any other normal pundit on the air excepting advertising dollars to run political adds for Republican candidates during the election. Then imagine Rush Limbaugh and all the others, in the non-advertisement portion of their show saying honestly that they support the same candidate. Whoop-ti-do!
With all due respect, it seems to me that you black conservatives feel that you need to bend over backwards to appear fair.
Give yourself a break.
Oh, and if you wish to defame Armstrong Williams, you should do so with direct, named quotes from either people who have seen the Armstrong contract or people who are directly involved.
Your long cut and paste articles are just regurgitated unnamed sources originated from the left and sent to us from supposed critically thinking conservative websites such as Malkin's.
I dare you to find direct quotes that support your accusations.