Posted on 01/08/2005 11:07:44 AM PST by JustAnotherSavage
It stinks. From 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..."
Jonah Goldberg weighed in early here.
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.
Update: Armstrong Williams revealed on The O'Reilly Factor tonight that Tribune Media Services has dropped his syndicated column.
Now, it's time for someone in the Bush administration to suffer consequences.
Update II: Joe Gandelman has the best round-up and analysis on this issue. And Captain Ed cuts to the chase:
I find it very difficult to believe that an experienced journalist or commentator, one who has to make his living off of his independence, could honestly see his way clear to accepting what amounts to a quarter-million-dollar bribe to support a government policy. I don't care what administration we're talking about -- that plain stinks, and any reasonable person knows it. Williams' wishy-washy statements about how he can understand "why some people think it's unethical" and that "it's fair" for people to think he sold out are forms of denial.
Williams, in short, is a journalistic whore. He's finished as a commentator. He claims that he will self-syndicate -- but who will buy his commentary now?
Like any instance of prostitution, of course, the action involves more than one wrongdoer. If Williams is a whore, the Education Department is his john. Who got the bright idea to spend a quarter of a million dollars of taxpayer money to bribe one journalist?
Good question. Cough up some names, Mr. Paige. We're waiting.
Update III: Still more bloggers react:
LaShawn Barber, "Armstrong Williams: The Wrong Side" The Moderate Voice: "White House Paid A Commentator To Argue Its Case" Matthew Yglesias: "WHAT'S A LITTLE BRIBERY BETWEEN FRIENDS?"
This smells, and as Conservatives, who are better than "that other side", we should demand they clean this up.
Michelle ping.
Verses what the tax subsidised MSM whores accept from the DNC? Thats the real unreported scandel! Paging Bill Moyer!
I agree. They should fire him and retire the position with him.
Those who came up with this disgusting scheme should be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
I'm not really clear what actual laws were violated. It was sleazy and unprofessional, all around, but I don't know about prosecutions.
For now I just will not believe that the current Administration would have stopped so low to do such a thing.
Malkin is one to be talking about getting paid. I like her but she's wrong.
Yes, it does stink but the irony is that Armstrong
Williams really did believe in No Child Left Behind.
There's nothing better than being BRIBED TO VOTE YOUR
CONVICTIONS.
Yes, you're right that is an unreported scandal. Do you consider DNC funds the same as tax money from the Dept. of Education?
I do not think what Armstrong did is right, of course, but why single out him and the Department of Education rather than look at all the other propaganda?
ping
Please read other info before believing things.
Armstrong Williams was hired by a PR firm hired by the Education Department.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1316757/posts
Because as conservatives we don't engage in moral relativism, we still have some standards and ethics, and we call our own out on the carpet when they violate those ethics.
So?
If this is true in is Clintonesqe nonetheless.
Bump.
And if we were Clintonesque we'd be rationalizing away this transgression.
How often do PR firms buy journalists? Even that is a scandal in my opinion. I want it exposed and I want the left investigated in this regard too.
I thought Rod Paige was being replaced in the new administration?
An interesting point. The lib media will be howling for blood - but how many of them are dirty in getting money from PR firms, lobbyists or political campaigns? This actually could get quite interesting. And if we take the high ground with Williams and the Education Department in demanding they come clean and fire anyone involved, then we have moral standing to go after lib pundits.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.