Education Dept. paid commentator to promote law

[UncleSepp]

Education Dept. paid commentator to promote law

By Greg Toppo, 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."

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-06-williams-whitehouse_x.htm

So it's okay for one to be a propagandist on the government payroll, as long as one believes in the message one is being paid to push? Well, isn't that a relief for us all!

[arcane1]

1. damned librul media

methinks Mr Williams mostly believes in $240,000

[Moderator]

2. duplicate topic

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=1129454