The Bush administration has apparently decided that a good use of your tax dollars is to make cash awards to subsidize right-wing talk radio and TV. So far, this report in USA Today has gone undenied and has even been more or less confirmed…
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.
Had this been done by a Democratic administration, especially one headed by a guy named Clinton, Republicans would be incensed, shouting about bribery and misuse of government funds and attempts to manipulate Free Speech. But Democrats don't know how to work Outrage to their advantage and Republicans look the other way when their boys do this kind of thing. No one will probably make much of Armstrong Williams's low ethics in the matter, either. Not unless other alleged journalists are upset that they didn't get the same deal.
Congrats to USA Today, for which Armstrong sometimes writes, for breaking this story. Even if they only did it to get out in front of the pack, they deserve some credit. CNN has still never mentioned Robert Novak's family ties to the publisher of a number of right-wing books he's touted on their channel.