Nawww---Shrubbites Pay for News Coverage and Fake Stories

[UTUSN]

Firstly, we are supposed to heads-up when we are quoting from wingnut sources (Ceci CONNOLLY). And I can't believe I am relying on one of her stories for "news", but oh-well.

As for Armstrong WILLIAMS' saying his receipts might be "unethical" BUT---BUT---he did it because it was something he BELIEVED in, well, then how about doing it for FREE???


*******QUOTE*******

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A54651-2005Jan6.html

Drug Control Office Faulted For Issuing Fake News Tapes


By Ceci Connolly
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, January 7, 2005; Page A17


Shortly before last year's Super Bowl, local news stations across the country aired a story by Mike Morris describing plans for a new White House ad campaign on the dangers of drug abuse.

What viewers did not know was that Morris is not a journalist and his "report" was produced by the government, actions that constituted illegal "covert propaganda," according to an investigation by the Government Accountability Office.

In the second ruling of its kind, the investigative arm of Congress this week scolded the Bush administration for distributing phony prepackaged news reports that include a "suggested live intro" for anchors to read, interviews with Washington officials and a closing that mimics a typical broadcast news sign off. ....



http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2005-01-06-williams-whitehouse_x.htm?POE=click-refer

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." ....

********UNQUOTE*******

[Cocoa]

1. say it ain't so!

I'm so disillusioned right now.

[elehhhhna]

2. No WAY! Next up : Fox News

[proud patriot]

3. Please tell me that taxpayers dollars were not used for this

That's bribery :grr:

[Child_Of_Isis]

4. Congress this week scolded the Bush administration

:eyes:

We need to throw these people out. What in the hell are we paying them for?

[rodeodance]

5. Armstrong Williams--I found a website-does anyone know if this is the

man spoken of in the above article.

BTW-thanks for pulling these two related articles together. One of the them spoke of the same thing happening with the Medicare program.

http://www.armstrongwilliams.com/ME2/Audiences/default.asp

[UTUSN]

6. That's Him----"The RIGHT Side" (as opposed to "The MORAL Side" n/t

[Kahuna]

7. But *we're* bush-hating, conspiracy theorists with an "irrational"

distrust (including, election results) of all things bush. :wow: