BUSH HEARTS ARMSTRONG WILLIAMS

President criticizes Education Dept.'s payout to Armstrong.

In the interview, Bush said, "I appreciate the way Armstrong Williams has handled this, because he has made it very clear that he made a mistake. All of us, the Cabinet, needs to take a good look and make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen again."

A Democratic member of the Federal Communications Commission joined the debate Thursday, saying the FCC should investigate whether Williams' actions broke the law. "I certainly hope the FCC will take action," Commissioner Jonathan Adelstein said.

He said the agency has received about a dozen complaints against Williams. Republican members would not comment.

Williams called Adelstein's remarks a "witch hunt," telling the Associated Press that what he did "was strictly advertising. ... I know that I've done nothing wrong."

First, note Bush's phrasing -- Armstrong Williams has made it very clear that HE'S the one who made the mistake. Bush would never admit his own administration made an error. Second, how does Williams get away with being praised by Paul Begala on Crossfire and now Bush, for "admitting he made a mistake" when in the very next breath he says, "I know that I've done nothing wrong"?

Note the partisanship on the FCC -- though Williams' AND THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION's actions are clearly against the law, and have been recognized as such by nearly every fair-minded person on the right AND left, Republican commissioners are refusing to comment -- and none of them have taken any action. Crucify Janet Jackson and Howard Stern, oh yes! but let's not take seriously a prima facie case of subverting the airways with paid-for propaganda disguised as honest and untainted opinion.