In connection with the revelation in the New York Post that Pew and other foundations manipulated the press to suggest there was a groundswell of public support for Campaign Finance Reform, Mickey Kaus points out the blatant double standard of the media which played a role in this deception.
 
Essay Question: How is the American Prospect different from Armstrong Williams? New York Post's Ryan Sager is seemingly onto some significant conflicts of interest at TAP and NPR. ... If the New York Times took more than $100,000 from General Motors to produce a special issue on Regulation in the Auto Industry, wouldn't there be a stink? Why is it any different if you substitute "Carnegie Corporation" for "General Motors" and "campaign finance regulation" for "auto regulation"——and "American Prospect" for "New York Times"?  Perhaps TAP editor Bob Kuttner has an answer to Sager's charge. ...  P.S.: And I've always thought that NPR's acceptance of grants ostensiby to finance coverage of particular topics was highly compromising. ... P.P.S.: Sorry. I forgot——NPR doesn't care about money! It's public radio! ....

Clarice Feldman  3 21 05