How much is good press worth? To the Bush administration, about $1.6 billion.

Bush Administration Spent $1.6 Billion to Spin the News

Christopher Lee, of The Washington Post, writes: "How much is good press worth? To the Bush administration, about $1.6 billion. That's how much seven federal departments spent from 2003 through the second quarter of 2005 on 343 contracts with public relations firms, advertising agencies, media organizations and individuals, according to a new Government Accountability Office report. The 154-page report provides the most comprehensive look to date at the scope of federal spending in an area that generated substantial controversy last year."