The number of columnists who have accepted cash from the Bush administration to promote the President’s agenda is now up to two. The latest? Syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher, who accepted a $21,500 contract to research and write items promoting marriage (presumably the traditional kind). She later wrote about the Bush initiative in her column. Gallagher claims she forgot about the contract, otherwise she would have disclosed it to her readers.

Oh yeah, I forget about $20,000 contracts all the time. I know it’s a dead horse, but is it any wonder the general public has precious little trust left for the media?

Bush gave the following quote at a news conference yesterday, only his 18th since taking office: “All our Cabinet secretaries must realize that we will not be paying commentators to advance our agenda. Our agenda ought to be able to stand on its own two feet.”

You won’t see that quote in today’s National Post, by the way.