Politics: Time to Cut the Cord

Dana Milbank, reprising his role as "The Only Post Reporter Who Doesn't Kiss President Bush's Ass," reports in today's edition that people are understandably raising questions about the White House's arrangement with former White House Communications Director Karen Hughes. This longish chunk from the story gives you the good setup and takedown:

Former White House aide Karen P. Hughes, now a $15,000-a-month consultant to the Republican National Committee, has been playing a key role in advising President Bush and the administration on a communications strategy for the Iraq war.

Hughes flew with Bush on Air Force One to the Azores on Sunday and helped to draft his speech to the nation delivered Monday night. Hughes briefed reporters in the White House on Monday in advance of Bush's speech, saying he would offer exile as the only option to avoid an attack. And Hughes, who officials say has worked from the White House for the past week, has played a key role in developing the administration's plan for a coordinated communications strategy during the Iraq war.

The arrangement has prompted accusations from Democrats and government watchdog groups that the role of Hughes improperly blends politics and government business. Democrats complain that the presence of Hughes gives an inherently political tinge to the war effort. "George Bush should be focused on winning this war and making sure our troops are safe, not on how his partisan campaign hacks are going to score political points in the aftermath," said David Sirota, spokesman for Democrats on the House Appropriations Committee.

Milbank goes on to explain that by serving as a consultant seconded over from the RNC, Hughes dodges the ethics rules that govern White House operatives, plus she essentially increases her salary. (She is billing at $15,000/month plus expenses which calculates out to $180,000 per annum, about $35,000 more than she made as Communications Director.)

Nice work if you can get it.