Political Cortex: Brain Food for the Body Politic

After discussing the huge strides the agency has made in doing business with minority-owned companies, Jackson closed with a cautionary tale, relaying a conversation he had with a prospective advertising contractor.

"He had made every effort to get a contract with HUD for 10 years," Jackson said of the prospective contractor. "He made a heck of a proposal and was on the (General Services Administration) list, so we selected him. He came to see me and thank me for selecting him. Then he said something ... he said, 'I have a problem with your president.'

"I said, 'What do you mean?' He said, 'I don't like President Bush.' I thought to myself, 'Brother, you have a disconnect -- the president is elected, I was selected. You wouldn't be getting the contract unless I was sitting here. If you have a problem with the president, don't tell the secretary.'

"He didn't get the contract," Jackson continued. "Why should I reward someone who doesn't like the president, so they can use funds to try to campaign against the president? Logic says they don't get the contract. That's the way I believe."

Does that sound like an 'anecdotal' remark to you?

Luckily, There are now some able eyes taking these weasels to task:

In reporting on Housing and Urban Development Secretary Alphonso Jackson's claim that an account he gave of having denied a qualified publisher a government contract because of his alleged animus towards President Bush was merely "anecdotal" and did not actually occur, The New York Times and the Associated Press did not note that Dustee Tucker, Jackson's spokeswoman, had already twice indicated that Jackson was referring to a real contract. Also, the Times and the AP failed to note that the HUD inspector general's office initiated a review of the matter.

Shame on the AP and the Times. Kudos to Media Matters.

In addition, Democrat Senator Frank Lautenberg and Democrat Reps. Henry Waxman and Barney Frank, "expressed outrage, with Mr. Lautenberg saying Mr. Bush should demand the secretary's resignation if the reports of his Dallas speech were accurate."

Well, Jackson admitted that he said the words, and his spokeswoman confirmed that he meant exactly what he said -- and that he subsequently lied in an attempt to cover-up his moronic admission.

Alphonso Jackson, it's time for you to go!