A higher standard than what?

YOU ARE VISITING THE OLD MALKIN(S)WATCH. THAT'S FANTASTIC. PLEASE VISIT THE NEW MALKIN(S)WATCH WHEN YOU GET A CHANCE.

Malkin is both right and wrong about the new payola revelations:

In 2002, syndicated columnist Maggie Gallagher repeatedly defended President Bush's push for a $300 million initiative encouraging marriage as a way of strengthening families. But Gallagher failed to mention that she had a $21,500 contract with the Department of Health and Human Services to help promote the president's proposal...

Can't tell you how deeply disappointed I am to read this, especially given that Gallagher has been a fearless and independent (or so I had thought) voice in defense of traditional marriage.

She's right because she has been consistently disapproving of Armstrong Williams, and is continuing that theme with Maggie Gallagher.

She's wrong because she's spending too much time worrying about the reporters. The story, for crying out loud, is the Bush administration. That's not to say she's not unhappy with them:

Also can't tell you how galling the stupidity of the Bush administration officials who doled out taxpayer funds to conservatives in the media is. Who else is out there? First, the Department of Education. Now, the Department of Health and Human Services. What other departments put the right's media figures on the dole? Better step forward and come clean. NOW.

...

Thanks again, Bush administration.

It seems as though Malkin wants us to believe that, Abu Ghraib-style, two departments of the federal government came up with the same idea independently - that we should punish the pundits and wag our fingers at those silly Secretaries of.

This is going higher than that. Consider this a prediction: It's gonna be a circus.