How to Win through Spin

The Bush administration "spent $250 million on public relations contracts during its first term, compared with $128 million spent for President Clinton between 1997 and 2000," including $88 million in fiscal year 2004, according to report by the Democratic staff of the House Government Reform Committee. "While not all public relations spending is illegal or inappropriate, this rapid rise in public relations contracts at a time of growing budget deficits raises questions," stated the report. The Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services spent the most on PR over the past four years, $94 million, and the largest recipient of government PR contracts was Ketchum, at $97 million.