USA

Propagandawatch: GOOGLE CATCHES BUSH ASTROTURF CAMPAIGN
"It looks like the Bush Administration is astroturfing, trying to
artificially create the appearance of a grassroots movement
supporting their policies," writes Jules Agee. "A Google search on
the phrase 'demonstrating genuine leadership' returns a number of
nearly identical letters sent to the editors of various newspapers
and publications this month, each one with the name of a different
individual attached." Some alert bloggers traced the letters to a
Republican party website that offers gifts such as coolers, tote
bags and mouse pads in exchange for sending letters to the editor.
When asked about the form letters, one newspaper editor commented,
"The practice of mass submitting letters is old. We have been
receiving these types of letters for some time. ... I'm just
shocked that it has taken so long for others to expose it. This fad
begun over three years ago." But some newspapers liked the letters
so much that they published them more than once, over the
signatures of different local residents.