In the wake of the scandals surrounding the Bush administration's bribes to journalists such as Armstrong Williams, a furor -- however small -- is emerging amongst those who believe in the freedom of the press. The AP reports that the President today attempted to assuage these people's fears.

President Bush on Wednesday ordered his Cabinet secretaries not to hire columnists to promote their agendas after disclosure that a second writer was paid to tout an administration initiative.

The president said he expects his agency heads will "make sure that that practice doesn't go forward."

"All our Cabinet secretaries must realize that we will not be paying commentators to advance our agenda. Our agenda ought to be able to stand on its own two feet," Bush said at a news conference.

Frankly, this is too little, too late. It probably would have been too late even if the President did this weeks ago when the Armstrong Williams case came out, but now that a second case has emerged, it's obvious that this is merely a political move without any real significance.

This is one of the worst scandals in recent memory and it is a blight upon the Presidency. Bush and his cronies must be investigated because it is indeed illegal to submit the American people to propaganda. If they are not, the freedom of the press in this country will be placed in serious jeopardy.