New Flash: George Washington University has actually hired a Republican, albeit as an adjunct. Yes, the university that has served as a hideout for Clinton Administration officials, training ground for Obama appointees and speaking venue for all of the above actually invited Bush Administration press secretary Dana Perino to one of its lecture halls.
“It seems those pesky White House correspondents got her in shape for teaching students enrolled in the Graduate School of Political Management, where she will be teaching a class in political communications on advocacy politics and public affairs,” Nikki Schwab reported in The Washington Examiner. “Perino thinks the timing couldn’t be better—the class will look at the intersection of politics and the media during this year’s midterm elections.”
“And she already has a few ideas about how she will be as a teacher.”
“I don’t plan on having something that is a rigorous term paper type of class, I’m really looking forward to having a fulsome conversation about where things stand,” Perino stated. That’s good: Rigor would really make her stand out in an academic crowd.
But wait. It gets better. She’s planning on bringing some of her friends to the campus where faculty donations to the party of the donkey outnumber those to the party of the elephant by about nine to one. “I’m very excited because I have great ideas for guest speakers,” Perino said. “I am looking forward to being able to trade on my name, in some ways, in asking people I have worked with for years that I greatly admire, both from the journalism standpoint and the crisis communications and public affairs world and speech writers, to come into the class to add some richness to the discussion.”
Wouldn’t it be funny if she brought Dick Cheney?
Malcolm A. Kline is the Executive Director of Accuracy in Academia.