Demagogue

I thought the Education Department might calm down a bit with the departure of Rod Paige. Guess I was wrong. One of Margaret Spellings first acts was to send a letter to PBS bitching about an episode of a children's television show with incidental depictions of (gasp) lesbians. In Vermont! Making maple sugar!

The not-yet-aired episode of "Postcards From Buster" shows the title character, an animated bunny named Buster, on a trip to Vermont _ a state known for recognizing same-sex civil unions. The episode features two lesbian couples, although the focus is on farm life and maple sugaring.

A PBS spokesman said late Tuesday that the nonprofit network has decided not to distribute the episode, called "Sugartime!," to its 349 stations. She said the Education Department's objections were not a factor in that decision.

Uh-huh, sure. Whatever. From another story:

[Spellings] warned: “You can be assured that in the future the department will be more clear as to its expectations for any future programming that it funds.”

The department has awarded nearly $100 million to PBS through the program over the last five years in a contract that expires in September, said department spokesman Susan Aspey. That money went to the production of “Postcards From Buster” and another animated children’s show, and to promotion of those shows in local communities, she said....

In the show, Buster carries a digital video camera and explores regions, activities and people of different backgrounds and religions.

Good thing Buster didn't travel to an apiary. Could you imagine the uproar with an episode titled "Honeypot!"?