Opponents have criticized Presidential plans to use Education Department funds to produce and broadcast his Tuesday speech to school kids across the country.

Vocal critics accused the President of turning government money for education to his own political use.

“The Department of Education should not be producing paid political advertising for the president, it should be helping us to produce smarter students,” said the House Majority Leader. “And the president should be doing more about education than saying, ‘Lights, camera, action.’ ”

Two House committees, the House Education and Labor Committee and the Select Committee on Children, Youth and Families demanded that the department explain the use of its funds for the speech. The Select Committee chairwoman said it was outrageous for the White House to “start using precious dollars for campaigns” when “we are struggling for every silly dime we can get” for education programs.

Of course these congressional critics weren’t talking about President Obama. They were blasting George H. W. Bush for his 1991 speech to school kids. The House Majority Leader was Richard A. Gephardt (D-Mo.) and the House Committee chairs were Rep. William D. Ford (D-Mich.) and Rep. Patricia Schroeder (D-Colo.) so said the Washington Post on October 3, 1991. (link...)