For $25,000 to $250,000, The Washington Post has offered lobbyists and association executives off-the-record, nonconfrontational access to "those powerful few": Obama administration officials, members of Congress, and — at first — even the paper’s own reporters and editors. The astonishing offer was detailed in a flier circulated Wednesday to a health care lobbyist, who provided it to a reporter because the lobbyist said he felt it was a conflict for the paper to charge for access to, as the flier says, its “health care reporting and editorial staff"/Politico. More here. H/T: Beth Bollinger/Accidental Rabbit Trails

• Post publisher cancels plans for 'off-the-record' salons/Washington Post

Question: What do you think of that fact that a department at a major newspaper actually entertained the idea of providing access to powerful people for thousands of dollars?