LOBBYING
Washington Ways -- Manipulating Congress

Whoever first said, "Things are not always as they appear" had to live and work in Washington, the land of hidden motive, front groups and battles that are often more about power, money and grudges than policy. C/Net columnist Declan McCullough does a masterful job of describing how interest groups, lobbyists, PR firms and other Washington denizens go about attacking enemies and supporting causes -- often with phony coalitions and "astroturf" campaigns. And it all started when McCullough wondered why a group representing corn growers would demand congressional hearings into the recent Google-Yahoo advertising deal.