The Bush Administration, seeing the popularity and influence of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report,” has apparently gone into the fake news business for real.

FEMA wanted to hold a press conference but didn’t give reporters enough time to actually attend the conference. FEMA went ahead with the conference anyway.

According to the New York Times, “With no reporters in the room — only television camera crews — FEMA’s public affPublish Postairs department decided to go ahead with the event anyway. The agency’s own staff played the role of the press corps, posing unusually respectful questions for the deputy administrator, Vice Adm. Harvey E. Johnson Jr., retired. ‘Are you happy with FEMA’s response so far?’ one asked.”

The PA executive ultimately resigned, and was designed a new government job.

Again, according to the Times, “In retrospect, he said (the official), when he realized that no reporters were in the room and it was the agency’s staff that was asking questions, he should have called off the news conference. ‘I should have jumped up regardless of how awkward it would had been and said, “Wait a minute, time out,” he said. “My mistake.”'”

I wonder if FEMA will borrow “The Daily Show’s” old slogan, “When News Breaks, We Fix It.”