More on the NY Jewish Week

Steven I. over at Canonist has gotten his hands on a letter sent out by the NY Jewish Week to elected officials in New York, asking for written endorsements of their paper by these officials. From the letter:

Because you are a vitally concerned leader involved in the well being of all New Yorkers, as well as an individual who has lent supporters on issues affecting the Jewish community, I have a request.
We are currently creative informative materials to tell subscribers and advertisers more about The Jewish Week and your support would be of tremendous importance to us.
Could you take a moment to share your impressions of the paper with us? We would be honored to include your comments — along with the others received — in these promotional efforts. I have included a recent issue of the paper as well as a copy of Directions, our Annual Guide to Jewish Life In New York.

This whole idea would seem ridiculous, if it didn't stink so badly. I understand newspapers endorsing elected officials, but the reverse? What, pray tell, does the elected official receive in exchange for his kind words about the publication? Gary Rosenblatt sparing him the miserable treatment he usually reserves for a select group of whipping boys? Rosenblatt's promise not to try to ruin the cooperating elected official's career or chances of reelection by promising not to publish article after article that establishes facts out of the whole cloth of innuendo and anonymous allegations? Sound like it's all in a day's work for the NYJW.