New York Times Still Awaiting First Interview With President George W. Bush

Andrew Malcolm from the L.A. Times' "Top Of The Ticket" blog notes that nine years after Arthur Sulzberger, Jr. publicly requested an audience with then-Presidential aspirant George W. Bush, the Grey Lady is still waiting for President Bush to come a'calling for an interview. The White House has basically publicly hemmed and hawed, whilst privately cackling, because why would they ever meet with a newspaper that employs "major league assholes" like Adam Clymer?

Well, someone apparently asked NYT's Sheryl Gay Stolberg about how the White House gets along with reporters, and she let it be known that they send the paper mean emails on a regular basis:

The New York Times, for instance, has had a standing request to interview President Bush since well before I came on this beat in May 2006. So far, no interview -- and the reason why is hardly a secret.

White House officials are quite open about the fact that we have not gotten an interview because they don't like our coverage. I get e-mails to that effect from them all the time. But the request still stands, and we are hoping for an interview before Mr. Bush leaves office.

Well, even if the desired tete-a-tete with the horse's mouth never materializes, the Times will still be able to claim ownership of the next best thing: the 2002-2005 reportage of Judith Miller.

Comments

[Wilbur]

Oh, boo-hoo! Waaaaaaahhhhhhh!! Mommy...the bad newspaper say not nice things about me.....waaaaahhhhh!

Wilbur

[mergina]

This spoiled rotten little boy in a grown up drunkards suit is politely interviewing about his mistakes and trying to appear nice in public and on camera, as behind the scenes he and his filthy cronies continue to rape and pillage our economy and our lives. It is all a smoke screen designed to muttle the view of their latest thieving getaway.

[RichDavid]

no one wants to hear what bush has to say.....

[3dtrix]

Horse's WHAT?

[Retrofuturistic]

It's too hard for him to read....

[mrcontinental]

Can you say "Investigative reporting coming right up" boys and girls? I knew you could.

[lunchlady]

They've been pretty kind to him, IMO, all things considered.

[Hickok]

Junior reading the NY Times? It's kinda like putting lipstick on a pig.

[deadelephant2]

I think what really happened is that Dubya was terrified of having to construct whole, meaningful, cogent sentences if he sat down with someone from the NYT. In which case they'll never have to worry about getting anything from Sarah Palin, either, as she fades from view.

[proudem]

Many argue that when journalist finish their education they are ready to write truth as unbiased as possible but the realities if employment become all to evident. In other words if you work for Fox news, journalistic writings become conservative punditry...if one wants to stay employed. It works that way for the other side as well. Are there unbiased observers? Possibly in the begining but not when human needs come into play. Liberal journalists tend to work for progressive news organizations and conservative for...well, Fox.

[Ladyrantsalot]

He didn't need to curry favor with the newspaper of record because he already had Judy Miller on their staff to guarantee that the spin got published.

[kellygrrrl]

what goes around comes around.

[Whinger]

Why interview George W.? He's yesterdays news, a history lesson on incompetant leadership!

[Kenji]

At this point, they are just waiting for the chance to turn HIM down.

[TomTheAlmostUgly]

LOL

[TrooAmerican]

Well, i for one could care less if Barack Ever gives Fox an interview at all.
Hopefully for 8 yrs.

Their entire triad is absolutely insanely republican biased....so much so, that hannity actually calls up his GOP contacts to find out what his talking points for the week will be.

[Loki11467]

I guess Bush really is yellow bellied chicken huh? Maybe the NYT's should of gone to his Daddy and asked for the interview request. I am sure the little guy would of then gone along afraid he would be grounded or get a spanking.