Obama Snubs New York Times, Breaks Pre-Inauguration Tradition

Although New York Times columnists David Brooks and Bill Kristol sat down with Barack Obama last night, the paper's White House team still hasn't had the opportunity to do so since Election Day.

Unlike recent White House occupants--such as George W. Bush and Bill Clinton--Obama has yet to provide The Times with the sort of free-wheeling, pre-Inauguration interview the paper's come to expect. And there's little expectation it will happen before Tuesday.

"We would certainly like it to happen," said Times political editor Dick Stevenson, "but the days are running short at this point."

Stevenson said that although The Times has put in multiple requests to the Obama team, and "pointed out the historical precedent for this," they've had no luck securing a sit-down.

Read the whole story here.

Comments

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

BREAKIN BARRIERS IS THE KEY :)P

[DFutureIsNow]

Obama is very smart, the NYT is known for its gotcha journalism, its better to keep them at arms length.

[jetgirl]

I'd snub most of the media if I were him, especially the cable news networks.

[LiberalDemIda]

Well, not MSNBC. I like Countdown with KO, The Rachel Maddow Show with the lovely Miss Maddow, Pennsylvania 1600 with David Schuster, and Hardball with Chris Matthews, but yeah, all the others should be snubbed. They're not interested in accuracy, and make up their own stories anyhow.

[Changeizgood]

And Cafferty on CNN, he's real and down to earth.
Gives honest opinion and hates BS that has no merit. Hey, maybe Obama should have Cafferty as WH press. He's good and people trust him when he delivers the news.

Not swayed by BushIt.

[Opt1musPr1me]

So the NYT would really like to publish yet another interview with Obama where they ask the same questions all the other magazines and newspapers ask to get the same questions Obama gave to every other magazine and newspaper? Come on NYT, you're not being original thats why President "O" is avoiding you.

[JJK]

I think it's great that Obama doesn't feel beholden to these insider "traditions," about which the rest of us (a) have never heard and (b) could care less!

[trinity29]

i find it surprising how the media gets upset with O if he is not "transparent" enough or if he keeps a distance between himself and the reporters (from his campaign days) because i didn't see the media holding the current administration responsible for the last 8 years to similar levels of transparency and accountability. Now all of a sudden they want to have a "sustained dialogue" with O with tough questions for him to answer?

[LiberalDemIda]

Last night I was watching ABC (Disney-owned together with Politico) and Charlie Gibson was "reporting" on Geithner (Obama's chosen head of the Treasury) about his unpaid tax bills saying "this won't look good for our Pres.-elect"...blah,blah,blah... without adding that experts say it's not a big deal, it happens.

They also didn't show ultraconservative Orrin Hatch say - on Fixed News of all places - he has no problem with the PAID tax bills because he believes Geithner is a "very competent man". Gibson left at "this won't look good for our Pres.-elect" and take from that what you will - which is negative, of course.

Then, right after, they showed pResident Bush handing out medals and being real presidential. Not a negative word to be had.

[vote-obama]

In the words of KO, NYT you don't matter anymore

[tel8034]

The NY Times needs to get on board with the fact that CHANGE HAS COME, and that the days of believing that they are ENTITLED are over.

Just because they believe that they are "entitled" to a pre-inauguration interview, it doesn't mean that it is the case.

Barack Obama is the PRESIDENT ................... He doesn't have to "jump through hoops"

[Malarcus]

snub (snb)
tr.v. snubbed, snub·bing, snubs
1. To ignore or behave coldly toward; slight.
2. To dismiss, turn down, or frustrate the expectations of.
3. Nautical
a. To check the movement of (a rope or cable running out) by turning it quickly about a post or cleat.
b. To secure (a vessel, for example) in this manner.
4. To stub out (a cigarette, for example).

n.
1. A deliberate slight or affront.
2. Nautical A sudden checking, as of a rope or cable running out.

adj.
Unusually short: a snub nose.

My question is: is there any evidence that the NYT's inability to secure an interview with Obama prior to inauguration meets any of the above definitions of the word "snub?"

[hortonhearsawho2]

your assuming we can read for extended periods...

[Malarcus]

X-D

My bad. I will create a blog later this afternoon and slowly unveil each definition over the next 30 days or so...

[trinity29]

nope, its just more sensationalistic heading.

[robotfog]

'historical precedence' is not a reason to do anything.

[hortonhearsawho2]

Reason is historical precedence when you speak...

[LiberalDemIda]

That's why Pres.-elect refuses to speak with the NYTimes. Based on their skewed reporting in the past, it'd be UNreasonable to.

[robotfog]

I didn't understand your response. Were you agreeing, disagreeing, or making a different point entirely. I'm just very tired today.

[Grannysue]

Obama, not you same old kiss ass politician! To NYT deal with it!

[Chapmanp2]

Oh lookie...
Another Obama snubs liberals story, while placating to conservatards. The story line isn't sicking, people aren't buying the crap, people are pleased to see Obama reaching out to try & form working relationships.
All this crap about Obama "snubbing" people is just that, crap. It's a concerted effort to build on some media concocted story line to fuel slow news days. The same line they tried (unsuccesfully) to sell during the election that Obama is somehow elitist, or more concerned w/ politics than people, or any one of a number of BS story lines that have absolutely no basis in reality. Obama's job now is to turn this country around & if the media tries to stand in the way they'll pay the natural consequences, irrelevancy. It's time to lead, follow, or get the F*** outta' the way...

[hortonhearsawho2]

morning rham...

[ApolloniaCreed]

LMAO!

[DuPageDem]

NYT = "liberals?" Guess Judith Miller didn't get the memo. Perhaps he's just snubbing the arrogant corporate media.

[trinity29]

given that O sat down with several people from NYT i don't think he is snubbing anyone. like you said, it is a fabricated storyline. Just because it has been done before doesn't mean it needs to be done today if other pressing things are on O's schedule.

[bygollymissmolly]

The NYT cannot in any way be considered "liberal".

[hortonhearsawho2]

Whack, right in the kisser Alice....

[yappnmutt]

i doubt it, but i would like to think this is comeuppance for the nyt being the waterboy for the neocons. of course they won't be happy and will try to extract vengeance somehow. whiny bunch of cry babies.

[Gunga-Din]

Eventually I agreed with Mr.Obama

[hortonhearsawho2]

a mind is a terrible thing to waste...welcome aboard.