One of my problems with Politico, is that it a self obsessed institution preoccupied with the elevation of meaningless gossip to the status of major news. (I would note that Politico Europe actually does a decent job of covering news)
In this case however, they have found a story right in their sweet spot, the hostility of the New York Times to the Biden administration, which appears to be driven largely by the belief by the publisher of the New York Times, A.G. "Dash" Sulzverger, that Joe Biden has behaved abominably by ……… Wait for it ……… Not granting the New York Times an exclusive long form interview.
Gee corrosive narcissism much?
It should be noted that the folks at Politico make an effort to both sides this, but it's pretty clear who has their head of their ass. (Dash)
Here are some highlights (lowlights?) of the story:
………
……… On the other side, the newspaper carries its own singular obsession with the president, aggrieved over his refusal to give the paper a sit-down interview that Publisher AG Sulzberger and other top editors believe to be its birthright.
(Emphasis mine)
………
The Times’ desire for a sit-down interview with Biden by the newspaper’s White House team is no secret around the West Wing or within the D.C. bureau. Getting the president on the record with the paper of record is a top priority for publisher A.G. Sulzberger. So much so that last May, when Vice President Kamala Harris arrived at the newspaper’s midtown headquarters for an off-the-record meeting with around 40 Times journalists, Sulzberger devoted several minutes to asking her why Biden was still refusing to grant the paper — or any major newspaper — an interview. Harris, according to three people in the room that day, suggested that he contact the White House press office and later grumbled to aides about the back-and-forth being a waste of the allotted time.
………
But the pleas for an interview have gone nowhere. As Sulzberger often tells colleagues and as he and Kahn have stressed in private conversations with the administration, every modern president since Franklin Delano Roosevelt has done an interview with the Times. That, however, is an argument deemed uncompelling by Biden aides and one that, to some White House officials, smacks of entitlement. Plus, Biden has sat for interviews with only two print reporters in more than three years (Josh Boak of the Associated Press and Evan Osnos of The New Yorker, who earned Biden’s trust during a lengthy interview during the 2020 campaign that he turned into a book). He has, of course, been eager to engage with columnists he knows and trusts, two of whom happen to work at the Times.
To be fair here, one of the, "Two of whomes happen to work at the Times," is Thomas "The Mustache of Stupidity" Friedman. Not a good look, Joe.
………
In Sulzberger’s view, according to two people familiar with his private comments on the subject, only an interview with a paper like the Times can verify that the 81-year-old Biden is still fit to hold the presidency. Beyond that, he has voiced concerns that Biden doing so few expansive interviews with experienced reporters could set a dangerous precedent for future administrations, according to a third person familiar with the publisher’s thinking. Sulzberger himself was part of a group from the Times that sat down with Trump, who gave the paper several interviews despite his rantings about its coverage. If Trump could do it, Sulzberger believes, so can Biden.
“All these Biden people think that the problem is Peter Baker or whatever reporter they’re mad at that day,” one Times journalist said. “It’s A.G. He’s the one who is pissed [that] Biden hasn’t done any interviews and quietly encourages all the tough reporting on his age.”
Great. The ultimate nepo-baby in US print media is having a tantrum, because he feels disrespected.
Otis Chandler this guy ain't.
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