Obama and his team court the New York Times

Posted by Emma Heald on June 17, 2009 at 9:47 AM

Politico writer Michael Calderone believes that Barack Obama and the White House are trying to win over the New York Times. Despite the new president's team's penchant for new media and social networking, Calderone feels that the White House "remains in the thrall of perhaps the most emblematic old media institution of all."

Calderone reminisces about an "earlier age, when the Times loomed like Olympus over elite journalism" and describes how although Bush's team seemed not to care particularly about the paper, the current White House has shown it great respect. He points out that senior Obama officials posed for Times Sunday Magazine portraits during the transition and that the magazine this month produced a major piece on health care, for which it was offered top-level access. Times Magazine reporter Matt Bai and editor Gerald Marzorati both said that there had been a significant change in attitude towards their paper with the arrival of the new administration.

Obama has spoken to Times' star columnist Thomas Friedman, as well as meeting with columnists Paul Krugman, Frank Rich, David Brooks and Maureen Dowd. He has also spoken to economics columnist David Leonhardt and to political reporter Mark Leibovich. For the "Obama's People" cover and inside spread, just before the inauguration, the magazine was given access to photograph dozens of administration staffers. Obama has even been photographed reading the paper

According to Calderone there are various reasons for Obama's "Times fixation." First is that his aides believe that the paper is more influential than others in shaping perceptions among both political elites and other journalists. Also, there is a desire amongst Democrats for the "validation that comes from being written about by the Times." Calderone quotes Vanity Fair's Todd S. Purdum who said that "A Democratic White House cares much more what The New York Times says."

Overall, the president and his team have shown great enthusiasm to get their message out, not just with the Times. It was suggested shortly after inauguration that the White House is trying to bypass the traditional media and go direct to the people via the WhiteHouse.gov website and social networking sites such as Facebook or Twitter, leading to fears that the media's watchdog role could be compromised. However, the president has seemed willing to speak to reporters too, although the team has also been accused of showing a preference for more 'friendly' liberal publications. Obama famously called on a Huffington Post reporter at his first press conference. As long as the White House does not purposefully neglect potentially unfriendly media, however, one could argue that the more coverage, the better.

Source: Politico