Congress, Constitutional Law, Criminal law, Free Speech, Media, Politics

New York Times Reporter: “Obama Hates The Press”

President_Barack_ObamaWhile President Barack Obama continues to assure the public that he is protecting privacy and the press, his Administration continues to do precisely the opposite in court with comprehensive attacks on civil liberties. A good example is the continued abuse of two-time Pulitzer prize winner and New York Times investigative reporter and author James Risen. Risen continues to be threatened by the Justice Department with arrest because he is protecting the identity of his sources. Risen spoke this weekend and observed simply that “Obama hates the press.”

Risen spoke at a journalism conference at Colby College in Waterville where he was awarded the annual Elijah Parish Lovejoy award for journalism. The Obama Administration has continued a scorched Earth campaign against reporters and whistleblowers. Risen was targeted after he wrote about a failed CIA operation to disrupt Iran’s nuclear weapons program. Democrats who decried such actions under Bush have largely remained silent in the face of a far worse record under Obama.

Risen dismissed the army of apologists who deflect criticism of Obama in his campaign against the press: “I don’t think any of this would be happening under the Obama administration if Obama didn’t want to do it. I think Obama hates the press. I think he doesn’t like the press and he hates leaks.”

He also criticized Holder as someone selected due to his loyalty and ability to protect Obama from direct criticism, an issue that I discussed recently in a column.

Risen reflects a growing view among many reporters (that parallels a similar view among civil libertarians) of Obama. Indeed, I just had dinner with two leading reporters who have been staunch supporters of Obama but now view him in similar terms. Much like Nixon, Obama and his subordinates seem to blame the media for scandals as well as whistleblowers. They treat the problem as not the abuses of power or failed programs but the disclosure of such failings. It is more than just a Nixonian “shoot the messenger” approach. They want to kill the message itself.

Source: Central Maine

53 thoughts on “New York Times Reporter: “Obama Hates The Press””

  1. Oh, the deep, deep thinkers in this blog that reflexively blame Bush, FoxNews and the Koch brothers are going to need some serious therapy to manage their PTBS. They’re shadow-boxing an ex-POTUS while getting pummeled by the current guy in the ring. Get real folks.

  2. I wanna yak when I hear raging Savage/Limbaugh channelers focus on understandable attention to legacy of Bush/Cheney. The prime directive is to ERASE THE TRUTH that got us where we are. Had Obama and Holder not acted (unfortunately) as they did toward the press and “whistleblowers” the “Muslim” POTUS would have been blamed for appeasing enemies and not protecting America. The legitimate criticism of Obama is found where there are critical thinkers without Marx, Jesus, Rove or Chris Matthews.

  3. Of course he hates the free press. He is nothing more than a frustrated would be dictator with no ability whatsoever to cajole his opposition rather than wanting to coerce it. He’s a shadow man. He’s a shallow man.

  4. Pingback: New York Times Reporter: “Obama Hates The Press” | JONATHAN …360 Haters | 360 Haters

  6. I’d say Obama should be impeached but I am pretty sure now that he left office voluntarily several years ago. As proof of this I offer that the real scandal involving a man walking in the front door of the White House is that the Secret Service did not care because they already know we did not have a president to protect.

  7. Chris Matthews is a weasel jumping a sinking ship. The thrill and “tingle down the leg” is gone.

  8. Chris Matthews was surprisingly candid the other day when he said the President needed to stop pandering to ethnic groups. I’d argue that part of the reason Obama is the President is precisely that, pandering to ethnic groups.

    The Republicans blew their chances a dud candidate in 2008, but the press when obscenely gaga over Obama. In some cases it was sickening. For them to now be feigning outrage when he doesn’t treat them right is hilarious. They built the bed they are laying in. This started in the campaign of 2008. They ignored it then, and are only now paying attention. Too little too late.

    Obama will ultimately be viewed as a terrible leader who had little interest in being President, but sure wanted the title to go with it. The defining description of his presidency for me will be the quote from the spokesman about the Hobby Lobby decision. “The constitutional lawyer in the Oval Office disagrees”. Really? He’s entitled to his own opinion but the Supreme Court says he’s wrong. More than anything else this was a glimpse into the workings of his mind (if true of course). That since he is a Con lawyer, he knows what is legal, what is best, what should be done. We see that all the time in this administration with bizarre interpretations of the law that often come down to “if the President does it it is legal”. I can’t imagine a non-Constitutional lawyer making some of the decisions he has. Certainly not with the bravado.

  10. The WH Press Corp is an insular group. More than any part of the MSM, they have coddled Obama. The incestuous nature always is troubling, but this Corp. has been in the tank since day one. That said, the WH Press Corp. are PISSED about this Cartagena prostitute scandal. They were flat ass lied to when told there were no WH staff involved. The Washington Post broke the story of a 25 year old WH aide playing hide the salami w/ a Colombian prostitute. He is the son of a wealthy donor and HHS appointee. The person who conducted the WH cover up err, “investigation is Kathy Ruemmler. Ms. Ruemmler was on the short list to replace Holder. I don’t know if conducting a phony “investigation” drops her from the list or, w/ this Chicago WH, moves her up the list. But, here’s the kicker. This WH aide was given a job w/ a UN commission on WOMEN ISSUES. He’s been porkin’ prostitutes around the globe since Colombia. Of course, the reason this story was buried was because of the 2012 election.

    The liberals here are pissed that JT is merely reporting the truth on Obama. That’s why they’ve been so cranky. Hell, there are plenty of blogs where they blame W for everything, hang out there for your red meat.

  11. This may be more about our undemocratic system of campaign finance reform and gerrymandering that drive politicians of both parties creating a ruling class that no longer represents citizens.

    It’s hard to believe the GOP political machine would have been any better if they had been in power. Bush would have loved Obama’s assault on our Bill of Rights.

  12. The “free press” didn’t keep Bush from getting elected a second time.

    As to Mr. Risen, what is being done to him is outrageous. Someone needs to send the president a copy of the Constitution. Unfortunately for our country, the Democrats have been silenced on this and many other issues and that is not good. Republicans don’t care as their policies and their antipathy to the press is well known. As a result, we seem to have bipartisan support for shutting down reporters who dare to speak truth to power and we now have people like Chris Todd in charge of “Meet the Press”.

    Attacks on reporters and whistleblowers erode the legitimacy of the government . We need a truly free press for our democracy to flourish and we need an informed electorate. We seem to have neither.

  13. Obama cannot handle a press corps that he cannot handle. A free press it too free. Actually, a truly free press would have kept him from being elected a second time. The MSM has no one to blame but themselves for the place they are in. PBS is just as bias as the rest. I have to go to Europe to get my news on the United States.

  14. Sure there are Fox and MSNBC and others that have obvious or devious leanings – but there are also press outlets that are striving to “do it right” such as PBS NEWSHOUR and BBC News. And thanks to the Internet I no longer need digest my news sources from only those ideological driven sources of drivel and panic. As a true news consumer and not somebody simply seeking to reinforce my own narrow views of the world I can enjoy a wealth of news sources.

    I do know, however, that many only seek that which reinforces there own viewpoints. They will forever gravitate to whatever biased or slanted outlet appeals to them.

  15. The Media Is The Message. Those of us who do not like some aspects of The Media do not rally around the flag of The Press. The words “The Press” reflect back on a time when newspapers were the central force. Now it is the likes of Fox News and all the news that’s fit to itShay. Fox News is the mouthpiece of the Lee Atwater types who run the RepubliCon Party. Koch Brothers prevail.

  17. Emperors don’t like chatter among the people…
    … Empire thrives on loyalty and war, it’s security.

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