Obama's New Best Friend: Huffington Post

MarketWatch Media Columnist Jon Friedman Wonders If Obama Was Repaying A Political Favor?

(MarketWatch)  This analysis was written by MarketWatch media columnist Jon Friedman

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How did Huffington Post, a Web site featuring bloggers who lean overtly to the left, become President Barack Obama's new best friend in the media?

At a recent press conference, Obama shook up the print, television and radio establishment when he called on Huffington Post reporter Sam Stein to ask a question, which for the record, focused on how the president stood on a proposal to prosecute members of the Bush administration.

Was it an example of Obama recognizing a scrappy beacon of the increasingly prominent Internet journalism community? Or was it a way to thank to an organization that was in his corner when he ran against Republican Sen. John McCain?

Leveling the playing field

With one swift gesture, Obama placed Huffington Post on the nation's big stage, right alongside the New York Times, the Washington Post, and the television networks. It was a clear indication that this White House, which has vowed to be all-inclusive, was determined to extend courtesy and respect to a -- gasp! -- new media company known for its blogging.

"I have noticed the reaction to it," Stein told me. "It's not unexpected. There had been a tradition of which reporters get to ask questions to the president. It's historical, and worth noting. I'm happy. It's a refection of how the media landscape is changing in a good way. There are more outlets, different viewpoints and different questions."

For veteran media watchers, Obama's action was a signal, at the very least, that he would be doing things differently than his predecessor.

"President Obama calling on a Huffington Post reporter is only 'revolutionary' if our frame of reference is President George W. Bush," noted Ken Auletta, the New Yorker media critic.

Or, perhaps, Obama could be repaying a debt. During the Obama-McCain presidential campaign, Huffington Post was one of the Democrats' staunchest media allies. Huffington Post made Salon look like the National Review -- and that's perfectly fine.

Just as Fox News (which is, like MarketWatch, owned by News Corp.) and General Electric's MSNBC divide the political audience on cable TV, Huffington Post shrewdly staked out its Internet territory for liberals.

Achieving legitimacy

Understandably, Stein is sensitive to suggestions that he and Huffington Post give Obama a free pass.

"We have written critical stories on the Obama administration and his campaign before, including breaking the 'Bittergate' piece about his comments on guns and religion in San Francisco," Stein said.

For his part, Stein could do without being branded a trailblazer among bloggers. He prefers to view it as the administration's acknowledgement that Huffington Post is a legitimate alternative to newspapers, magazines, TV stations and radio outlets.

"We do good reporting and we break news," he said. "Huffington Post has earned legitimacy."

That point was confirmed Wednesday night when Arianna Huffington, founder and editor-in-chief of the operation, discussed the financial crisis and yukked it up with Jay Leno, a sure sign that Huffington has become a celebrity journalist.

In fact, Huffington Post threw a ball during the inauguration festivities last month in Washington. It was one of the best-attended parties in town.

Perhaps a lot of the debate centers on professional jealousy. Huffington Post has come a long way in a short time. It's now part of the White House's dialogue with the American people. Suddenly, it matters what the blogs on the site are saying about the president.

In fact, you might say that Tina Brown's Daily Beast, Michael Wolff's Newser and Sharon Waxman's The Wrap have all followed Huffington Post's lead online.

I believe it's wrong for naysayers to suggest that Obama was helping out Huffington Post. I'm a fan. The site does good, solid work.

Stein just shakes his head when someone implies hat Obama only wanted to show his appreciation for Arianna Huffington's loyalty.

"That's silly," Stein said. "He's not paying me back in any way."

MEDIA WEB QUESTION OF THE DAY: Did Obama allow Stein to ask a question because he was acknowledging Huffington Post's strong journalism record or paying off a debt?

[ToddDi]

I agree with you!
Todd DiRoberto
http://www.topix.com/content/prweb/2009/07/todd-diroberto-of-american-satellite-hosts-independence-day-charity

[blindersoff]

He may have been "repaying" a favor. Just like George Bush used to call on Fox and also there was a fake reporter that only had credentials from the White House that was asking made up soft ball questions. Jeff Gannon, the former gay escort reporter. True story, look it up.

[ozus]

It's gratuitous comment to say Huffington Post is not in Obama's corner. When it is not slobbering all over him, it is attacking him from the left.

It is pushing a point of view that would be more at home in her homeland of Greece in its socialist days than any traditions of American thought.

To give a propaganda-based organization prominence at a news conference cheapens the concept of Presidential news conferences.

Thank God Hunter S. Thompson is dead.

[darrren12000]

New best friend? Huffo was Obama's best friend starting in the primaries. Huffo bloggers bashed Clinton to a pulp. After she conceded and they wanted to shame Dems who said they would vote for McCain, they started rehabilitating her image. Now, she's just peachy. She still ranks under Obama, but she's probably the second or third most beloved individual on the blog.

[dumdnc]

allzwell-as an ex-dem for most of my life just explain the dems actions during the Bush administration. What did they do "to help" the other side. Why, I do remember pelosi, reid, dodd and the rest of the "trolls" (to use your words)coming out and saying they would obstruct anything Bush tried to do. How do you explain the vile lies told about our military (murtha). I have never seen nor heard such vile language and actions from a political party in my life. Take the Social Security issue. Bush suggested allowing US, the taxpayer, to put up to 5% of SS funds (our money)in a private account. YOUR side lied and the lie was taken up by your media saying he wanted to privatize the entire program. That was an outright lie!! And yes, even with obama crashing to market since he's been in, I would rather have the choice of handling at least part of my hard earned money.
So, ex-republican, drink the koolaid.

[dumdnc]

What has Palin got to do with this story?? Good grief people, get over it or are you just a bit frightened of her? Either way, she is a non entity at this point.
gdmbush-you really need to cite some sources on your stupid remark about the msm loving Bush. My God, the man was vilified for what he did, didn't do, should have done, should have said, did say. Why, they even demeaned him for exercising!!! You want a love affair, take a look at what happened during the campaign and the very fact that mathews (tingle up his leg)came out and said he would do "everything in his power to make the obama administration a huge success". That's a direct quote.
Drink some more koolaid.

[sickofpalin]

Patteman

You are an idiot like Palin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[sickofpalin]

The HP is the best web page for news and opinion.

Good, Good, Good!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[spiritwalk]

But the Huffington Post is a news organization as well as being a blog.
Posted by JosephP5
.......................
It is neither, but tries to be both.

When Huffington Post is criticized for being less than fully informative, she defends it by saying it is a blog and is there to express opinion and not just present facts.

When someone posts something to the blog that "she" finds offensive she censors the post and justifies the censoring by saying they are a news organization and must deal strictly in facts.

The consevative news/blog sites do the same. They criticize her for her hypocricy and she does the same to them.

All rather silly really.

[obamasuks]

gdmbsh - What fvcking country or on what planet have you been living on for the last eight years? Saying Bush was the mainstream medias darling for the last eight years, is like saying the MSM wasn't in the tank for Obama and wasn't the major defining factor that got him elected by falling all over themselves whenever he spewed his BS of hope and change. He11 even one of the messiahs sychophant sheep, Gwen Ifill capitalized on the history making election by writing a book on Obama BEFORE he was even elected, no bias there eh? The Huffington post is just a covert liberal rag disguising themselves as a news organization who cares about this country. And Ariana Huffington is noting more than a liberal a$$-kissing ho!

[gdmbush]

This is great news, Now all Obama has to do is make the other major news sources his "best friend" just like gwbsh did. Bsh was in office 8 years and major news media were his best friends, they never questioned, presented the facts, or a different view point. Poor Bsh, now the only "best friend" he's got is FIX News.

[platteman]

you can put lipstick on a pig, it is still a pig which is what the huffington post really is. if the huffington post were published, it cold be used just like the old sears catalogue, in the outhouse.

[opedanderson]

Journalism as we know it, is dead in America. This last election was a disgrace to fair and balanced journalism. And, I fear, there is no turning back.

I propose that the only recourse now is to demand that organizations label their biases out in the open so that consumers can make informed choices regarding what media they wish to watch.

Warning labels like we see on packs of smokes......

[drputt45]

Maybe, just maybe, he knew the question Stein was going to ask. It took the light off him for a moment and back on people's opinion of Bush. (Independent here, no love for either Obama or Bush.)

[allzwell]

As an ex-Republican, I wish you right wing trolls would chill out and moderate your hateful rhetoric... you're doing nothing to bring the moderates back into the fold. I have no use for Dems, but even less for people who for political ideals over patriotism, would rather see our country suffer than lift a hand to help the other party help us all. I see the Republican party turning into a subversive organization and I'm horrified! I thought you guys were going to get your wits about you and tone down the BS that drove us all away... sigh.

[josephp5]

This article is written in a way to emphasize a Republican talking point: that blogs like the Huffington Post are simply friends and partners with the Obama administration.

It is true that the Huffington Post has a liberal viewpoint. Founder Arianna Huffington has supported liberal causes and endorsed Obama during the election.

But the Huffington Post is a news organization as well as being a blog. Sam Stein, a Columbia School of Journalism Masters graduate, is a respected reporter who has experience at Newsweek and The New York Daily News. Certainly, he has the reporting stature to be called on during an Obama news conference.

And Stein's articles at Huffington Post are not exclusively pro-Obama. For instance, during the election Stein reported on the feeling of betrayal that liberal blogs had over Obama's support for the Telecom Immunity bill after initially being against it.

Like any news organization with an editorial page, The Huffington Post may support Obama editorially, but it also must maintain journalistic integrity to perform its reporting function.

This gushing article, with its "Obams's Best New Friend" meme, is meant diminish the stature of liberal blogs in general. It means to make sites like The Huffington Post simply seem like the Democratic counterpart to Fox News, with its underlying mission to promote Republican candidates and positions.

[bobs1066]

They payed, they get to play. It's the Chicago way.

[perceptions5]

fyi.......McVet is extremely contaminated, don't waste your time........

Obama having this left-wing hate group (just one of the ones supporting the dirty Dems) in the front row for his press conference is EXACTLY like President Bush having Rush Limbaugh in the front row of one his press conferences.

.....What would America's liberal NAZI-like press had said about that?

[notblue]

McVet how is Obama leading? Please be more specific. Give us some examples.

[notblue]

There is no doubt which way the huffinton post leans, just another leftwing propoghanda publication. These outlets were very successful in swaying the sheep prior to the elections.