NYT's Keller Admits Paper 'Late to Rev. Wright' in 2008, But Claims It Handled Story Well
The New York Times’s outgoing Executive Editor Bill Keller received some pushback on his recently posted column that demanded, in rather insulting fashion, that the media more aggressively question the religious views of the G.O.P. candidates.
Times Watch and others noted that his paper was hardly a model of journalistic assertiveness during the spring of 2008, when Barack Obama endured political controversy over the racially inflammatory and conspiracy-minded Rev. Jeremiah Wright, Obama's minister at Trinity United Church of Christ. Keller responded via Twitter on Friday morning:
Yes, Dems should be asked about their faith (and influences) too. We were late to Rev. Wright in '08, but we got there, and did it well.
Did they really? Times Watch’s coverage from March 2008 finds Keller half-right; his paper was late to the story, glossing over Wright’s rants on the attacks of September 11 and leaving off his notorious “God damn America” quote for months. But they did not cover it particularly well even after they woke up, instead comparing Obama's politically necessary political address on the matter to speeches on civil rights by JFK, LBJ, even Abraham Lincoln. The Times showed unseemly eagerness not only to help Obama move on from Wright, but to paint the confrontation to his political advantage against a racially challenged G.O.P.
Reporters Larry Rohter and Michael Luo glowingly redited candidate Obama’s speech with trying to start a conversation on race in the March 20, 2008 "Groups Respond to Obama's Call for National Discussion About Race." “Religious groups and academic bodies, already receptive to Mr. Obama's plea for such a dialogue, seemed especially enthusiastic. Universities were moving to incorporate the issues Mr. Obama raised into classroom discussions and course work, and churches were trying to find ways to do the same in sermons and Bible studies.”
A March 23, 2008 Week in Review piece by Janny Scott contrasted Obama, who “spoke with seriousness and gravity and at length” about race to Republicans who used code words to win elections: “Race did not disappear entirely from presidential campaigns; it went under cover. It lay buried in code phrases like ‘crime in the streets,’ ‘states' rights,’ and ‘welfare mothers.’”
The celebration of Obama's speech on race even continued into Easter Sunday, in a front-page story by religion reporters Laurie Goodstein and Neela Banerjee. The Times canvassed pastors at mostly urban liberal churches to see how Obama's speech would politicize -- I mean, enrich--their Easter sermons, in "Obama Talk Fuels Easter Sermons -- Some Religious Leaders Interweave Race and Resurrection."
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Comments
The NYT never covered the
Submitted by Beukeboom on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 3:05pm.
The NYT never covered the Jeremiah Wright saga well at all. In fact their coverage deserves a failing grade.
brainwashed again
Submitted by russedav on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 3:07pm.
For those who prefer truth to propaganda, in the real world that few inhabit in our blind PC age, there's never been such a thing as "races" plural since all are descended from God's creature and son Adam. See "One blood" at www.creation.com. The "race" fraud is a depraved invention of the religious derangement of evolutionists like CLERGYMAN Darwin, disguised as science. http://creation.com/one-blood-foreword-and-preface
Hey President Downgrade... Your Lackeys Are Whining Again
Submitted by Motormouth KOS on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 3:35pm.
I can't think of anything more reprehensible than your constant hiding behind the skirt of alleged racism. Although I have no doubt that some very small percentage (i.e., ~5%) of those who don't like you, don't like you because you are black, you have constantly hid behind race as a means to diminish your critics.
You spent 20 years in "church" with this racist hate-monger and you somehow never heard him say anything. And then you "lectured" us on race, as if you were some kind of beacon. I wanted to kick you back to Chicago then and I do now.
That behavior makes you worse than a blatant racist, because you are supposed to be so brilliant and enlightened. I make this comment here, because the NYT and your other hordes of media lackeys are all too happy to play the card and I never see your gutless ass stepping up and saying "Enough".
You are a gutless, empty-headed fool. I know how fashionable it has been for you and your liberal canaries to bump your gums about Bush, but here is one thing he isn't...
A cowardly phony like you.
The Obamination... A crisis leading to a catastrophe..(please donate to MRC)
What a Joke
Submitted by tcm14 on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 3:53pm.
The Times only covered the Wright story when they were FORCED to by the rest of the media. The reason they were late on it was because they were hoping it would go away and they wouldn't have to report it at all.
Well
Submitted by KornKing on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 3:56pm.
As one of "the smart people" this clown will tell us what's relevant and what's not.
meet me at the mission at midnight
They covered UP the Wright story as long as they could.
Submitted by drsamherman on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 4:12pm.
Until other media sources scooped them and they looked foolish for not saying anything about it.
Keller just aided and abetted the media's fraud of Zero on the American public.
Keller is too ignorant
Submitted by dr-go on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 4:28pm.
to realize that he should always listen to the organ grinder and never the monkey. Rev Wright had quite a lot to say over the years and, as most who voted for Mr Obama now realize, just about all of it took hold. All of Mr Obama's peers have had significant influences over his thought process and it clearly shows. Not the kind of fellas I'd like my chief executive to pal with.
B+
Submitted by MES41067 on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 5:16pm.
I would give them a solid B+ said Barack Obama ;)
Covering?
Submitted by sherlock1 on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 5:26pm.
I don't think the Times even deserves to use the word "covering" for their efforts in diluting Obama's connection to Rev. Wright.
"Providing covering fire" would be more accurate!
Keller is a disgrace to his profession. Or would be, were his hypocricy not pretty much the norm in it.
New York Times?
Submitted by davehm on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 5:36pm.
I wonder how their circulation is doing these days?
http://www.theawl.com/2009/10/a-graphic-history-of-newspaper-circulation...
NYT's Keller - Rev Wright was charging Clinton's w/ racism
Submitted by Gary Hall on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 6:12pm.
NYT's Keller - Late to the game? But you covered it? Covered what?
If there was anything to cover here during the 2008 Democratic primary season, it was that the Rev. Wright was charging the Clinton's w/ racism.
Rev. Wright attacked the Clinton's - both of them - on the basis of how President Clinton had treated the black community and how Hillary Clinton would treat the black community if elected president.
Here's the transcript:
The clip shows Reverend Wright, ranting in hatred, thrusting his pelvis to and fro, suggesting that Hillary would be as Bill Clinton had; he'd , f---ed the black community "just as he did Monica Lewinski." Wright is charging the presidential candidate Senator Hillary Clinton will treat them the same way.
When the MSM, the New York Times, can't even breath politics without interjecting racism into the conversation, how in the world could Keller's NYT's, and the MSM, not put the questions to Obama, Hillary Clinton, and to Rev. Wright at the time?
Oh? Right. That would have caused controversy for the Democratic party - perhaps split the Democratic Convention down the middle.
Needless to say, had such occurred between a leading Republican candidate and his pastor -- well, we all know how the kind of rabid attention the MSM would have given it.
(;~> gary
Take out the lamestream
Submitted by 10ksnooker on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 6:18pm.
with Obama and put it next to the curve with the Styrofoam Temple pile.
It's all of no use now, just garbage, we need trillions to make up the damage this has caused America by Obama and his Obammunism.
As I recall, the NYT had to be dragged, flailing, kicking,...
Submitted by Dave. on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 6:21pm.
...and screaming into covering "Rev." Wright even a little bit.
Keller needs to move back to reality from his alternate universe.
-Dave
Vote for the American in November
The Wright stuff ...
Submitted by metaphorsbwithu on Fri, 08/26/2011 - 9:21pm.
I remember the entire msm's "coverage" very clearly.
It went something like this.
"Obama's pastor is like everyone's wacky uncle but a respected giant among the clergy of all faiths too.
"Obama wasn't even in church to hear those few "snippets" that keep getting looped endlessly and were taken out of context. He is actually a wonderful man of God and white people just don't get it.
"Obama gave the most wonderful speech ever delivered on the subject so it's over, explained, and done with.
"Now stop badgering Obama. You are a racist if you ever mention the subject again!"
Until Wright went on another rant exposing himself to be as described and poor Obama had to throw him under the bus and "regretfully" disassociate himself (but not reject) his church.
That about cover it?
Pefect
Submitted by stunned on Sat, 08/27/2011 - 2:57am.
Best summary of the NYT coverage of the Wright story I've seen
tired of liberal lies
And How much do they want it>
Submitted by LaVallette on Sat, 08/27/2011 - 2:14am.
The NYSlimes final Gotterdammerung wish before their garbage dispenser closes its doors:
The imposition of a religious test, against Christians in particular for anyone wishing to hold any public office.not only in the USA but anywhere in the world. The New Human right is not Freedom of Religion but Compulsory and legally enforcible freedom from Religion.
The Soviets particularly under Lenin and Stalin tied this in Russia and Eastern Europe. Soviet Communism is now in the garbage bin of history, Christianity again flourishes in Russia and Eastern Europe.
But the leftist, since the time of the French Revolution have learnt nothing and keep running the same experiments in godlessness..
Still waiting for the NYT
Submitted by almostacowboy on Sat, 08/27/2011 - 12:10pm.
to cover the Ayers/Dohrn/Obama connection.
naw, naw naw
Submitted by vcb-tn on Sun, 08/28/2011 - 10:24pm.
god bless america (?)....naw, naw, naw,....** america!
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/DemocraticDebate/story?id=4443788&page=1