Juan Williams: Press Aren't Treating Obama Like a Politician

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For the second time in less than 48 hours, NPR's Juan Williams accused the press of not doing their job in properly reporting the deeds and doings of America's new President Barack Obama.

Having accused the news media of "kowtowing to the Obama administration" during Friday's "Special Report" on FNC, Williams went even further on Sunday's "Fox News Sunday" (h/t Jennifer Rubin):

[W]hat really, you know, strikes me is the celebrity nature of the treatment, the coverage of him as a celebrity versus the policy-maker...So you know, the problem here is he's not being treated as a politician. The press is not being sufficiently adversarial, which is its role, to hold him accountable.

What follows is an embedded video of this entire extremely candid discusion of the press's abdication of journalistic integrity along with a transcript:

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(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: It wasn't easy coming up with fresh material for this dinner. A few nights ago, I was up tossing and turning, trying to figure out exactly what to say. Finally, when I couldn't get back to sleep, I rolled over and asked Brian Williams what he thought.

(LAUGHTER)

(END VIDEO CLIP)

CHRIS WALLACE, HOST: And that was President Obama at a dinner with reporters Friday making his own joke about what many believe is a sweetheart relationship between the White House and the mainstream media.

And we're back now with Stephen, Mara, Byron and Juan.

So let's go over the record, and let's put it up on the screen. CBS is running an interview today with Barack Obama, "An American Dad."

ABC is running coverage throughout the day on Wednesday of President Obama's health care plan including a prime-time town hall.

NBC just ran two specials, "Inside the Obama White House."

Tom Brokaw was named this week to a presidential commission.

And Newsweek has put Mr. Obama on the cover 19 times since 2004.

Steve Hayes, how do you explain all of that?

STEPHEN HAYES, THE WEEKLY STANDARD: A lot of people call Newsweek now "Obamaweek" because they've put him on so often. Look, I mean, clearly, his joke about rolling over and finding Brian Williams is more than just a joke. I mean, I think the sense is -- and you've provided evidence that it's true -- that he's in bed -- the media are in bed with Barack Obama.

I don't think there's any question that he's had better treatment than any president in recent memory, in decades.

WALLACE: And why do you think that is?

HAYES: Well, I think there are two reasons. One, I think people are genuinely cheering for him. I mean, I think this -- he is breaking barriers, and there's something genuinely exciting about that that journalists are not supposed to allow to affect their coverage, but they do.

And secondly, there's a clear ideological affinity for Barack Obama and his programs. And we've seen that in the discussions of -- in the debates that have taken place over the first six months.

I mean, think about the torture debate. There's a debate about the language to be used there. Is it enhanced interrogations or is it torture? And everybody, with unanimity, across the media call it torture. They've made a decision. There's a debate going on. They're not part of it. They're on one side of it.

WALLACE: Let me add something to this, Mara. It isn't just the amount of coverage. It's also the tone. And let's put up on the screen a recent analysis that was done of Obama's first 100 days in media coverage.

Forty-two percent of the coverage of Obama's first 100 days has been positive, as compared to 22 percent for George W. Bush in his first 100 days, and 27 percent for Bill Clinton. Again, how come?

MARA LIASSON, NPR: Look, I think that there's definitely something to this kind of aura of incredible celebrity and excitement. And you know, you go to any newsstand, and it's a sea of Obama faces, and then there's a shelf for Bo and another shelf for Michelle, but -- and people are truly fascinated.

On the other hand, some of those numbers are reflective of -- look, Bill Clinton had an incredibly chaotic first 100 days. There was a pratfall every other day to cover. George Bush was the result of -- I'm assuming that was the first term -- was the result of...

WALLACE: Yes.

LIASSON: ... a contested election. And Barack Obama came in as a real majority winner. He has a big majority in Congress.

WALLACE: Oh, come on, (inaudible) some of it is because he's got liberal ideas?

LIASSON: Yes, there's definitely some of it. But when he starts -- when his programs run into trouble, there was a headline in the New York Times next week, you know, "Obama's Plans Hit," you know, "Obstacles ," or, "Snags." I mean, when there is opposition, it should be and I think is covered by the media.

And it's hard to talk about the media as just one thing, because it's not. He is popular. And I think as soon as things turn for him, the media, like lemmings, will turn, too, unfortunately.

WALLACE: Byron?

BYRON YORK, WASHINGTON EXAMINER: You know, this has led to a certain undertone of contempt from Obama to the press. Did you -- I felt that in the Brian Williams joke and at the earlier White House Correspondents Dinner. Obama said, "Most of you covered me. All of you voted for me."

But the Pew poll that you mentioned earlier about the positive coverage said that in this case, in Obama's case, as was not the case with Bush or Clinton, an enormous amount of the coverage focused on the president's personal characteristics, his personal appeal, rather than his policy stuff, what he actually wants to do.

And the question and the test for the press is going to come this summer where we do have a huge debate over health care. I guess ABC has voted already. But we are going to have a huge debate over health care, and will they really cover specifically what it is he wants to do?

JUAN WILLIAMS, NPR: I think there have been a couple of changes that have taken place in the media universe -- for example, the Internet. I think the Obama team has made masterful use of that. I think their communication strategy has been terrific.

But what really, you know, strikes me is the celebrity nature of the treatment, the coverage of him as a celebrity versus the policy- maker.

And if you look at the NBC ratings -- and this is, you know, just the hard fact -- they got 9 million people to watch "Inside the Obama White House." Well, once they cash in like that, then everybody else is going to belly up to the table, too.

And similarly, the reason he's getting these magazine covers is apparently there's this great thirst. You look at the newspapers in the country -- on Inauguration Day, they all had special sections, and they continue to sell those special sections.

So you know, the problem here is he's not being treated as a politician. The press is not being sufficiently adversarial, which is its role, to hold him accountable. And part of this, I think, goes back to the campaign.

I think a lot of people think, "Well, he's a black man. He's the president of the United States. This is unbelievable. This is historic. We better get on the bandwagon. We better get on the right side of history."

But that's not the role that the press should play. And just the way that you can condemn someone because of their race or because of difference, I fear that they're now celebrating him and hold him -- holding him and Michelle up to unreasonable standards and that they will jump off.

WALLACE: Steve, I think that Juan puts -- raises a really interesting question. How much of this is liberal association, and how much is just pure greed?

The fact is that Obama, whether you like him or not, sells magazines. He draws viewers. As Juan rightly points out, those two Brian Williams specials, "Inside the Obama White House," were in the top 10 highest-rated shows on TV that week.

HAYES: Yeah, no question. I think it's actually both, and I would -- I would add a third category to that. I think there is, in Washington in particular, a huge "do something" bias where governments are faced with problems, and there's a push for politicians and particularly presidents to do something to solve the problems, even when the right answer might be for politicians to step back and actually do nothing.

Now, he is doing something on a level that we haven't seen forever. But I think one of the reasons that Mara can cite a New York Times headline that says he's having trouble is because it's the exception, not the rule.

And if you look at the first two months of coverage, the New York Times had 73 percent of front-page stories that were favorable. I mean, that is extraordinary.

WALLACE: So, Mara, you've seen presidents come and go. How long does the honeymoon last, and...

LIASSON: I think the honeymoon is probably going to wind down some time this fall. If he was -- if the media was in charge of everything, why has the public plan, you know, hit a road block? Why isn't his health care plan sailing through? His own Democrats can't agree. If everything was...

WALLACE: Well, I don't know that they're saying the media is in charge of everything, but they certainly seem to be supportive of a lot of his...

LIASSON: Well, but I don't think that the -- that the problems with his health care plan and the intense opposition to pretty big parts of it have been ignored.

YORK: Even with the positive coverage, the public has opposed some things. They opposed Guantanamo. They very much oppose what he has done with the car companies.

And when substance actually enters the debate and they can't just cover the dog and Mrs. Obama's arms, people will oppose that.

WALLACE: Having said that, they put up a picture of the dog, Bo. Pretty cute. As I've said, this is a no -- we don't slam Bo here. Thank you, panel. See you next week.

—Noel Sheppard is the Associate Editor of NewsBusters. Follow him at Facebook and Twitter.


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"I guess ABC has voted

"I guess ABC has voted already."

Nice spike, Williams. Must be something in that Fox water. You're beginning to sound like you're thinking outside the lib box! Welcome to real journalism.

Where has Juan been...?

"The press is not being sufficiently adversarial, which is its role, to hold him accountable."

That  was the press we'll read about in the history books.  Not today's press.  The new press works for the White House and are just large PR firms.  They don't even try to pretend to be impartial.  In the past the media was always trying to outdo each other in attempts to be rude to Pres. Bush but now  it is as if they are in competition to see who can suck up to Obama the most.

Rush coined it right.  They are the state run media.

 

Hey Janet Napolitano...I'm proud to be a Right-winger.

WILLIAMS -one of the libs I always liked

He has always struck me as being reasonable and willing to think. In spite of his liberal leanings, he's a solid journalist.

After the revolution....

 he may be spared.

 

Hey Janet Napolitano...I'm proud to be a Right-winger.

Don't forget

Hey, when The Revolution starts, don't forget me!  I'll be here in Texas, ready, clinging to my religion, my guns, AND my freedom!

Juan has moments of lucidity.

  Smartiness does rub off. Must be all that sitting next to Charles Krauthammer. 

Sincerely,

a Veteran of a 1000 psychic wars.

One question

Was Juan at the latest press love-in?

The proof is in their

The proof is in their laughter at the President's Brian Williams quip.

They know their relationship with him, and they are not even embarrassed by it; they don't care.

They are shameless.

I didn't think it was physically possible, but this both sucks and blows.  -Bart Simpson

 

Juan! Juan!

Comes towards the light!

While I don't agree with

While I don't agree with Juan very often, I like him.

Again about Juan Williams

Don't believe this devout leftist has seen the light.

He once sang praises for Arafat to such an extreme that Brit Hume was about to hit him during one of the old Special Report roundtable discussions a few years back. No joke . . Juan blathered on about the good things Arafat had (supposedly) done and Brit reminded him about the PLO and terrorist attacks. Juan kept going and Brit raised from his seat, leaned over the table toward Juan and barely controlled his anger about Arafat.

Juan quieted down. I would have loved to have been invisible and heard the 'discussion' off record during the commercial time!

 

Isaiah 5:20a Woe unto them who call evil good, and good evil. . .  KJV

Re Seen the Light

I remember that one. Juan has a measure of intellectual honesty which I appreciate, but he can also be a moonbat at times. In a way he's unpredictable, but it may be because he's basically not that bright.

now what?

 Alright, so they're acknowledging the unhealthy obsession with Obama and the fact that they report on his celebrity more than his policies... so what are they going to do about it? It's hard for me to believe there will really be much of a change.

 

www.endthebias.com

Still in Denial

As someone else pointed out, don't be fooled here. Let's look at the language:

"HAYES - One, I think people are genuinely cheering for him. I mean, I think this -- he is breaking barriers, and there's something genuinely exciting about that that journalists are not supposed to allow to affect their coverage, but they do."

What barriers? Race? That's one...and it's purely a racist position.

"MARA LIASSON, NPR: Look, I think that there's definitely something to this kind of aura of incredible celebrity and excitement. And you know, you go to any newsstand, and it's a sea of Obama faces, and then there's a shelf for Bo and another shelf for Michelle, but -- and people are truly fascinated."

The aura was created by the press and she fails to distinguish this. What people are "truly fascinated"? The people who voted for him? That's only 53% of the public and he's getting far more than that in positive coverage. Just because his voter base buys their propaganda more than any other voter base has done does not mean he warrants different coverage. His poll numbers (minus the skewed ones) have never suggested the coverage is justified.

"WALLACE: Oh, come on, (inaudible) some of it is because he's got liberal ideas?

LIASSON: Yes, there's definitely some of it. But when he starts -- when his programs run into trouble, there was a headline in the New York Times next week, you know, "Obama's Plans Hit," you know, "Obstacles ," or, "Snags." I mean, when there is opposition, it should be and I think is covered by the media.

And it's hard to talk about the media as just one thing, because it's not. He is popular. And I think as soon as things turn for him, the media, like lemmings, will turn, too, unfortunately."

Just because a headline in the NYT suggests there is trouble, doesn't mean there is adequate reporting. He is no more popular than any other president was at this stage in his term.

The press dictated the election and the press will dictate when things "turn for him".

Also note that if things or the press were to turn for him, that it would be "unfortunate".

"WILLIAMS: And if you look at the NBC ratings -- and this is, you know, just the hard fact -- they got 9 million people to watch "Inside the Obama White House."

Getting 9 million of your voter base is hardly an accomplishment. It's also hard to say how many of those were rubberneckers.

And similarly, the reason he's getting these magazine covers is apparently there's this great thirst. You look at the newspapers in the country -- on Inauguration Day, they all had special sections, and they continue to sell those special sections.

Again - voter base.

These guys are close, but I don't know if they're still missing the mark because they're only just now waking up or because they're still in denial.

...he's not being treated as a politician

  • He has been silent on Iran
  • He has just changed his campaign pledge to post bills online 5 days before signing
  • Rasmussen approval poll

News media silence?

JDW

DAILY WAVE

When people fear their government there is tyranny.

When government fears the people there is liberty.

Juan is still speaking out

Juan is still speaking out today....I heard him on some radio show, may have been Brian and the Judge.

Glad Juan does speak the truth how he sees it....he's been attacked before by the left, his own side of the aisle....he no longer cares.

Good for him!

Doubling down on stupid is not a particularly good idea. ~Andrew Breitbart

Juan seems to be letting

Juan seems to be letting the FNN crew rub off on him,,,guess he doesn't hang around Geraldo and Shep too much.

Come to the Light Side, Juan...save youself!

One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 61% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory (yep...approval for Congress now at 39%...do you believe that!?).

Williams --> Limbaugh?

WILLIAMS:  I think a lot of people think, "Well, he's a black man.  He's the President of the United States.  This is unbelievable.  This is historic.  We better get on the bandwagon.  We better get on the right side of history."

LIMBAUGH:  I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL.  The media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well.  There is a little hope invested in McNabb. 

At its core, what's the difference?

And why do I get the feeling that somewhere in the bowels of the Media Matters offices (was that redundant?), a debate is going on........."Should we go after Williams--he's on Faux News!"  "Yeah, but he's sort of a liberal--we're only supposed to go after conservatives, right?  And Limbaugh was a far juicier target."

I don't care for Juan Williams and his Liberal opinions...

so I usually zip through him just as I do commercials on my DVR, so I generally miss the occasional times he might be right.  In baseball, he would be a .220 hitter.  There is a guy named Mark Lamont Hill who unfortunately shows up on the Factor from time to time who is hitless as well as clueless.  I never miss a thing when I zip by him.  Jim Webster

No, they're treating him like a god!

Mr. Williams has it all wrong.  The media has been treating "Ears"  like a god ever since he entered the Presidential campaign in 2007...and it seems to be getting worse every day! 

Juan Williams

I respect Juan Williams because he is an honest journalist. I don't always agree with his personal positions, but they are well reasoned and often times insighful without being dogmatic. It's nice to see him take the MSM and folks on his side to task for not digging deeply enough into the news or for responding dogmatically with editorial comments.