Editor's note: Howard Kurtz is the host of CNN's "Reliable Sources."
(CNN) – The press has turned on President Obama with a vengeance.
Suddenly, the White House briefing room is filled with confrontational questions. Suddenly, the news pages are ablaze with scandal, and the commentators - even some of the president's usual defenders - are bemoaning his shortcomings. Suddenly, Obama isn't getting the benefit of the doubt.
According to Obama's longtime detractors, the denizens of the fourth estate are finally climbing out of a tank in which they have been immersed since roughly 2007. But the reality is a bit more nuanced than that.
There are a number of unsavory allegations swirling around Washington, but do not underestimate the importance of the Justice Department seizing two months of Associated Press phone records without so much as a heads-up. This not only seems like a case of prosecutorial overreach, even in a case involving national security, it strikes at the heart of what journalists do - and has fostered feelings of betrayal. Does the administration not understand the chilling effect on reporters and their sources, they wonder, or simply not care?
Read more of Howie's two cents here.
Jennifer Rubin, David Shuster & Howard Kurtz look at the media’s criticism of the Obama administration in the wake of allegations of IRS misconduct.
Editor's note: Howard Kurtz is the host of CNN's "Reliable Sources."
(CNN) – The media verdict is in: Barack Obama is cursed.
Less than four months after taking the oath of office for the second time, he is seen as falling prey to some mysterious witchcraft that casts a fatal spell on re-elected presidents.
"Will Obama suffer the 'second-term curse'?" asks the Washington Post.
"President Obama stares down the second-term curse," says Politico. And such stories ricocheted onto NBC's "Today" show, on which, we learned, "some observers" are questioning whether "Mr. Obama is falling victim to the second-term curse."
One can almost conjure up a bubbling cauldron of black smoke with a wand-wielding wizard laughing diabolically.
Read more of Howie's two cents here.
Ryan Lizza, Lynn Sweet and Howard Kurtz examine this week’s coverage of the Boston bombing investigation and discuss President Obama’s Tuesday press conference.
By Laura Koran, CNN
Reliable Sources is continuing to focus its critical lens on the media coverage of the Boston bombings. Tune in Sunday for that! Until then, here are some of the other stories that caught our attention this week.
Will Obama go for the punchline? Politicians and Hollywood celebrities will be bumping elbows Saturday night at the annual White House Correspondent’s Dinner. The event is usually an opportunity for the president to take a lighter tone, poking fun at his political opponents and folks in the media. But with somber news stories such as the Boston terrorist attack and the fertilizer plant explosion in Texas still dominating the headlines, some are wondering whether the President should skip the comedy routine this year. Striking the proper balance between humor and solemnity could prove a difficult balancing act, as previous presidents have learned.
How news becomes #news: A growing number of people are turning to social media sites like Twitter and Facebook for information in lieu of traditional news sources, perhaps for good reason. When bombs went off near the Boston Marathon finish line last week, the news was on Twitter almost instantly. That case emphasized what many in the news business have already come to accept: that social media sites can be invaluable tools in the collection and dissemination of news. Traditional outlets are taking note, developing strategies to harness the power of social media. In the wake of the Boston bombings, Andrew Springer, senior editor for social media at ABC News and Dean Praetorius, senior editor at The Huffington Post took questions from the blog AllFacebook on how their organizations cultivate a social media presence and use that presence to cover breaking news.
For the inside-the-beltway reader: The release of a new book by New York Times writer Mark Leibovich, which chronicles life in insiders’ DC, is over two months away, but that hasn’t stopped Mike Allen and Jim VandeHei of Politico from speculating about who “should worry most about his book.” The pair (the former of whom was profiled by Leibovich in 2010) started the speculation in an article on Thursday, which has received its own share of criticism from those who say the article is, in itself, a classic example of the Washington self-absorption the book aims to expose.
Erin McPike, Roger Simon, Matt Lewis and Howard Kurtz on President Obama’s flattering description of Kamala Harris; friendly joke or over the line?
Gail Shister, Marisa Guthrie and Howard Kurtz on the release of intriguing excerpts from a new biography of Fox News chief Roger Ailes.
As more contentious exchanges with reporters are revealed, Ryan Lizza, Dana Milbank and Howard Kurtz discuss whether the Obama White House is being too tough with the media.
An exclusive interview with Stuart Stevens, former senior strategist for Mitt Romney's 2012 campaign.
After the press are denied access to President Obama’s golf outing with Tiger Woods, Bill Plante, Julie Mason, David Zurawik and Howard Kurtz discuss how open this White House has been to the fourth estate.
Now more than ever, the press is a part of every story it covers. And CNN's "Reliable Sources" is one of television's only regular programs to examine how journalists do their jobs and how the media affect the stories they cover. Host Howard Kurtz is the nation's premier media critic, and each week he questions print reporters, television correspondents and Internet bloggers about how the press is covering the major stories of the week.
Tune in every Sunday at 11am ET.
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertise with us | About us | Help | Advertising Practices
