Critics blasted President Joe Biden’s campaign team for an apparent attempt to pressure major media outlets like The New York Times into providing coverage that would do more to aid them in their re-election efforts.
Axios national political correspondent Alex Thompson shared a screenshot of an email from the Biden campaign, highlighting and quoting a passage that took direct aim at the NYT: “For the political press corp – especially our friends at the Gray Lady – it’s time to meet the moment and responsibly inform the electorate of what their lives might look like if the leading GOP candidate for president is allowed back in the White House.”
Inbox: Biden campaign singles out the NYT.
“For the political press corp – especially our friends at the Gray Lady – it’s time to meet the moment and responsibly inform the electorate of what their lives might look like if the leading GOP candidate for president is allowed back… pic.twitter.com/gSKSmPhtHS— Alex Thompson (@AlexThomp) November 14, 2023
Critics were not impressed by what appeared to be an overt attempt by a sitting president and his election campaign to influence and drive negative press coverage about his likely opponent.
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“You know things are going well when you start publicly trying to work the refs to give you better press coverage. When you have Dem heavyweights like David Axelrod telling Biden to step aside you should recognize that the problem isn’t the New York Times coverage,” Republican communications strategist Matt Whitlock posted, referencing Axelrod’s recent comments suggesting that Biden might not be up to the task.
You know things are going well when you start publicly trying to work the refs to give you better press coverage.
When you have Dem heavyweights like David Axelrod telling Biden to step aside you should recognize that the problem isn't the New York Times coverage. https://t.co/oCf6kYwqvm
— Matt Whitlock (@mattdizwhitlock) November 14, 2023
“Translation: ‘Why isn’t the press doing more to overtly campaign on our behalf?'” Mark Hemingway commented.
“Shorter Biden campaign to NYT: ‘Be the political activists you must be in order to save democracy… and stop reporting your own polls, dammit!'” conservative columnist Joe Concha added.
Shorter Biden campaign to NYT: "Be the political activists you must be in order to save democracy… and stop reporting your own polls, dammit!" https://t.co/VV47t8hs1B
— Joe Concha (@JoeConchaTV) November 15, 2023
“Team Biden sounds a little nervous. And imagine thinking the media doesn’t carry enough of their water already,” Doug Powers pointed out.
Team Biden sounds a little nervous. And imagine thinking the media doesn’t carry enough of their water already. https://t.co/wUqOQqcO3o
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) November 15, 2023
“The Biden campaign is openly telling the media how to cover one of their political opponents, which feels like exactly the kind of thing the media would be ferociously screaming about as an unacceptable incursion on the free press if it was coming from a Republican,” Outkick writer Ian Miller said.
The Biden campaign is openly telling the media how to cover one of their political opponents, which feels like exactly the kind of thing the media would be ferociously screaming about as an unacceptable incursion on the free press if it was coming from a Republican https://t.co/oA9OJ9WWl9
— Ian Miller (@ianmSC) November 15, 2023