Media Blitz Continues As Obama Golfs 18 Holes With Tom Friedman

After his big five television interviews on Sunday, President Obama carved out an even larger slice of time for one print journalist, hitting the links for 18 holes of golf with New York Times columnist Tom Friedman.

The only other players, according to a pool report, were Ray Lahood, the Transportation Secretary, and Marvin Nicholson, a White House aide who previously worked on the Obama and Kerry campaigns.

Friedman joins a small, elite list of opinion journalists from traditional outlets who have been granted private -- and largely off the record -- audiences with The President. Back in January, Obama spent about 75 minutes with Friedman's Times colleagues Maureen Dowd and Frank Rich, along with National Journal's Ron Brownstein, Atlantic blogger Andrew Sullivan, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow and The Washington Post's E.J. Dionne and Eugene Robinson. That meeting balanced out a longer dinner for conservative opinion journalists from traditional outlets like The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post, such as George Will, Bill Kristol, David Brooks, Charles Krauthammer, Peggy Noonan and Paul Gigot.

Friedman retains a large, influential following on international and energy issues, so it's understandable that Obama found some quality time for him during this weekend press blitz, especially since the columnist missed the huddles in January. To date, however, it is striking that the White House's opinion media targets for these meetings are almost exclusively drawn from the op-ed pages of traditional newspapers. (Andrew Sullivan and Rachel Maddow, on the Right and the Left, are the main exceptions.) So far, there appears to be little interest in meetings for progressive media online, or progressive radio, or progressive opinion magazines -- from Mother Jones to American Prospect to yes, The Nation -- even though Obama's campaign excelled by looking well beyond traditional print media.

White House aides have previously countered these concerns by stressing that the President engages new media in his press conferences, and recently talked with bloggers in a health care conference call, and that he also engaged citizen media through several online town halls. All to the good. But when it comes to private time on the golf course, as Tom Friedman can tell you, the media world still ain't flat.

Comments (45)

1. "Friedman joins a small, elite list of opinion journalists from traditional outlets who have been granted private -- and largely off the record -- audiences with The President."

   Huh ???

   At the rate he's going we'll all have a private dinner with the prez before his tenure is over.

   Elite?? Nah. More like yours odds of winning a free ticket on an instant lottery game.

   BO is EVERYWHERE.

   Posted by bleedingheart at 09/20/2009 @ 8:26pm

2. Obama needs to go on Fox if he wants to get his message out. Preaching to the choir isn't going to get it done. Sit down with Sean Hannity like a man for and hour or at least O'Reilly and get the message out. Fox controls the ratings. This is common sense 101.

   Posted by gunslinger1 at 09/20/2009 @ 8:40pm

3. but phox is oh so crappy.

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2009 @ 8:51pm

4. oblahma.....

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2009 @ 8:52pm

5. Just a bunch of rich white guys paling around on the golf course.

   Posted by Citizen54 at 09/20/2009 @ 9:23pm

6. " Sit down with Sean Hannity like a man for and hour or at least O'Reilly and get the message out"

   like a man. right. only real mean sit down with serial liars and brainless macho type (who, btw, never served)

   anyone see hannity's ridiculous show from the central valley, in which he stood in solidarity (yeah right) with farmworkers protesting the state's decision to preserve water in the delta.....saying that a "small minnow" was to blame (meaning: the delta smelt, which are endangered, and salmon, which are also endangered.)

   he of course has on his Intended Liberal Victim, broadcasting from (of course) san francisco, who quickly pointed out that the state's decision to do this also *protects* salmon fisheries on the north coast.

   hannity just put his fingers in his ears, and wouldn't have it. what an asshole.

   Posted by darladoon at 09/20/2009 @ 10:03pm

7. Just keep being progressive! He will follow.

   Posted by DimitraEkmektsis at 09/20/2009 @ 10:12pm

8. CARTER/VOLCKER '12

   http://www.senseoncents.com/2009/09/volcker- launches-bombshell-on-wall-street-and-washington/

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2009 @ 10:42pm

9. these people are just wrong:

   Let's say you're preparing dinner and you realize with dismay that you don't have any certified organic Tuscan kale. What to do?

   Here's how Michelle Obama handled this very predicament Thursday afternoon:

   The Secret Service and the D.C. police brought in three dozen vehicles and shut down H Street, Vermont Avenue, two lanes of I Street and an entrance to the McPherson Square Metro station. They swept the area, in front of the Department of Veterans Affairs, with bomb-sniffing dogs and installed magnetometers in the middle of the street, put up barricades to keep pedestrians out, and took positions with binoculars atop trucks. Though the produce stand was only a block or so from the White House, the first lady hopped into her armored limousine and pulled into the market amid the wail of sirens.

   Then, and only then, could Obama purchase her leafy greens. "Now it's time to buy some food," she told several hundred people who came to watch. "Let's shop!"

   HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2009 @ 11:35pm

10. Posted by gunslinger1 at 09/20/2009 @ 8:40pm

    He'd get as far as he would sitting down with Orly Taitz and Alan Keyes to discuss the hospital he was born in in Hawaii.

    Hannity and O'Reilly would never agree to two and only two basic conditions for such a talk-

    1. That it focus on current events...i.e. health care reform, the economy, the situation in Afghanistan, etc. They'd want to talk about Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright, Saul Alinksy, etc. or spend the entire hour discussing ACORN.

    2. That the ENTIRE interview is shown. Basically because they couldn't edit it to make Obama look bad....or Sean and Bill look like they've got more than two synapses in their brains.

    Posted by Mask at 09/21/2009 @ 07:13am

11. Only in a rag like the "nation" can a little troll like Friedman be considered a member of an "elite list of opinion journalists". Friedman is to "journalism" what Obamarxist is to the "Presidency". If the current golfing-occupier of the W.H. weren't so dangerous, HE would be hilarious

    Posted by nealeb at 09/21/2009 @ 08:14am

12. Posted by nealeb at 09/21/2009 @ 08:14am

    Still going to be President for atleast 3 years, 3 months, though...isn't he? And you're already this crazy after 9 months.

    Imagine how crazy you'll be in 2010 or 2011???

    Posted by Mask at 09/21/2009 @ 08:36am

13. " If the current golfing-occupier of the W.H. weren't so dangerous, HE would be hilarious"

    yeah, bush never golfed, or cleared brush, or drank heavily, or did blow......

    and i would really like to know how obama is dangerous, from a right winger's point of view, and how he compares to george bush in that sense.

    Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 10:52am

14. "Friedman retains a large, influential following on international and energy issues, so it's understandable that Obama found some quality time for him during this weekend press blitz, especially since the columnist missed the huddles in January"

    actualy, Obama played golf with another lefty "jounalist" fom the Times, a paper, that, outside the NE area no one reads or takes seriously other than as a democratic party cheerleader. And Friedmans books are shallow puff pieces and observations that leftys agree with on any day ... So, Obama is preachng to the choir as he did on all the talk shows, a choir that seems to be losing faith.

    A clear sign that the preacher is in trouble

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 10:58am

15. Darlaloon,

    this post of yours demonstrates how blind or silly you are.

    You are focusing on Hannity, whom I admit makes my skin crawl, but you miss the entire point of the show.

    I wached and noticed all the people standing behind him, the real focal point, the unemployed people and the land drying up and going back to waste...

    A place where a lot if food being grown or not being grown.... And people of color to boot!!!!! Racists policy for sure!!! Right?

    All because of govt political enviro nuts, whose philosophy is picking some Godamn fish over people. And none of those responsible for the policy could be found to be asked about the policy. Even governors couldn't over turn the policy n his own state. tHAT's what most thinking people observed.

    And all yousaw was Hannity...

    have another toke.

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 11:14am

16. "You are focusing on Hannity, whom I admit makes my skin crawl.... "----Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 11:14am

    Why?

    Posted by Mask at 09/21/2009 @ 11:17am

17. Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2009 @ 11:35pm

    But frosty, she can't walk out in public like you and me. We don't have mail coming to the house encouraging the death of me and my family(well I don't know about you but I don't). If it's the first family, then I let it slide. If it's the mayor or governor, it's a bit much.

    As far as the president golfing, I didn't care who Bush Jr, Clinton, Bush or Reagan golfed with and I couldn't care less now.

    Posted by k330k at 09/21/2009 @ 11:43am

18. "Obama played golf with another lefty "jounalist" fom the Times, a paper, that, outside the NE area no one reads or takes seriously other than as a democratic party cheerleader."

    look, jomamma thinks tom 'suck on this' friedman is a lefty! can't get much funnier than that. and that the NYT is a cheerleader for the democrats, when in fact, the NYT solidified the bush administration's push for war......how do you reconcile those, jomamma (a really white man with a black man's tag)....

    "All because of govt political enviro nuts, whose philosophy is picking some Godamn fish over people. And none of those responsible for the policy could be found to be asked about the policy. Even governors couldn't over turn the policy n his own state. tHAT's what most thinking people observed"

    jomamma, as the guest pointed out (which apparently you missed), the drying up the delta also affects *north coast salmon fishermen*----not just central valley farmers.

    and, btw, there is a little thing called THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. ever heard of it? it's not some "enviro nuts" issue. it's called THE LAW OF THE LAND you stooge. the supreme court upheld it.

    gessh, how stupid can jomamma get? he thinks (like brainless hannity) that this about a single f*cking species of fish? dude, are you that stupid?

    it's about ALL the fish and sea creatures in the delta; it's about all the wildlife that FEED off those fish; it's about the entire ecosystem of the LARGEST freshwater delta in the nation. alright? capiche?

    we can't PRESERVE the delta if we give it to these massive agri-business farms, who grow food which shouldn't be grown here; who waste tons of water....etc, etc, etc.

    this is about preserving MY state, jomamma, not your ugly ass nebraska, so butt out....

    Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 11:44am

19. "You are focusing on Hannity, whom I admit makes my skin crawl, but you miss the entire point of the show."

    the entire point of the show was to stand with huge agribusiness, who get massive subsidies to grow crappy, pesticide-fueled food, which shouldn't be grown in the desert.

    fuck hannity. he's not even from california. he's not standing in "solidarity" with farm workers. he's a tool for the wealthy agribusiness.

    and if he really cares about farmers, why doesn't he also stand with north coast salmon fishermen?

    oh, he wouldn't do that, because.....you know.....if the delta dries up (because of giving all the water to huge central valley farms) then the salmon dissappear.

    but jomamma just can't seem to grasp that.

    Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 11:49am

20. "You are focusing on Hannity, whom I admit makes my skin crawl, but you miss the entire point of the show."

    the entire point of the show was to stand with huge agribusiness, who get massive subsidies to grow crappy, pesticide-fueled food, which shouldn't be grown in the desert.

    fuck hannity. he's not even from california. he's not standing in "solidarity" with farm workers. he's a tool for the wealthy agribusiness.

    and if he really cares about farmers, why doesn't he also stand with north coast salmon fishermen?

    oh, he wouldn't do that, because.....you know.....if the delta dries up (because of giving all the water to huge central valley farms) then the salmon dissappear.

    but jomamma just can't seem to grasp that.

    Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 11:49am

21. Maybe next time KVH can be his caddy then the nation wont be so jealous lol

    Posted by limoman at 09/21/2009 @ 11:54am

22. If it's the first family, then I let it slide.

    Posted by k330k at 09/21/2009 @ 11:43am

    i dunno...

    there's got to be a less arrogant way.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2009 @ 11:57am

23. "..and, btw, there is a little thing called THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. ever heard of it? it's not some "enviro nuts" issue. it's called THE LAW OF THE LAND you stooge. the supreme court upheld it."

    Yes, ....the NEW endanged species is the employed male..

    and my favorite stooge is Curly...but YOU are defnatly in the running......

    and you are a walkng example for drug control.

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 11:57am

24. "..and, btw, there is a little thing called THE ENDANGERED SPECIES ACT. ever heard of it? it's not some "enviro nuts" issue. it's called THE LAW OF THE LAND you stooge. the supreme court upheld it."

    Yes, ....the NEW endanged species is the employed male..

    and my favorite stooge is Curly...but YOU are defnatly in the running......

    and you are a walkng example for drug control.

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 11:58am

25. "the entire point of the show was to stand with huge agribusiness, "

    The point of the show is about the people working and food being grown...not you, nor your state of California, to which you contribute nothing, except illegal drug trade, to the total benefit of, as for ughly ass Nebraska, I contribute plenty....

    Its about people, first Darla, not fish, people, not enviro nuts, not laws, but people.

    And I get the feeling I would prefer ughly ass Nebraska.......over your ass.

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 12:05pm

26. "Its about people, first Darla, not fish, people, not enviro nuts, not laws, but people"

    jomamma, can you read?

    listen, closely: yes, it's also about people. are the north coast salmon fishermen not working people?

    if the state gives too much water to farmers in the valley, and the salmon dry up......then guess what?

    THE FISHERMEN LOSE THEIR JOBS!

    does hannity stand in solidarity with fishermen?

    he seemed to say "NO" to that question.

    btw, so-called 'enviro nuts' created the national parks system. they preserved millions of acres of forest so your fat ass can drive through them with your SUV.

    Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 12:13pm

27. Mask,

    I find him (Hannity) annoying in body language, personality, and in voice...I agree with many of his points but not his style of delivery...

    ....much like the neighbors annoying poodle constantly yapping and pawing on ones ankles...

    not a reflection on dogs, just certain breeds...

    I feel the same about Obermann and Schultz...except I combine the annoyance with their even more annoying points of view....it doesnt kill off the species of talkers...just the a particular breed..

    Verstehen?

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 12:15pm

28. oblahma.....

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/20/2009 @ 8:52pm

    Hablahper.....

    Posted by Benchrest at 09/21/2009 @ 1:17pm

29. Hehehe....

    Magiramason.......

    Posted by Happy at 09/21/2009 @ 1:26pm

30. I find the complaints about Obama being in the media hilarious. This is in the end no different then Bush spending a ton of government money so that he could suit up and fly onto an aircraft carrier so that his mission accomplished speech could be shown with a triumphant entry. This is all media manipulation and has been used since media existed.

    I also find it hilarious that people are complaining that Obama didn't go on Fox saying he needs to be a man. How many times did Bush appear on Olberman? Or any liberal outlet for that matter?

    Posted by Cccomfo1 at 09/21/2009 @ 1:30pm

31. Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 12:15pm

    Interesting. I agree he's annoying...but only in that he's obviously not that smart and can't think on his feet the way Limbaugh does.

    I've actually called his radio show and his MO is pretty interesting...he allows NO opposition calls in the last hour of the show (5pm+ Eastern) except for African-Americans (subtle racism?) and dominates his support calls with women. Anybody else (like me) tries to get in...the screener says "I'm booked for today...can I call you back tomorrow?"

    Call earlier than 4:30pm and suddenly (if you, say, caught Sean in a contradiction) she says "Nawww...that's not interesting" and hangs up.

    Obviously he barely held his own against Colmes, not the brightest bulb himself, and with Obama, "re-oriented" the TV show so that he doesn't have to "face a liberal alone."

    Posted by Mask at 09/21/2009 @ 1:42pm

32. Jomamma, Instead of taking sides in California's water wars, maybe you should focus closer to home. The South Platte is drying up because Denver area developers are more concerned about their lawns and golf courses than farms downstream. And, there is no endangered species to blame.

    Posted by Tatra at 09/21/2009 @ 1:57pm

33. Interesting. I agree he's annoying...but only in that he's obviously not that smart and can't think on his feet the way Limbaugh does. I've actually called his radio show and his MO is pretty interesting...he allows NO opposition calls in the last hour of the show (5pm+ Eastern) except for African-Americans (subtle racism?) and dominates his support calls with women. Anybody else (like me) tries to get in...the screener says "I'm booked for today...can I call you back tomorrow?" Call earlier than 4:30pm and suddenly (if you, say, caught Sean in a contradiction) she says "Nawww...that's not interesting" and hangs up. Obviously he barely held his own against Colmes, not the brightest bulb himself, and with Obama, "re-oriented" the TV show so that he doesn't have to "face a liberal alone." Posted by Mask at 09/21/2009 @ 1:42pm | ignore this person |

    --Mask admitting he's OWNED by someone he doesn't consider intelligent. Keep tuning in to the show Mask...

    Posted by urmygyro at 09/21/2009 @ 2:07pm

34. Tatra,

    I now live in Denver...and the west has had water wars for 100 or more years....

    I guess we can always give unemployed farmers more money but we can't get more fish...no hatcheries, I suppose...no accomodation for people....

    and what about.....

    HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    I just solved the illegal immigrant problem..cut off all water to the farms in California and other states...and presto...

    Fish, wildlife , lawns, golfcourse and Illegals all solved!!!

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 2:30pm

35. "Its about people, first Darla, not fish, people, not enviro nuts, not laws, but people"

    Jomamma, 'People before planet' is hardly a strategy for long term viability. The west has had water wars for more than a century because we have not understood our place in the eco-system.

    Posted by Tatra at 09/21/2009 @ 2:53pm

36. tatra,

    jm, can't see past his wallet.

    Posted by frosty zoom at 09/21/2009 @ 3:19pm

37. Tatra,

    The planet is fine....and it has nothing to do with environuts "saving the planet", when it comes down to a choice between people eating and a small fish in the middle of Californis, I pick the people. The fish is a smelt...and in Minnesota they have trillions of them that run, and they taste great....we will show Californians how to grow them... how to build a hatchery if it is neccessay....

    and by cutting back on food for people to save the fish..well...I would guess at some point the fish will make it to the farmers table...for and as dinner.

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 3:57pm

38. "The planet is fine....and it has nothing to do with environuts "saving the planet", when it comes down to a choice between people eating and a small fish in the middle of Californis, I pick the people"

    maasch, you really don't know how to understand a basic point, do you?

    as i already said, if the state releases too much water to the central valley (where they already use way too much water to nourish crops that shouldn't be grown in the valley in the first place), then the salmon will DIE, which will also destroy the livelihoods of salmon fishermen on the north coast.

    second, if the salmon, and the smelt, die, then numerous other organisms will also die with it. and it will set off a chain reaction, killing off land-based organisms as well.

    that you cannot comprehend this means you are either painfully stupid, OR you refuse to admit that you're WRONG, and this IS about "saving the planet."

    this has WAY more to do with the smelt, unless of course, you live in the mind of people like hannity.

    now, maasch, why don't you goto the gym and pump yourself.

    Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 4:15pm

39. btw, quote of the day goes to maasch:

    "the planet is fine"

    yeah, right. the planet is fine.

    glaciers melting, species dying, overpopulation, starvation, disease.

    yeah, the planet is fine.

    Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 4:18pm

40. Darlaloon,

    You cant get Hollywood to write any better than you...

    Keep 'em comin"....

    you are pure entertainment.

    The planet is fine.

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 4:31pm

41. Jomamma your an Idiot.

    Posted by Denise29 at 09/21/2009 @ 4:38pm

42. Jomamma your an Idiot.

    Posted by Denise29 at 09/21/2009 @ 4:38pm

    Denise,

    My, my,emotional response ...well...coming from you..I take no offense..its the best you can do..Ive read your postings....

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 4:50pm

43. btw, quote of the day goes to maasch: "the planet is fine" yeah, right. the planet is fine. glaciers melting, species dying, starvation, disease. yeah, the planet is fine. Posted by darladoon at 09/21/2009 @ 4:18pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    --those things have happened since the cosmos were created (by God or who or whatever)...even just watching the discovery channel (or reading an encyclopedia) one will learn that the planet has experienced many ice ages, there are far more species that have come into existence and become extinct than currently exist, the fight for food has been a struggle since the first species showed up, as has the fight against disease (which, if you think about it, is often a fight against many really really small species to keep from using us for food)...

    --re: "overpopulation": are you suggesting the U.S. is overpopulated? what parts? cities? are you suggesting other parts of the globe are overpopulated with humans? what do you suggest?

    Posted by urmygyro at 09/21/2009 @ 5:06pm

44. Posted by urmygyro at 09/21/2009 @ 5:06pm

    Now, now, now, Urm....you know better than that...

    all the problems forementioned ONLY exist when republicans control the govt of the USA....

    after all,...

    Before Europeans,

    Africa was the home of peace(no cannibals) loving African tribes who all just got along and lived loving lives with the enviroment, easy food production and no wars....and no global warming...

    same for America and the various Indians tribes...

    Central America with the peace loving non superstious Aztecs and Mayans....

    Same for South America......

    but once those evil guys who were conservative came around....well...never mind..

    you are a racist.

    Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 5:44pm

45. you are a racist. Posted by YourJomamma at 09/21/2009 @ 5:44pm | ignore this person | warn this person

    --and animals never fight either: it's all cooperation!

    Posted by urmygyro at 09/21/2009 @ 5:49pm