White House gathers MSNBC hosts to ‘discuss’ fiscal cliff
Right-wing pundits are already screaming “Conflict of Interest” as several of the hosts from MSNBC gathered at the White House this week to “discuss the fiscal cliff.”
Just to clarify that this leaked through the Huffington Post and the MSNBC tweets they themselves made.
MSNBC has been accused of having too close of ties with the Democratic Party. One Pew survey found that in the weeks leading up to the election, the network gave exceedingly negative coverage to the president’s opponent Mitt Romney, in stark contrast to overwhelmingly positive reporting on the president. The New York Times‘ Jeremy Petersaccused the network of “recycling talking points” from the Democratic Party throughout the election cycle.
The network’s president Phil Griffin recently told HuffPost that the network looks to combat that “pro-Obama” reputation during the second term.
“The president, who hasn’t had time to sit down Boehner or McConnell, he sat down yesterday with all of the MSNBC hosts. Because he had time for that. You know, I don’t begrudge those folks for going to the White House — I mean if I get an invitation to the White House, you just go. It’s just something you do, regardless of who the president is,” the former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee said on his radio show.
According to Huffington Post reporter Jennifer Bendery the MSNBC hosts just paraded into the White House without regard to any ill effects from a public relations stand point.
Here’s Bendery’s reporting, in a series of tweets:
Just passed Al Sharpton walking into the WH.
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012
Also, Al Sharpton is so unbelievably tiny now. I actually gasped when I saw him pass by just now. Hope he’s ok.
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012
Rachel Maddow is now in the West Wing. How do I know this? I just walked in with her.
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012
Never met Maddow until now. We kind of look alike, esp today. My intro: “Are you my long lost sister?” Her: “Glad we both got the memo.”
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012
Maddow, heading into West Wing, said she was here for a “hippie cabal.” Asked if I was coming. NO, DAMN IT, I WASN’T INVITED.
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012
So… in the last hour, I watched Rachel Maddow, Al Sharpton and Lawrence O’Donnell all walk into the West Wing. MSNBC love fest?
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012
WH spox: “This afternoon at the White House, the President met with influential progressives….”
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012
WH spox says Obama mtg with Maddow, other progressives to discuss importance of extending the Bush middle-class tax cut.
— jennifer bendery (@jbendery) December 4, 2012