Maggie Haberman of The New York Times has been the self-appointed Trump conscience since he first emerged on the nation’s political scene.
Now, in an interview on The Media Confidential podcast, Haberman is claiming that the two-term Republican is stacking the White House press room with nothing but sycophants, according to AlterNet.org.
“It used to be that when it was groups of reporters covering the president, they would be able to have each other’s back,” Haberman said during the appearance.
”If somebody asked a tough question, you would know that the person next to you is going to follow it up or ask a version of it.”
“Now it’s you ask a tough question, a rigorous question, and the president filibusters for four minutes and then the next question is, ‘Sir, how are you so handsome?’ from one of these influencers, or ‘Sir, is it hard that the media is so unfair to you?’”
She concluded that this is “very much by this White House’s design.”
As a result of Trump’s alleged decision to stock the press pool with sympathetic conservative journalists, Haberman argues, he created a “massive challenge for everyone who could be considered a real journalist.”
“Considered a real journalist.”
Interesting words coming from Maggie Haberman, who wouldn’t be where she is but for blood.
Blood relations, that is.
Haberman can thank a guy named Clyde Haberman for the name, reputation and influential journalism jobs.
Critics label her a “nepo hire” due to her father’s long career at the Times even though her career path did not involve a direct internal hand-off.
“She was a nepo hire,” one Reddit critic said flatly.
“She’s a nepo baby with no scruples” said another.
The elder Haberman began hanging around the Times some 60 years ago, as a copy boy.
He worked his way up the ranks, becoming a reporter, editor and foreign correspondent.
Clyde was part of a Times team that won the Pulitzer Prize for Breaking News, awarded for coverage of the prostitution scandal that led to Democrat Eliot Spitzer’s resignation as New York governor.
Ribbons notwithstanding, he became a household name as the longtime anchor columnist of the Times’ metro section.
Habermans Clyde and Maggie drew public attention to the world of cozy when they shared the Times front page August 21, 2017, with separate articles.
His daughter previously worked as a political reporter for the New York Post, the New York Daily News, and Politico.
She wrote about Trump for those publications and rose to prominence covering his first campaign.
Maggie has enjoyed a special perch from the rooftop of The Old Grey Lady since 2015, the year Trump announced for the presidency.
She was hired by the Times early that year as a political correspondent covering the presidential campaign.
Haberman critics actually complain she’s been soft on Trump, but they are the same people who backed the likes of Hillary Clinton and Kamala Harris for president.
If she’s been soft on Trump, her complaints he’s using sycophants in the press room may be a subliminal way to pretend she’s not one of them.
