No Lock-Out Coverage for Obama, But Bush's Door Flub Was Front-Page News
In 2005, the Times published a four-panel picture on the front page that extended over two columns showing President Bush trying to exit a press conference in Beijing through a locked door...but this week, Obama being locked out of the White House didn't even merit a mention, much less a front-page splash.
Published: 3/25/2011 3:53 PM ET
President Obama arrived home to the White House on Wednesday from his five-day trip to Latin America and found himself locked out of the French doors to the Oval Office, as captured by several news organizations.
My Media Research Center colleague Tim Graham reminded me that back on Nov. 21, 2005, the Times published on its front page a photo of President George W. Bush making a face after trying to leave a press conference in Beijing through a locked door, accompanied by an article that mentioned the gaffe. Former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg wrote a letter to the editor at the time to complain. Excerpts:
Yet not only has the Times not put an image of Obama's flub on the front page, a nytimes.com search indicates that as of Friday afternoon Obama's lock-out has neither been shown or even mentioned by the Times, either in print or online.
My Media Research Center colleague Tim Graham reminded me that back on Nov. 21, 2005, the Times published on its front page a photo of President George W. Bush making a face after trying to leave a press conference in Beijing through a locked door, accompanied by an article that mentioned the gaffe. Former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg wrote a letter to the editor at the time to complain. Excerpts:
The Times published a four-panel picture on Page 1 that extended over two columns and ran some 12 inches from the masthead more than halfway down the page showing President Bush trying to exit a meeting with reporters in Beijing - through a locked door....Did it occur to anyone in charge - and for that matter, does it occur to anyone at The Times even now - that this is precisely what gives your critics ammunition?....on Page 1, whatever your editors' intentions, it sure looks like an editorial posing as news.
Yet not only has the Times not put an image of Obama's flub on the front page, a nytimes.com search indicates that as of Friday afternoon Obama's lock-out has neither been shown or even mentioned by the Times, either in print or online.
