Michelle Obama Watch

Howard Kurtz needs to be worried about why the Washington Post is charging people a quarter million dollars to have dranks and vittles with Washington Post reporters instead of maligning Black reporters covering Michelle Obama.

Rachel Swarns of the New York Times and The Washington Post’s Robin Givhan were among those herded behind the rope Monday. They and the other main beat reporters — Newsweek’s Allison Samuels, Darlene Superville of the Associated Press and Politico’s Nia-Malika Henderson — have something in common: They are all African American women.

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[P]perhaps too early to judge. After all, no one raises questions when an Irish American male reporter covers a pol named Murphy. And with her carefully crafted focus on her children, affordable fashion and such reduced-fat apple pie issues as healthy eating, Obama has done little to warrant sharp criticism….But are the beat reporters inadvertently invested in her success? Howard Kurtz

Um so why did you write this article Howard? If there is little to warrant criticism, why not focus on White House media activities that warrant BLISTERING UNWAVERING criticism?

Oh Howard, a more important question might be why do all the WHITE MALE bloggers get pulled from their rumpled beds and basements to ask the President of the United States a  question? OOPS I wasn’t supposed to point out that the White House is granting special access and a major competitive advantage to the folks over there at Hipster Racist Headquarters? If you were any credible sort of media critic Mr. Kurtz would be FAR more concerned about the White House granting a competitive advantage to a purportedly “progressive” entity that has a history of being both rabidly sexist and racist and has a wretched record of workplace diversity when it comes to its “reporters”. . . and NO, I am not speaking of Fox News…this time.

WHY hasn’t anyone done an inquiry into the lack of diversity at Hipster Racist Headquarters, whose “reporters” are EXCLUSIVELY White and overwhelmingly male? “(don’t be deceived by the thumbnails of Russell Simmons and Jermaine Dupri in the sidebar, that’s window dressing-They aren’t paid staffers) Heck at least Fox News has Wendell Gohler or whateverhisnameis. I’m just saying?

If the White House press corps had any sense they’d stop fighting with Hipster Racist Headquarters on the basis of new media vs old media and realize that Hipster Racist Headquarters does not even attempt to reflect the diversity of the United State of America and they are proud of it. But what do I know – Get a clue people!
THIS blog does not “DO” politics, but as the founder of a conference for bloggers of color, many of which unfortunately choose to spend their valuable time discussing political minutia, one has to wonder when the White House is going to help put some obscure citizen journalist( of any background) on the map, the way they’ve been acting as publicists for Hipster Racist Headquarters.  The only reason I am bothering to point this out is because the NABJ won’t do it. Oops did I say that as well? Yeah I did.

In conclusion, I find it curious that Kurtz basically says we don’t question the objectivity of White reporters and then pens hundreds of words questioning the objectivity of Black women journalists. Maybe the reason they are stuck on White House “Soul Patrol” is because that’s the only way they will be allowed to cover politics. They are taking the opportunity they’ve been granted, but I have little doubt, they’d love to be asking the second question at the next presidential news conference, except that’s been reserved for young White males who have little to no experience and can  just leap-frog over all of these experienced journalists who happen to be Black women and are immensely MORE QUALIFIED. Oh but then AGAIN… I’m not supposed to mention that . Continue on observing the unimportant Howie Kurtz!

This whole article is even more delusional because I think we’ve (by “we”, I mean “I”)slammed every last one of the reporters he interviewed . I think we’ve gotten the NY Times reporter,Rachel Swarns, at least 3 times and there is an entire faction of MOW readers dedicated to expurgating any mention of Politico’s Nia-Malika Henderson from our posts. ( I’m not joking. I know at least 3 of y’all who cringed as soon as you read “Nia-Malika”). I may have to go easier on these women.

It can’t be easy stuck covering the First Lady from a distance while the White House confers privilege on much younger, less qualified men. Why is Kurtz kicking a group that’s already been marginalized by the White House when his focus should be aimed at a looming media conglomerate the likes of which will make Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp look like a neighborhood lemonade stand.?  Print out this post. In 15 years you’ll see I’m dead on. In the words  of Master Yoda ““Always two there are, no more, no less. A master and an apprentice.”

It hath been foretold.

Posted by Gina- Yes, she’s crazy… LIKE A FOX!