Obama And The Specialty Press

Because I like to provide evidence that contradicts my own theories, here's a list of "specialty" press outlets that Sen. Barack Obama did indeed take the time to court:

African American

· Tom Joyner Morning Show

· Steve Harvey Monring Show

· Russ Parr Morning Show

· Ebony

· JET

· Black Enterprise

· Vibe

· Essence

· Amsterdam News (NYC)

· Cleveland Call & Post

Hispanic

· Univision National (two times – one of them with Sen. Kenndy)

· La Opinion (Los Angeles)

· Andres Oppenheimer, syndicated columnist

· Piolin por la Mañana - radio show (twice, one of the times in-studio)

Jewish - Conference call with newspapers including JTA, The Forward, The Jerusalem Post, and Ha'aretz

Comments

Not a single Asian "specialty" among them.

Got it.

Posted by D | April 10, 2008 3:16 PM

Univision is specialty press? Isn't it the 4th or 5th biggest network in the country???

Posted by More Axe | April 10, 2008 3:28 PM

This wasn't meant to be a complete list - and it is far from being one.

Posted by Colin | April 10, 2008 3:33 PM

Yeah, it's not like he did an interview-style candidate's forum specifically on gay rights with HRC and Logo.

And a Google search for "obama press asian" pops up Asian Americans for Obama who have a number of instances of Obama explicitly engaging the Asian press: http://www.asianamericansforobama.com/home/media-and-press.html

This post is pretty ignorant, Marc. Obama didn't even say that he doesn't engage specialty media, just that he's not going to make himself available every time someone wants an interview from one constituency or another.

Posted by Zach | April 10, 2008 3:33 PM

Not that I'm forgetting this is in addition to Marc's original defense of Obama's position. I'm just saying that putting out a partial list like this begs for "Obama disrespects Asians!" or whatever from posters here. Obama's refusal to explicitly court special ethnic interests has gotten him into trouble with power players in Asian American, Gay, Hispanic, and Black political circles, but oddly enough, given enough time, progressive ethnic groups seem to recognize that Obama's on their side.

Posted by Zach | April 10, 2008 3:40 PM

In a sharp break from John Kerry's '04 campaign, Obama has seriously engaged the religious press, granting interviews to Beliefnet, Christianity Today, and Christian Broadcasting Network, all in the days leading up to the South Carolina primary. That's also more specialty religious press than Hillary Clinton's done this cycle.

Posted by God-o-Meter | April 10, 2008 3:52 PM

Let's just get this straight. Are you, Marc Armbinder, the one making the claim that these groups are "specialty press" or are you saying that this was the Obama campaign's response to being questioned about why they have not met with the gay press?

Also, since you include a large number of magazines in your list, you do actually cite the Advocate in which Obama has given an interview. So why not add them?

Posted by Bubba | April 10, 2008 4:24 PM

Now, here are some of the things Ambinder was too busy to say, or something.

1. One of the main Univision anchors is a vile supporter of IllegalImmigration (MariaElenaSalinas), and the other is also a vile supporter of IllegalImmigration (JorgeRamos). What differentiates them is that he remains a Mexican citizen, by choice. CNN allowed him to question the Dem candidates on imm. matters, without revealing his status and thereby giving short-shrift to the American POV: youtube.com/watch?v=cjOJPvDdB1c
That network also conducted a citizenship drive with a group that has a link to the MexicanGovernment.

2. The publisher of La Opinion serves on the board of the BankOfAmerica, which is currently trying to profit from the money earned by IllegalAliens. the publisher is also involved with the NCLR, a group that's funded extremists and gave an award to the person who said "We have got to eliminate the gringo, and what I mean by that is if the worst comes to the worst, we have got to kill him.".

3. An extraordinary statement/threat made by AndresOppenheimer is discussed here.

4. Piolin. See this: lonewacko.com/blog/archives/006829.html

Posted by TLB | April 10, 2008 9:16 PM