Talk:Sulzberger family

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[edit] Controversies

I removed the following section because it doesn't belong in an article about the family (if it belonged anywhere, it would be in the article on the New York Times). It blatantly violates Wikipedia policies about no original research and neutral point of view with its 'critical analysis notes'.Stearnsbrian 01:46, 3 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Controversies

Of prominent note is the Sulzberger family’s 20% plurality ownership of the New York Times Co, publisher of the New York Times, The Boston Globe, and other influential media outlets. Recent Times’ coverage of Illinois Senator Barack Obama’s 2008 Presidential bid has, however, drawn criticism as bias and blatantly anti-Obama. Given the Times’ long history of objective and professional reporting, the strength of negative “campaigning” by the newspaper suggests, for obvious reasons, the Sulzberger family is itself strongly opposed to a potential Obama administration.

The following is a shortlist of stories arising over the just the last few days on Obama:

• In Law School, Obama Found Political Voice By JODI KANTOR Published: January 28, 2007 New York Times, NY - 15 hours ago

“The interesting caveat,” he said, “is that [Obama’s] is a style of leadership more effective running a law review than running a country.”

Critical Analysis Note: Despite widespread publication citing Obama’s time at the Harvard Law Review as one which saw him hold together a journal politically fractured to unprecedented levels, as someone openly rooted in liberal ideals who was nonetheless able to understand and discuss conservative perspective, the Times here paints his common sense as demonstrative of a lack of beliefs (“waffling” as it would have been termed in the 2004 Kerry-Bush race; this perspective appears ripe with agenda and is completely disproved by Obama’s published books, decade of Illinois and U.S. Senate voting record, and by myriad other newspapers which more objectively offered the public information on Obama’s time at Harvard -- interviewing students and his colleagues at the time).

• George Soros Backs Obama (But Hedges His Bets) By Floyd Norris January 27, 2007, 11:19 am New York Times, NY - 19 hours ago

"As for the US 2008 presidential race, Mr. Soros, who gave $18 million to Democratic advocacy groups seeking to defeat President Bush in 2004, said he supported Barack Obama. But he also said he would support Hillary Clinton if she won the Democratic ..."

Critical Analysis Note: Here, the Times suggests in its headline and text that Soros agreeing to support Hillary if she won the Democratic nomination somehow suggests he is not confident in Obama’s prospects. It should be noted that Obama would likely also support Hillary (or any other Democrat) should she win, despite his confidence in himself.

• Obama’s Religion and Schooling January 24, 2007, 12:43 pm By Kate Phillips New York Times, NY - Jan 24, 2007

"For the past several days, charges and rumors - which appear to have been debunked �-ave been flying around that Senator Barack Obama attended a radical Muslim school as a child in Indonesia."

Critical Analysis Note: Here, despite CNN, AP, and others thoroughly debunking a Washington Times subsidiary smear of Obama, the New York Times chooses to publish an attempt to perpetuate the lie further by suggesting the rumor only “appears” to have been debunked -- without any proof to suggest otherwise.