The New York Times has a piece today (3/17/11) about new White House press secretary Jay Carney and how his background suits him for the job.
Carney was previously a reporter for Time magazine, and was apparently notmuch of a partisan–he “complained privately” that the magazine’s coverage of the 2008 campaign “was too lopsided toward Barack Obama.”
Carney’s friends say he’s good at making powerful people like him–a talent he apparently used to great effect as a journalist:
Mr. Carney, they said, always seemed comfortable around people in power and exuded a certain confidence that endeared him to some of the biggest players in politics.
And:
“He’s able to put people at ease,” said Eli Attie, a close friend of Mr. Carney’s and a former political operative who now writes television scripts. He recalled the time he introduced his friend to Richard A. Gephardt, his former boss. Not long after, Time sent Mr. Carney on a trip with Mr. Gephardt, a former Democratic congressman from Missouri. The day of the trip, Mr. Attie’s phone rang. “The two of them called me from the tarmac. Just to say hi,” Mr. Attie said. “He already had a close enough rapport with the guy.”
When Mr. Carneyâ┚¬Ã¢”ž¢s editors at Time gave a party to celebrate his promotion to Washington bureau chief in 2005, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg of New York insisted on delivering a toast. A Carney friend who is a close associate of the mayor had introduced them, and they quickly hit it off. And when Mr. Carney grew restless in his job at Time, an old friend introduced him to the newly elected vice president, who was looking for the right communications director. They, too, quickly clicked.
I have no idea whether Jay Carney has the right personality for his current job as a government spokesperson. But hedoes seemto have a knack for making powerful people feel “at ease.” And that’sapparently very helpful if you want tomake it in Beltway journalism.
Going by his last and latest gigs, it looks like Carney has the whole “comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable” thing bass ackwards, don’t it?
As you say, Peter, that’s the royal road to riches in the kingdom of the corpress.
Yeah, and you know what? That Jay Carney can really dance!
Frankly, there’s nothing to learn from the White House press secretary anyway. Doesn’t everyone already know that? What investigative political scoops have come from the White House press pool?
I should have said what IMPORTANT investigative political scoops have come from the White House press pool?
His reporting must have been “comfortable” too to the rich and powerful. No threat there.
Jay Carney: ass kisser & brown noser extraordinaire! He’ll fit right in.
I’m sure Jay Carney will do just great in his new gig as White House press liar–er, secretary. He’ll tell lies to a lap dog press corps that doesn’t care if it’s lied to.
Press secretary to the President of the United States is a huge job. Fame,Position,(money?)and what a great resume enhancer. But in the end it is simply morphing ones self into believing and spouting every utterance of the big guy.Wether you believe it or not.Wether you know it to be a lie or the truth.I have always thought their should be a special Oscar award devoted to their craft. Job requirement has a strict dress code. Shirt ,tie, at all times and the ability to look believable with egg all over your face.
Just another corporate lap dog!