"How much more blatantly sleazy could that be?" That's the question asked by Glenn Greenwald of Salon.com, aboutRichard Wolffe, the former Newsweek reporter who published a kiss-all biography of Barack Obama and has now gone to work for a p.r. firm, while continuing to be a guest, and even a guest-host, on MSNBC.
Greenwald is a hardcore lefty, who has trashed Fox News, big time, in the past, but nonetheless, Greenwald is rigorous enough to call 'em as he sees 'em. Here's the heart of Glenn's detailed item, which also treats upon the reported end of the O. vs. O. feud:
Richard Wolffe's bio page at Public Strategies, Inc., the role he plays on MSNBC and NBC News is actually touted to the firm's corporate clients and potential clients:
In addition, Wolffe is an NBC political analyst. He provides political commentary on several MSNBC programs, Meet The Press, and TODAY.
They're basically telling their clients and prospective clients: if you hire us to control and disseminate your political messaging, you'll have someone working for you -- Richard Wolffe -- who has a regular platform on MSNBC and NBC News, where he's presented as an independent "political analyst." And this is how they describe what he does for the firm: "Wolffe provides high-level counsel and insight to our clients on how to manage their reputations in a complex public environment." How much more blatantly sleazy could that be?
Wolffe should have a chat with Dan Abrams, who set up his own corporate-special-interest-serving company last year, but who is still listed as a NBC/MSNBC reporter/analyst. If Wolffe does chat with Abrams, then he will know that he can get away with just about anything and still stay in the good graces of the rent-seekers at GE.
