FLIRTATIONS

White House Kisses Up to the Times

Unlike Bush, Obama embraces Grey Lady.

Before the Bush years, the New York Times enjoyed special treatment from various administrations. Even the men and women at the pinnacle of power were somewhat star-struck by the paper of record. According to Politico, those days are back--and the Web site seems a little jealous. Obama reads the Times regularly, and so do most of the people working under him. This respect for the newspaper has yielded results for its White House reporters, as they have been given access for several high-profile stories in the New York Times Magazine. But giving the "grey lady" the executive treatment isn't just due to ideological similarities, "Obama aides believe the paper still has an outsize ability to shape perceptions among political elites and other journalists."