"The Obama administration really needs to get over itself," said John Nichols in The Nation. First the White House goes after conservative Fox News, and now an anonymous administration aide "attacks bloggers for failing to maintain a sufficiently pro-Obama slant," telling critical liberal bloggers to "take off their pajamas," get dressed, and get serious about politics. All presidents get critical coverage—if Obama wants more compliments he'll have to earn them, not bully bloggers into line.
It's unfair to fault Obama, said Greg Sargent in The Plum Line, based on "paraphrased secondhand claims from a single anonymous advisor" in a report by CNBC's John Harwood (Watch). The White House is strongly denying that it views "gay and blogospheric" impatience with Obama's "foot-dragging on gay-rights issues as part of the 'Internet left fringe.'" The White House has always treated the blogosphere as important—so maybe angry liberal bloggers should take a deep breath and relax.
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