Kensky Street: Zakaria?s dialogue with Obama

Sunday, 15 May 2011

Zakaria?s dialogue with Obama

It turns out that if you are a successful enough writer, commentator and author, it’s possible that you can get the ear of the president.

Appearing on ex-New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer’s “In the Arena” on Thursday, Fareed Zakaria said he’s spoken to President Obama multiple times in what has been a “thoughtful conversation” that has focused on the unrest in the Middle East.

“Mostly it’s been face-to-face meetings, usually organized by Tom Donilon, the national security adviser,” said Zakaria, who also hosts his own CNN show in addition to serving as editor-at-large at Time Magazine and Washington Post columnist.

The author of “The Post American-World” added that he was struck by how much time Obama “is spending thinking about the issues of the Arab Spring, particularly the issues of Egypt.” Zakaria makes frequent appearances on "In the Arena."

“It makes my heart warm that the president is calling you for wisdom and advice,” Spitzer gushed in response.

UPDATE: After Zakaria’s comments were criticized -- by among others, Glenn Beck, who said, “Shouldn’t we know if a reporter or a show host, a talk show host is giving advice to the president of the United States, shouldn’t we know what those conversations were so when we hear it spill out of his mouth, we know if it’s propaganda, to forward the presidential objectives?” -- he has released a clarification.

The characterization that I have been "advising" President Obama is inaccurate. Over the last few months I've had a couple of conversations with the president, off-the-record. At no point did president President Obama ask me for advice on a specific policy or speech or proposal, nor did I volunteer it. I know that he has had similar meetings with other columnists.