WABI speaks to Socolow about anonymous NYT op-ed
WABI (Channel 5) spoke to Michael Socolow, an associate professor of communication and journalism at the University of Maine, about an anonymous op-ed published in the New York Times. The op-ed gives a perspective from inside the White House from a person the Times refers to as a “senior official,” WABI reports. “I actually believe this is the most historic and consequential op-ed that’s ever been published on this page since 1971,” Socolow said. “It is so rare that you get this direct address from somebody at the highest level of the administration with these kind of thoughts. We see it all the time in reporting, especially through anonymous sources, but here we have a person who is speaking directly to the audience.” CBC also reported on the op-ed, citing tweets by Socolow that formed a six-point argument speculating the writer was National Intelligence Director Dan Coats, who among many others has denied writing the piece. Coats “worked very well [with] Colorado Senator Michael Bennett while in the Senate. That’s the brother of the NY Times opinion editor, James Bennett,” Socolow tweeted.