Ken Berwitz
Few journalists are more thoroughly connected toWashington\’s power elite than Politico\’s ChiefWhite House correspondent Mike Allen. But as newlyreleased emails between the veteran reporter and a former State Departmentofficial show, Allen\’s coveted access sometimes comes at the cost of his owncredibility-as well as Politico\’s reputation as an adversarial news outlet.
Gawker has receivedanother batch of Hillary Clinton aide Philippe Reines\’ emails withreporters while working for Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Among Reines\’ more frequent correspondents, it turns out, is Mike Allen. In an email dated January 10, 2013 and addressed to Reines,then serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Allen floated the idea ofinterviewing Clinton\’s adult daughter, Chelsea, during an upcoming brunchhosted by Politico. Attempting to secure an interview with the daughter of alikely presidential candidate is, of course, far from unheard of. What makesAllen\’s ask unusual is that he appears to assure Reines that he\’ll producetotally positive coverage of Chelsea Clinton (bolding ours):
