** FILE ** Former White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. (Associated Press) more >The allegations are already flying after MSNBC and NBC News hired President Obama’s former White House press secretary, Robert Gibbs, and the president’s top campaign adviser, David Axelrod.
But the pair has denied they have anything to do with pushing a pro-Obama agenda and even claimed the mantle of “independent analysts” when questioned by CNN’s Howard Kurtz Thursday morning.
SEE RELATED: Robert Gibbs signs contract to appear on NBC, MSNBC
“I don’t see it either as being a cheerleader for the president or as a spokesman for the administration’s point of view,” Mr. Gibbs said.
“My role is not that of a surrogate, but an analyst and commentator,” Mr. Axelrod said. “I’m proud of my work for and with the president. But in this role, I will offer observations, based on my experience over 35 years in journalism and politics.”
The CNN host concluded that “having labored so long as fierce advocates for Barack Obama,” the new hires will likely have a tough time convincing the public they are unbiased commentators.
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Jessica Chasmar is a continuous news writer for The Washington Times. Previously, she was part of the start-up team for The Washington Times’ digital aggregation product, Times247. She can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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