Michael Allen
Michael Allen in 2010
Born (1964-06-21) June 21, 1964 (age 59)
United States
Alma materWashington and Lee University (BA)
Occupation(s)Political reporter, writer, journalist
ParentGary Allen

Michael Allen (born June 21, 1964) is an American political journalist. He is the co-founder and executive editor of Axios and the former chief political reporter for Politico. While at Politico, he wrote the daily Playbook; in April 2010, in reference to his frequent correspondence with White House communications director Dan Pfeiffer, The New York Times called him "The Man The White House Wakes Up To."[1] Prior to joining Politico for its 2007 launch, he worked at numerous other publications, including The New York Times and Time.

The New York Times reported that Allen would no longer be writing the Playbook after July 11, 2016. The writing was taken over by Politico staffers Daniel Lippman, Anna Palmer, and Jake Sherman.[2]

Early life

Allen grew up in Orange County, California. His father was conservative writer Gary Allen, a spokesman for the John Birch Society, He described his household as normal and "apolitical", in considerable contrast to his father's flamboyant public persona as a conservative icon, who once denounced rock music as a "Pavlovian Communist mind-control plot" and wrote speeches for George Wallace.[1][3][4] Allen is an Eagle Scout.

Allen moved east to attend Washington and Lee University, graduating in 1986 with a double major in politics and journalism.[1] His father died the same year, and Allen was quoted in the New York Times obituary giving details on his father's career.[5][1]

Career

Allen's first reporting job was with the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star. He also worked at the Richmond Times-Dispatch, The Washington Post, The New York Times and Time.[6][7]

At Politico, a Washington-based print and online publication launched by Allbritton Communications, Allen wrote the daily "Playbook."[8] In April 2010, The New York Times estimated that Playbook brings in $780,000 for Politico.[1]

Allen was featured in a piece for the April 25, 2010, edition of The New York Times Magazine titled, "The Man the White House Wakes Up To." He is considered by many to be one of the most powerful and influential journalists in Washington.[1]

Reception

Allen has attracted criticism for focusing coverage on superficial aspects of politics and of the culture of Washington, D.C.[9][1] In November 2013, Erik Wemple wrote an oped in The Washington Post alleging that Allen gave favorable Politico coverage in return for advertising dollars.[10] Allen has refused to publicly comment.[11] Jonathan Chait described Politico's response as "evasive tripe".[12] Writing in Salon, Alex Pareene described his work as "indistinguishable from a paid advocate for business interests."[13]

In 2004, Allen won the White House Correspondents' Association's Merriman Smith Memorial Award for outstanding presidential coverage on deadline. The award was given to Allen for his reporting of President George W. Bush's secret trip to Baghdad, Iraq.[14]

Personal life

A somewhat reclusive figure, Allen was profiled by Mark Leibovich, who reported that many of his friends did not know where he lived, and that none of them had ever been inside his apartment.[1] A colleague who knew him in earlier life described him as living among "mounds of newspapers and a couple pieces of junky furniture."[15][7]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Leibovich, Mark (April 21, 2010). "The Man the White House Wakes Up To". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 16 February 2013. Retrieved 11 February 2017.
  2. ^ Rutenberg, Jim (2016-06-21). "Mike Allen, Politico's Newsletter Pioneer, Is Handing Over the Reins". The New York Times. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  3. ^ Nolan, Hamilton. "Here's an Insane Racist Book About Communists by Mike Allen's Dad". Gawker. Archived from the original on 4 December 2015. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  4. ^ Yeager, Holly. "The Future? We Hope Not". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 5 December 2015.
  5. ^ AP (1986-12-02). "Gary Allen, 50, Dies in West - Spread Conservatives' View - Obituary". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-09-30.
  6. ^ Cook, John (2013-06-20) This Is a Picture of Politico Star Mike Allen's Old Office at Time Archived 2013-06-24 at the Wayback Machine, Gawker
  7. ^ a b Cunningham, Brent. "A Compulsion To Know: CJR's 2000 profile of Mike Allen". Columbia Journalism Review, April 21, 2010. Originally published in the July/August 2000 issue. Archived from the original. Retrieved December 4, 2015.
  8. ^ Reporter Bio: Mike Allen Politico.
  9. ^ The New Republic
  10. ^ "Erik Wemple". The Washington Post.
  11. ^ Chittum, Ryan. "Politico's Mike Allen goes native". Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  12. ^ Chait, Jonathan (3 December 2013). "Politico Stonewalls Mike Allen Payola Scandal". New York magazine. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  13. ^ Pareene, Alex (20 December 2013). "Hack List: Mike Allen". Salon. Retrieved 4 December 2015.
  14. ^ Journalism and Mass Communications-Washington and Lee University Archived January 15, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Cook, John. "This Is a Picture of Politico Star Mike Allen's Old Office at Time". Gawker. Archived from the original on 4 December 2015. Retrieved 4 December 2015.

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