The Obama administration, perhaps the most media-savvy White House in history, is now in the publishing business - and exclusively for black audiences.

The first edition of “The White House Wire: News for the African American Community,” an occasional newsletter that is designed specifically for black Americans, was released this week to mixed reviews.

The first installment of the newsletter featured a mix of news releases and links to the White House Web site including, Obama’s passage of a Senate committee health care bill, a Navy ship named for a civil rights activist, U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice’s speech at Howard University; Obama’s affordable housing program and Obama’s Thursday visit to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast.

Corey Ealons, a spokesman for the White House, told BlackAmericaWeb.com the newsletter has no original content but is “one-stop shopping information for what is happening at the White House and agencies throughout the administration.”

The new online newsletter - believed to be the first of its kind at the White House - has been praised in some quarters, but has also generated criticism from several black journalists who view the “wire” as a strategic move by the Obama administration to manage the news without answering the hard questions.

“We’re being snookered,” DeWayne Wickham, a columnist with USA Today and a former president of The National Assocication of Black Journalists, told BlackAmericaWeb.com. 

“It’s part of a pattern,” said Wickham, who writes often about politics and race. “They used black journalists for their needs during the campaign, and when they were able to move beyond Rev. Wright and move beyond race, they didn’t need us anymore.”

Wickham, an outspoken journalist who has both criticized and praised Obama over the past eight months, said Obama promised to meet with black columnists at the Democratic National Convention last year, but it never happened.

“They devalue black journalists who have a reputation of raising issues of importance to the black community,” Wickham said.

Several other black journalists said they prefer to adopt a wait-and-see position, explaining that they want to observe how the newsletter evolves before passing judgment.

But Wickham said the White House needs less spin control of its message and more straight talk from Obama on issues that impact blacks - and he said black journalists cannot give Obama a pass simply because he’s black.

Wickham said Obama has not specifically addressed closing the achievement gap between black and white students, closing the black unemployment gap – that has now skyrocketed to 15 percent – or talked to reporters in detail about his plan to overhaul urban America.

“There’s a fear they will have to answer these questions,” Wickham said. “They run from those kinds of issues.”

The White House had no official comment on Wickham’s remarks, but one Capitol Hill staffer pointed out that the White House did invite a group of black journalists to meet with Obama on Air Force One this summer and said Obama has granted interviews to Ebony and BET.

Meanwhile, Ealons explained that the “White House Wire” is simply an opportunity for the Obama administration to share news of interest to African Americans – important news, he said, that black Americans need to know.

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My prediction is that Obama will be a one term president like former president Carter. This will result in twelve consecutive years of a republican administration. Far left liberalism when exercised has a tendency to reign in wreckless and irresponsible entitlement behaviour.

by   
Natetwo
October 16, 2009, 3:48 pm
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My prediction is that Obama will be a one term president like former president Carter. This will result in twelve cutive years of a republican administration. Far left liberalism when exercised has a tendency to reign in wreckless and irresponsible entitlement behaviour.

by   
Natetwo
October 16, 2009, 3:47 pm
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Real_Stupid_White-Boy: I didn’t notice your comment before, because I’m looking back and forth while I’m doing something else. I’ll stop posting IF ALL YOU racists, quit coming on here with your “We as Black people crap”. Everyone with sense knows there are NO Blacks who voted for Obama and in his 10th month think he’s done a worse job than Bush in 8 yrs. Your CRAP about, “I don’t think he’s going to win next time” is not your thoughts, that’s your fervent HOPE! “I’m wishing on a star….”

by   
Sevennotrump
October 16, 2009, 2:43 pm
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YOur husband work at the center thats great so whats your point!! i deal with kids everyday and i teach them to not make excuses.. Beacuse nobody wants to hear it everybody some where else got it badder than u got it.KIds dont need us to feel sorry for there situation. we need to push them to become better than what they are, i dnt feel sorry for my students i push them to be all they can be and it produces results , so u can continue to enable them by feeling sorry and i will do what is need to be done.

by   
Milkkman
October 16, 2009, 2:38 pm
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My favorite subject is: Why white racists are dumb enough to think they can hide behind cyber-space, pretend to be uncle toms & they would convince someone who was born Black, to become an uncle tom. The smart racists know that crap about Black inferiority is not true, which is why they made it illegal for Blacks to be educated & participate in sports with whites. You DUMB racists actually think you can fool us with your crap.

by   
Sevennotrump
October 16, 2009, 2:34 pm
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sevnnotrump,
You are a sad case my brother. I was hoping to engage in a linear debate but like most liberals you only want to talk about race. Stop acting like the dumbass one- dimensional negro white liberals love to exploit and patronize. Why not engage in dialague that is constructive rather going on an angry black man rant about your favorite subject-black victimization.

by   
Natetwo
October 16, 2009, 2:25 pm
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sevnnotrump,

You are a sad case my broher. I was hope to engate in a linear debate but like most liberals you only want to talk about race. Stop acting like the dumbass one- dimensional negro white liberals love to exploit and patronize. Why not engage in dialague that is constructive rather going on an angry black man rant about your favorite subject-black victimization.

by   
Natetwo
October 16, 2009, 2:20 pm
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I teach kids everyday! DO U know what i tell them everyday its not be like people like you..DOnt MAKE excuses for your situation do somehting about it and this education right in front of you is the Answer!! I was born no father , projects the whole nine but u gotta have motivation and determination bruh!! some people got it some dont.. Everybody is not gone be educated i can accept that fact and some kids are doomed from the beginning buts thats a small margin there's no reason to do the things we do as black people im sorry YOU and everybody else can continue to make excuses

by   
Milkkman
October 16, 2009, 2:17 pm
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Sevennotrump, you need to stop gnashing your teeth and move on

Damn, speaking for myself I respect Obama but I dont worship him like other black folks.

He has his flaws, damn does he got you that whipped?

The leash he has on you sure seems short. LOL @ you

by   
REAL_Change_is_Needed
October 16, 2009, 2:14 pm
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My husband is at the center every Mon, Wed, & Fri when he gets off work; he leaves the house at 7:00a & doesn’t return until 8:30p on those days. Because we know that but for the grace of God, he could have remained in that rut as well. You get off work, cut on your big screen TV and enjoy it while you think off how much better you are than other black people. You are what my husband would call a DUMB-azz!

by   
Therightway2
October 16, 2009, 2:06 pm
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I have to work hard everyday, blah-blah-bla! So, you have a job. Some people were raised –thanks to racism- in an environment where the work ethic does not exist. They don’t have jobs because they never got any guidance about how necessary education or vocational training is –some people escaped that, but some were enmeshed in it, so what are you doing to help? Are you getting off work going to the center to instill values in kids whose parents don’t have any values. No, you’re talking about who you hate because they don’t get up at 6:30 like you do, you selfish bastard.

by   
Therightway2
October 16, 2009, 2:05 pm
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WE have BECOME lazy Thanks to the goverment! IF you are 20-36 livivng on section 8 YOu need yo**** whip i cant stand u people i have to work hard everyday i got two jobs u azz Cant get one. So theres no motivation for us TO wanna do BETTER and become somehting better for us and our kids. If i can get out here in this world and work hard and get a education with NO father present hell u can to... Im tired of the excuses. Whickman how about that message in your Newsletter

by   
Milkkman
October 16, 2009, 1:52 pm
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What im about to say u guys not gone like but i try to keep it 100. Whickman first of all shut the hell -UP!. if OUR kids not even going to school. Girls getting pregnant at 14 yrs old. OUR black communties are LOST and nobody wanna take responsibility for their own lives NObody told your dumb**** to drop out of school black men want good paying jobs how u gone get a good job and u have no education so u setting u self up for failure. how about u tell parents to get off they**** raise they kids and teach them how important education is and then u can solve this GAP

by   
Milkkman
October 16, 2009, 1:44 pm
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You’re “Not going to get into the who is black enough debate because” YOU’RE NOT BLACK. We want what’s best for our country, the difference is, I want the country to abide by it’s constitution, ESPECIALLY the 13th – 15th amendments. YOU want the country to retain white privilege, Jim Crow Laws & Black codes, because the klan taught you THAT’s what’s best for this country; NOT! Try your crap on a lame, you could come back tommorow and post that Malcolm was a great American. I’d know you were just setting up your next BS post & trying to get some believers.

by   
Sevennotrump
October 16, 2009, 1:32 pm
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sevennotrump,
Not going to get into the who is black enough debate because neither one of us have a monopoly or a patent blackness so spare me the i was raised in the project therefore i set the standard for being black and any comments made for or against prominent black officials. I think we both want what is best for our country but simply disagree on the pathway but we must have integrity in the media on both sides regardeless of color or party affilitation.

by   
Natetwo
October 16, 2009, 1:22 pm
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Sure you went to an HBCU, thank God for Photoshop, huh! you were white people’s version of James Meredith at Chicago U; NOT!
Run your “I’m a Black man who doesn’t agree with Obama and preferred McCann because I could relate to him….” on someone raised in the suburbs. I moved there 7 yrs ago at 35. I was raised in Cabrini-Green and am WAY too game-conscious for your stupidity and as it happens, I went to two predominately white universities, that ‘s where I learned the difference between a DUMB uncletom & a DUMB racist. YOU are the latter!

by   
Sevennotrump
October 16, 2009, 12:49 pm
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Sevennotrump,
You have definitely taken narrow-minded and ignorance to a new level. To****ume that all people who disagree with Obama is white is alarming. By the way I am proud to be a product of a HBCU. Not on this site to carry the monolith line but to add diversity of thought and opinion. My disagreements with this administration are legitimate and nothing more. So get your nose out of Obama's**** and wipe the S#%* off your face

by   
Natetwo
October 16, 2009, 12:03 pm
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For all the lames that think that black folks voted for Obama because of his skin, check yourselves...

95% of Native Americans voted for Obama last November

There was not a damn chance that I wouldve given my vote to Palin. I thought McCain was a good candidate believe it or not, because he was. But Palin is someone that I despised.

The next election will be very close, but I have my doubts as to whether Obama will win

by   
REAL_Change_is_Needed
October 16, 2009, 11:37 am
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Natetwo & the other klansmen trying to perpetrate as “negros with a different opinion", will continue to be so outraged that a Black man is the leader of the Free world, they will post any kind of CRAP in the hope that someone will be as foolish as the rotten-teeth people in the trailer parks where they live, & turn against Obama, NOT! It’s not going to happen dude(s), post your crap on Hannity’s site.

by   
Sevennotrump
October 16, 2009, 10:22 am
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It is pure STUPID to claim Blacks voted for Obama simply because he is Black. In Ohio, the uncletom who delivered the presidency to Bush in ’04, ran for Governor. Yes, his skin was Brown; progressive-minded Black people voted AGAINST that tom and he lost to a white man by a landslide. We wouldn’t vote for Thomas, Connerly, Armstrong Williams, Gregory Kane, etc, etc. Which is worse, voting for a Black man because he looks like you and appreciates your issues, or stealing the election via Florida in 2000 & via Ohio in 2004.

by   
Sevennotrump
October 16, 2009, 10:19 am
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This Obama adiminstration will continue to avoid any media that is crictical- Fox News. Unfortunalely the mostly loyal black and white liberal suopporters will continue to****ist and aid this condescending administration from answering legitimate questions on social and economic policies. No transparency h.ere folks

by   
Natetwo
October 16, 2009, 9:57 am
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Jiggy/Uncle T are imposters and only want to discredit Prez- B-Rock and attempt to confuse the facts. There were more than Black libs that supported the Prez during the election... There have been far more corrupt White politicians than that of Blacks.. That is a fact due to sheer numbers...lol I reserve judgement as to whether this online news letter was created to inform or distract...

by   
Dopamine
October 16, 2009, 9:39 am
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i agree with mzstlkc too coz white men have been voting for whites all the time so some folks need to move on and get over it. dang why do blacks want to make president obama accountable for all his actions yet blacks doesn't want to bear responisbility with their kids? let him try to do something coz white men have been ignoring blacks far too long( it doesn't matter what political party that you carry) so blacks need to put the pressure on them too.

by   
Quita32
October 16, 2009, 8:25 am
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so what? white men have been voting for white men just because they're white men since the beginning of time! get over it!

by   
Mzstlkc
October 16, 2009, 7:54 am
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True dat Uncle. He will get the liberal vote simply because it's a black thing. As an example please see the re-election of Marion Barry as Washington D. C. mayor. I rest my case.

by   
Jiggy5
October 16, 2009, 7:08 am
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This is to keep black liberals pacified. Barack will do no more for blacks specifically than prior administrations. But this will ensure that liberal blacks will show up at the polls next election cycle.

by   
Uncletom
October 16, 2009, 6:25 am
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