The Washington Post’s virtual museum of President Obama’s legacy has drawn both praise and uneasiness from media.
The newspaper unveiled its ambitious new project Friday morning. The museum, which aims to document the most important and memorable aspects of the Obama presidency, is comprised of five “multimedia rooms. Published in installments, the “rooms” are divided as follows: “The First Black President,” “Commander in Chief,” “Obama and the World,” “Obama’s America” and “The First Family.”
Part one of the project, “The First Black President,” was published Friday.
In this phase of the museum launch, readers can find articles and videos recounting memorable moments involving the president and race relations in the United States, including his “soliloquy in Philadelphia” and the infamous “beer summit.” One part of the museum dedicated to “racism during [his] presidency” includes an article, titled “A Hopeful Moment on Race,” featuring a graphic of Obama gazing into the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool in Washington, D.C., and Abraham Lincoln gazing back.
But for some in media, the Post’s new project seems less about education, and more about heaping fawning praise on America’s 43rd president.
“I truly have no words for what I just saw on the WP site with [its] Museum of Obama. Have some self-respect journalists,” said the Federalist’s Mollie Hemingway. “[The Washington Post] answers the question, ‘What can we do to discredit ourselves as irrationally in the tank for Obama-ism?'”
RedState’s Dan McLaughlin added, “Remember when [mainstream media] outlets did this for Bush?”
“Would be interested to hear [Washington Post media reporter Erik Wemple’s] take on WaPo building a virtual monument & museum to Obama’s presidency,” said Commentary’s Seth Mandel.
The Weekly Standard’s Mark Hemingway said in a note of his own that the “virtual museum” of Obama’s presidency seems more cult worship than journalism.”
But not everyone in the press feels this way.
Many in media, including several Post employees, are praising the virtual museum’s smooth presentation and smart graphics, while claiming it provides an important public service.
The “‘virtual museum’ of Obama’s presidency is awesome. This is what journalism in the Internet age can be,” said Sunstruck magazine’s Caleb Downs.
The Montreal Gazette’s Susan Ferguson added, “Jaw-dropping virtual museum on #obama presidency by [the Post] is giving this [Canadian] premature separation anxiety.”
The Gaurdian’s Arielle Retting called the project, “rad.” The Atlanta-Constitution Journal’s Pete Corson called it “attractive.” The New York Times’ Samarth Bhaskar said it was “well done.”
Post reporters are full of pride for the project. Staffers said it was “incredible,” “well worth your time,” “really cool” and “REALLY BIG.” The museum is the, “most visually and journalistically compelling online project I’ve seen us do, “said the Post’s Ed O’Keefe.
The newspaper plans to launch the next phase of the museum, titled “Commander in Chief,” next week.
