Nedra Pickler
Encyclopedia
Nedra Pickler is an American
national political journalist
employed by the Associated Press
(AP) since 2000. She covered the United States presidential election
s in 2004 and 2008. An award winner during the phase of her career in which she reported on the State of Michigan
's delegation to the United States Congress
, she has been repeatedly accused of unfair reporting on the Democratic Party candidates in U.S. presidential elections.
to Donald and Marcy Picler. She grew up in Rector, Arkansas
, and later back in Burton, Michigan
, where she attended Bentley High School
. In 1998, she graduated from Michigan State University
with a degree in journalism. Pickler married Eric Conner, an employee of Fox News, in 2007.
. In March 2000, she transferred from the Lansing
bureau to the Washington, D.C.
bureau where she won the annual John L. Dougherty award for her work covering Michigan's congressional delegation
.
AP promoted Pickler to cover national political issues in December 2002. She was the lead reporter covering the Democratic Party candidates in the 2004 United States Presidential Election. After that election, Pickler worked as a White House correspondent until September 2006, leaving to cover national politics, including the 2008 United States Presidential Election. President Bush
bid her farewell personally, saying: "Nedra, baby, I’m gonna miss you. I’m sad you’re leaving."
In 2007 the AP sent Pickler to Indonesia
to investigate Senator Barack Obama
's childhood education. She interviewed some of Obama's childhood friends and teachers and reported that, contrary to some rumors then in circulation, he had been educated in Roman Catholic and public schools.
On November 7, 2008, Pickler was the first reporter chosen by Obama to ask a question at his first press conference as President-Elect
.
In her coverage of the 2004 presidential race, Pickler acknowledged having misquoted Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean
. In June 2004, an article by Pickler on higher education costs was criticized by the Columbia Journalism Review
for accepting Bush advisor Steve Schmidt
's criticism of John Kerry
as fact without evaluating the accuracy of Schmidt's claim, which CJR found to be misleading.
On 27 March 2007, Pickler wrote that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
(who had declared his candidacy 10 February) had "delivered no policy speeches and provided few details about how he would lead the country" in his campaign up to that point. On July 8, 2008, Pickler wrote an analysis saying that the presumptive presidential nominees, Republican John McCain
and Democrat Barack Obama, had opposite stances on the policy goal of balancing the federal budget by the end of the next presidential term (January 2013). Pickler was criticized for the article in the Columbia Journalism Review
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
national political journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
employed by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
(AP) since 2000. She covered the United States presidential election
United States presidential election
Elections for President and Vice President of the United States are indirect elections in which voters cast ballots for a slate of electors of the U.S. Electoral College, who in turn directly elect the President and Vice President...
s in 2004 and 2008. An award winner during the phase of her career in which she reported on the State of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
's delegation to the United States Congress
United States Congressional Delegations from Michigan
This is a complete listing of all historical congressional delegations from Michigan to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.-United States Senate:-Delegates from Michigan Territory:-Members from Michigan:-Notes:...
, she has been repeatedly accused of unfair reporting on the Democratic Party candidates in U.S. presidential elections.
Background
Pickler was born in Flint, MichiganFlint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
to Donald and Marcy Picler. She grew up in Rector, Arkansas
Rector, Arkansas
Rector is a city in Clay County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 2,017 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Rector is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land....
, and later back in Burton, Michigan
Burton, Michigan
Burton is a city in Genesee County in the U.S. state of Michigan and a suburb of Flint. The population was 30,308 at the 2000 census, making Burton the second largest city in Genesee County.- Neighorhoods :...
, where she attended Bentley High School
Bentley High School
Bentley High School is located in Burton, Michigan. Serving students from the 9th grade to the 12th grade, it is part of the Bentley Community Schools. The high school offers programs in band, music, drama, and sports , as well as other programs. The superintendent is John Schantz....
. In 1998, she graduated from Michigan State University
Michigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
with a degree in journalism. Pickler married Eric Conner, an employee of Fox News, in 2007.
Career
Pickler was hired by the Detroit offices of Associated Press shortly after graduating from Michigan State UniversityMichigan State University
Michigan State University is a public research university in East Lansing, Michigan, USA. Founded in 1855, it was the pioneer land-grant institution and served as a model for future land-grant colleges in the United States under the 1862 Morrill Act.MSU pioneered the studies of packaging,...
. In March 2000, she transferred from the Lansing
Lansing, Michigan
Lansing is the capital of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is located mostly in Ingham County, although small portions of the city extend into Eaton County. The 2010 Census places the city's population at 114,297, making it the fifth largest city in Michigan...
bureau to the Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
bureau where she won the annual John L. Dougherty award for her work covering Michigan's congressional delegation
United States Congressional Delegations from Michigan
This is a complete listing of all historical congressional delegations from Michigan to the United States Senate and United States House of Representatives.-United States Senate:-Delegates from Michigan Territory:-Members from Michigan:-Notes:...
.
AP promoted Pickler to cover national political issues in December 2002. She was the lead reporter covering the Democratic Party candidates in the 2004 United States Presidential Election. After that election, Pickler worked as a White House correspondent until September 2006, leaving to cover national politics, including the 2008 United States Presidential Election. President Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
bid her farewell personally, saying: "Nedra, baby, I’m gonna miss you. I’m sad you’re leaving."
In 2007 the AP sent Pickler to Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
to investigate Senator Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
's childhood education. She interviewed some of Obama's childhood friends and teachers and reported that, contrary to some rumors then in circulation, he had been educated in Roman Catholic and public schools.
On November 7, 2008, Pickler was the first reporter chosen by Obama to ask a question at his first press conference as President-Elect
President-elect
An -elect is a political candidate who has been elected to an office but who has not yet been sworn in or officially taken office. These may include an incoming president, senator, representative, governor and mayor.Analogously, the term "designate" An -elect is a political candidate who has been...
.
Accusations of poor reporting
Pickler's reporting on both presidential elections has repeatedly engendered controversy, including factual objections raised by other national political journalists.In her coverage of the 2004 presidential race, Pickler acknowledged having misquoted Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean
Howard Dean
Howard Brush Dean III is an American politician and physician from Vermont. He served six terms as the 79th Governor of Vermont and ran unsuccessfully for the 2004 Democratic presidential nomination. He was chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 2005 to 2009. Although his U.S...
. In June 2004, an article by Pickler on higher education costs was criticized by the Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
for accepting Bush advisor Steve Schmidt
Steve Schmidt
Steve Schmidt is an American campaign strategist and public relations worker for the U.S. Republican Party. He specializes in political "message development and strategy"...
's criticism of John Kerry
John Kerry
John Forbes Kerry is the senior United States Senator from Massachusetts, the 10th most senior U.S. Senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. He was the presidential nominee of the Democratic Party in the 2004 presidential election, but lost to former President George W...
as fact without evaluating the accuracy of Schmidt's claim, which CJR found to be misleading.
On 27 March 2007, Pickler wrote that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
(who had declared his candidacy 10 February) had "delivered no policy speeches and provided few details about how he would lead the country" in his campaign up to that point. On July 8, 2008, Pickler wrote an analysis saying that the presumptive presidential nominees, Republican John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
and Democrat Barack Obama, had opposite stances on the policy goal of balancing the federal budget by the end of the next presidential term (January 2013). Pickler was criticized for the article in the Columbia Journalism Review
Columbia Journalism Review
The Columbia Journalism Review is an American magazine for professional journalists published bimonthly by the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism since 1961....
.