Jodi Kantor
Encyclopedia
Jodi Kantor is a The New York Times
correspondent and author of The Obamas, to be published by Little Brown in November 2011. She has been writing about President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama, along with numerous other political figures, since 2007.
in 1996 and attended Harvard Law School
for one semester, taking a leave to work at Slate
, where she became an editor. After corresponding with New York Times columnist Frank Rich
about how that paper could improve its arts coverage, she was brought on as editor of the Arts and Leisure section by Howell Raines
, executive editor. Kantor was only 27 at the time (her predecessor, John Rockwell
, had been in his late 50s when appointed to the post). She is thought to be the youngest person to edit a section of the New York Times. Under the guidance of Rich and others, she remade the section to include a more visual approach, new features and more ambitious reporting. While some criticized Kantor for using some writers with web-only journalism experience and assigning pieces on pop culture,[5], others believed she helped the paper connect with audiences.
More recently, Kantor has been covering politics for the Times, most notably the 2008 presidential campaign
and Barack Obama
's biography. Starting in 2007, she wrote some of the earliest articles about Michelle Obama
, the role of the Obama daughters in their father's career, the role of basketball in the president's life, his relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his career as a constitutional law professor. In autumn of 2009, she co-broke the story of Michelle Obama
's slave roots and authored a cover story in the New York Times Magazine about the first marriage, for which she interviewed the president and first lady in the Oval Office. In November 2009, Kantor landed a reported seven-figure book deal to write a book about the president and first lady.
After she broke the news of initial strain between Obama and Reverend Jeremiah Wright
in 2007, Wright posted an angry letter to Kantor on his church's website. Her editors subsequently defended her. http://thepage.time.com/new-york-times-response-to-rev-wright-letter/. Kantor was criticized by the Times public editor Clark Hoyt
for using Facebook
to find parents of classmates of John
and Cindy McCain's 16-year-old daughter Bridget.
Kantor is the recipient of a Columbia Young Alumni Achievement Award and she has been named as one of Crain's "40 Under 40" rising stars. She appears frequently on television, including Today and Charlie Rose
. She tweets at twitter.com/jodikantor.
, "Your Money" columnist for the Times. Though she covers Washington she lives in Brooklyn.
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
correspondent and author of The Obamas, to be published by Little Brown in November 2011. She has been writing about President and First Lady Barack and Michelle Obama, along with numerous other political figures, since 2007.
Education and career
She graduated from Columbia UniversityColumbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
in 1996 and attended Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
for one semester, taking a leave to work at Slate
Slate (magazine)
Slate is a US-based English language online current affairs and culture magazine created in 1996 by former New Republic editor Michael Kinsley, initially under the ownership of Microsoft as part of MSN. On 21 December 2004 it was purchased by the Washington Post Company...
, where she became an editor. After corresponding with New York Times columnist Frank Rich
Frank Rich
Frank Rich is an American essayist and op-ed columnist who wrote for The New York Times from 1980, when he was appointed its chief theatre critic, until 2011...
about how that paper could improve its arts coverage, she was brought on as editor of the Arts and Leisure section by Howell Raines
Howell Raines
Howell Hiram Raines was Executive Editor of The New York Times from 2001 until he left in 2003 in the wake of the Jayson Blair scandal. He is the father of Jeff Raines, one of the founding members of the rock band Galactic...
, executive editor. Kantor was only 27 at the time (her predecessor, John Rockwell
John Rockwell
John Rockwell is a music critic, editor, and dance critic. He studied at Phillips Academy, Harvard, the University of Munich, and the University of California, Berkeley, earning a Ph.D. in German culture....
, had been in his late 50s when appointed to the post). She is thought to be the youngest person to edit a section of the New York Times. Under the guidance of Rich and others, she remade the section to include a more visual approach, new features and more ambitious reporting. While some criticized Kantor for using some writers with web-only journalism experience and assigning pieces on pop culture,[5], others believed she helped the paper connect with audiences.
More recently, Kantor has been covering politics for the Times, most notably the 2008 presidential campaign
United States presidential election, 2008
The United States presidential election of 2008 was the 56th quadrennial presidential election. It was held on November 4, 2008. Democrat Barack Obama, then the junior United States Senator from Illinois, defeated Republican John McCain, the senior U.S. Senator from Arizona. Obama received 365...
and 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 biography. Starting in 2007, she wrote some of the earliest articles about Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
, the role of the Obama daughters in their father's career, the role of basketball in the president's life, his relationship with Rev. Jeremiah Wright and his career as a constitutional law professor. In autumn of 2009, she co-broke the story of Michelle Obama
Michelle Obama
Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama is the wife of the 44th and incumbent President of the United States, Barack Obama, and is the first African-American First Lady of the United States...
's slave roots and authored a cover story in the New York Times Magazine about the first marriage, for which she interviewed the president and first lady in the Oval Office. In November 2009, Kantor landed a reported seven-figure book deal to write a book about the president and first lady.
After she broke the news of initial strain between Obama and Reverend Jeremiah Wright
Jeremiah Wright
Jeremiah Alvesta Wright, Jr. is Pastor Emeritus of Trinity United Church of Christ , a megachurch in Chicago exceeding 6,000 members...
in 2007, Wright posted an angry letter to Kantor on his church's website. Her editors subsequently defended her. http://thepage.time.com/new-york-times-response-to-rev-wright-letter/. Kantor was criticized by the Times public editor Clark Hoyt
Clark Hoyt
- Personal life and Professional career :Clark Hoyt is an American journalist who was the public editor of the New York Times, serving as the "readers' representative." He was the newspaper's third public editor, or ombudsman, after Daniel Okrent and Byron Calame...
for using Facebook
Facebook
Facebook is a social networking service and website launched in February 2004, operated and privately owned by Facebook, Inc. , Facebook has more than 800 million active users. Users must register before using the site, after which they may create a personal profile, add other users as...
to find parents of classmates of John
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 Cindy McCain's 16-year-old daughter Bridget.
Kantor is the recipient of a Columbia Young Alumni Achievement Award and she has been named as one of Crain's "40 Under 40" rising stars. She appears frequently on television, including Today and Charlie Rose
Charlie Rose
Charles Peete "Charlie" Rose, Jr. is an American television talk show host and journalist. Since 1991 he has hosted Charlie Rose, an interview show distributed nationally by PBS since 1993...
. She tweets at twitter.com/jodikantor.
Personal
Kantor is married to Ron LieberRon Lieber
Ron Lieber is an American journalist who writes the "Your Money" column for The New York Times. Lieber specializes in advising younger people on managing their money. From 2002 to 2007, he wrote for The Wall Street Journal, including the "Green Thumb" column on money management...
, "Your Money" columnist for the Times. Though she covers Washington she lives in Brooklyn.