NY Times’s Bret Stephens deletes tweet calling ex-Obama aide ‘an asshole’

New York Times columnist Bret Stephens has deleted a tweet calling Tommy Vietor, who had worked for former President Obama, “an asshole,” with the paper’s spokesman saying the remark was “inappropriate.”

Stephens, who jumped to the Times from The Wall Street Journal in April, tweeted at Vietor, a former National Security Council spokesman and special assistant to Obama, and asked him if, as indicated by a Kuwaiti report picked up by Israeli newspaper Haaretz, the Obama administration tipped off Iran about an Israeli plan to assassinate Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.

“So did you alert Iran to the Israeli surveillance and potential attempt, @TVietor08? It sounds like you are confirming the story?” asked Stephens.

So did you alert Iran to the Israeli surveillance and potential attempt, @TVietor08? It sounds like you are confirming the story. https://t.co/JwhLFNoaXF

— Bret Stephens (@BretStephensNYT) January 10, 2018

“I didn’t work in the White House three years ago, but [former national security adviser] Ben [Rhodes] did and he already denied it. Regardless, you could’ve tried to confirm this without spreading the lie via Twitter. Good to see you’re bringing the same intellectual rigor you apply to climate change to national security,” Vietor replied.

I didn’t work in the White House three years ago, but Ben did and he already denied it. Regardless, you could’ve tried to confirm this without spreading the lie via Twitter. Good to see you’re bringing the same intellectual rigor you apply to climate change to national security.

— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) January 11, 2018

“Good, because all my original tweet did was ask a question based on a story that had been picked up by Haaretz, a reputable paper. What we’ve established as fact was a) you think an Iranian terrorist mastermind is a ‘politician,’ and b) you’re an asshole,” Stephens shot back.

Bret Stephens seems to have deleted his tweet calling Tommy Vietor “an asshole.” https://t.co/MXEITFWqxN pic.twitter.com/LZL19gHWgH

— Jeremy Barr (@jeremymbarr) January 11, 2018

“We agree that this tweet was inappropriate and it has since been deleted by Bret, who regrets he sent it,” a New York Times spokesperson told The Hill. 

The Daily Wire, a conservative online publication founded by former Breitbart editor Ben Shapiro, also ran with the story, which prompted Vietor to refer to Shapiro as “a Steve Bannon protege” and “a little shit.”

Steve Bannon protege @benshapiro should be embarrassed to have published this. At no point did I confirm this story. I didn’t even work at the White House when it is alleged to have happened. This is why Breitbart was garbage before Bannon made it Nazi garbage. https://t.co/HOpsEZqPgq

— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) January 11, 2018

What a little shit

— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) January 11, 2018

Shapiro quickly retorted, calling the characterization regarding Bannon, who Shapiro has openly criticized since resigning from Breitbart in May 2016, “batshit insane.”

Our story is an accurate telling of your exchange with Bret Stephens. Please point out the falsehood. I’ll point out one of yours: calling me a Bannon protege is absolutely batshit insane. https://t.co/5dQs0DGPQQ

— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) January 11, 2018

Vietor is a co-host of “Pod Save America,” along with former Obama staffers Jon Favreau, Jon Lovett and Dan Pfeiffer.

{mosads}The Times presented new social media guidelines in October for its reporters in a memo that includes a warning to “not express partisan opinions” or “promote political views,” among other rules.

“In social media posts, our journalists must not express partisan opinions, promote political views, endorse candidates, make offensive comments or do anything else that undercuts The Times’s journalistic reputation,” reads the memo from executive editor Dean Baquet.

“Our journalists should be especially mindful of appearing to take sides on issues that The Times is seeking to cover objectively,” he wrote.

“We consider all social media activity by our journalists to come under this policy. While you may think that your Facebook page, Twitter feed, Instagram, Snapchat or other social media accounts are private zones, separate from your role at The Times, in fact everything we post or ‘like’ online is to some degree public. And everything we do in public is likely to be associated with The Times,” the memo warns.