Two years ago, Politico correspondent Mike Allen wanted to interview Chelsea Clinton. He never landed the Q&A, but media watchers are landing on Allen for what he called his “clumsy” wording of pitch.

Chelsea Clinton. Photo via Wikimedia Commons
Chelsea Clinton. Photo via Wikimedia Commons

Monday morning, Allen posted an apology.

“The apology follows a report from Gawker’s J.K. Trotter published last week disclosing that Allen offered to agree upon a list of questions in advance that would allow Clinton to ‘make news on’ her topic of choice,” Pointer.org reported. “Allen never did the interview, and POLITICO editor Susan Glasser told Gawker that the outlet forbids providing questions to sources in advance.”

Allen, who grew up in Orange County, says Gawker “rightly took me to task” for an email exchange with Hillary Clinton aide Philippe Reines.

“In an email dated January 10, 2013 and addressed to Reines, then serving as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State, Allen floated the idea of interviewing Clinton’s adult daughter, Chelsea, during an upcoming brunch hosted by Politico,” Gawker said, which quoted the email:

“This would be a way to send a message during inaugural week: No one besides me would ask her a question, and you and I would agree on them precisely in advance. This would be a relaxed conversation, and our innovative format (like a speedy Playbook Breakfast) always gets heavy social-media pickup. The interview would be ‘no-surprises’: I would work with you on topics, and would start with anything she wants to cover or make news on. Quicker than a network hit, and reaching an audience you care about with no risk.”

Media often associated with conservative views jumped on the development:

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