Exclusive: Axelrod meets with Ailes

David Axelrod sits down with Roger Ailes in Manhattan

At a time of tension between their organizations, White House senior adviser David Axelrod met with Fox News chairman and chief executive officer Roger Ailes two weeks ago, sources tell POLITICO.

The two met privately in Manhattan during the president’s visit to the United Nations.

The two discussed news coverage and the relationship between the organizations.

Ailes is the founder of Fox News. A key part of Axelrod’s portfolio is the president’s image and broad message.

POLITICO has asked Fox for comment, and will update with reaction.

White House officials have expressed pique with what they consider heavy coverage of Obama critics by opinion shows on the news channel.

Obama aides showed their displeasure by omitting “Fox News Sunday” when the president granted interviews last month to the other Sunday shows.

Noting coverage on cable’s Fox News Channel, the Fox broadcast network declined to carry Obama’s address to a joint session of Congress, or his most recent prime-time news conference. White House officials did not like that, but say it is not their primary problem with Fox.

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