Clymer worked for the
New York Daily News for a short period. Clymer worked for
The New York Times from 1977 until July 2003, and served as its national political correspondent for the
1980 presidential election, and polling editor from 1983 to 1990. Clymer covered the
2000 presidential campaign for the
Times and wrote at least one article that was considered unfavorable by the campaign of
George W. Bush. Clymer wrote an analysis of Cheney's tax returns, including his conclusion that he only gave 1% of his $20 million earnings to charity. Clymer may be best known for an incident on September 4, 2000, when Bush and running mate
Dick Cheney appeared at a campaign event in
Naperville, Illinois. While on stage before the event, Bush said to Cheney, "There's Adam Clymer, major-league asshole from the
New York Times." Cheney responded, "Oh yeah, he is, big time." The remarks were
picked up by a live microphone, causing a minor campaign controversy. Bush subsequently remarked, "I regret that a private comment I made to the vice presidential candidate made it through the public airways. I regret everybody heard what I said," but declined to retract the comment itself. While he never apologized for the comment itself, Bush made an attempt to smooth it over, making light of it at the next
Washington Press Club Foundation Dinner by referring to Adam Clymer as a "major-league ass...et." For his part, Clymer noted that Bush sent him a nice letter of condolences when his mother died in 2001. ==Personal life==