9 7 3 . ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 6 4 , ▁R aines ▁began ▁his ▁newspaper ▁career ▁as ▁a ▁rep orter ▁for ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁Post - Her ald ▁in ▁Alabama . ▁He ▁also ▁reported ▁for ▁W B RC - TV ▁in ▁B irmingham . ▁ ▁After ▁a ▁year ▁as ▁a ▁rep orter ▁at ▁the ▁B irmingham ▁News , ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁R aines ▁was ▁selected ▁as ▁political ▁editor ▁of ▁the ▁Atlanta ▁Constitution . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 6 ▁he ▁left ▁that ▁post ▁to ▁become ▁political ▁editor ▁at ▁the ▁St . ▁Petersburg ▁Times . ▁ ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁R aines ▁joined ▁The ▁New ▁York ▁Times ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 8 , ▁as ▁a ▁national ▁correspond ent ▁based ▁in ▁Atlanta . ▁By ▁ 1 9 7 9 , ▁R aines ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁Atlanta ' s ▁b ureau ▁chief , ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁held ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁national ▁political ▁correspond ent . ▁ ▁By ▁the ▁next ▁year , ▁R aines ▁had ▁advanced ▁to ▁become ▁a ▁White ▁House ▁correspond ent ▁for ▁The ▁Times . ▁He ▁progress ed ▁to ▁management ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 5 , ▁becoming ▁deput y ▁Washington ▁editor . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁R aines ▁transferred ▁to ▁London ▁and ▁worked ▁as ▁the ▁newspaper ' s ▁London ▁b ureau ▁chief . ▁The ▁next ▁year , ▁he ▁returned ▁to ▁Washington ▁D . C . ▁to ▁become ▁the ▁city ' s ▁b ureau ▁chief . ▁ ▁In