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The Spectacle Blog

Thanks for Getting Us Elected -- Now Scram

By W. James Antle, III on 11.11.08 @ 10:41AM

Another Washington Post item shows it is not all sweetness and light between the open Obama team and their erstwhile pals in the media. Al Kamen reproduces the following e-mail:From: Larry Strickling

Date: November 6, 2008 6:58:14 PM EST

To: [policy groups]

Cc: Priya Singh

Subject: . . . Reminder -- Decline All Reporter Interviews and Speaking Requests.

This is a reminder that our communications department has directed all of you, as policy committee members, to decline all requests from reporters and all speaking invitations regarding the transition, the Administration's priorities and related issues. If you are contacted by a reporter to discuss these matters, please refer the reporter to Priya Singh. . . . If you receive an invitation to speak on these issues at a conference or meeting, please decline the request. At this point in time, there is no one to whom to refer the request and do not offer to do so on behalf of the organization extending you the invitation. We realize these requirements may appear Draconian but so soon after the election, with the transition effort just being organized, it is important that no one who was involved with the campaign and the policy committees be speculating in public on these sensitive matters.

These are very sensitive matters.

View all comments (2) | Leave a comment

megapotamus| 11.11.08 @ 12:59PM

The chances that the pressies will object to this sort of thing approach zero right now but they have responsibilities that earn them their livings. They WILL be back. For all the lamentation on the fascistic tendencies of the Bushies they never tried anything like this and managed to rudimentally control their message even with the likes of McClellan at the pivot point. but Barack will not suffer by comparison to Bush. Until someone actually makes the comparison.

J David| 11.11.08 @ 1:06PM

The Fourth Estate has been making up the news right along, and has bent their knees to the Messiah already, so being granted access is no big inconvenience. They print only what advances the storyline of the prescribed talking points for day and they don't really need interviews for that.