By Sara Just
@sarajust
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Aug 18, 2009 7:25am

White House Folds “Flag@Whitehouse.gov,” Makes Security Changes, After Internet Flaps

Sunlen Miller and Jake Tapper report:

In a tacit acknowledgment of some new media missteps, the White House made changes to its White House’s “Reality Check” website this week after anger that some people were receiving unsolicited emails generated from the White House, and suggestions from a Republican senator that the White House was using an email address to compile a list of political opponents.

White House Director of Media Macon Phillips writes in a blog post that the irony is that the website, which tried to clear up misinformation caused by “fear-mongering” has now become the subject of the same beast.

“An ironic development is that the launch of an online program meant to provide facts about health insurance reform has itself become the target of fear-mongering and online rumors that are the tactics of choice for the defenders of the status quo," Phillips writes.

Macon says that it has come to his attention that some people may have been added to the White House email list without their knowledge, “likely as a result of efforts by outside groups of all political stripes” and that they regret any inconvenience it has caused.

The blog post stated that the White House continues to take online privacy very seriously.

“We’re certainly not interested in anyone receiving emails from the White House who don’t want them," says Phillips. "That’s one reason why we have never — and will never — add names from a commercial or political list to the White House list."

The change in policy comes a few days after White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was asked by Fox News' Major Garrett about individuals receiving unsolicited emails from the White House. (Garrett and his team have written quite a bit about this at their blog "Row 2, Seat 4.")

The White House blog, posted Monday evening on the White House website, instructs those that do not wish to receive the emails anymore to click on the “unsubscribe” tab that is in every email sent out. And the White House has now also implemented measures on the main White House website to boost the security of the mailing list.

“We will carefully evaluate signups already received to work toward preventing this problem in the future,” Macon writes.

The White House has also shut down an email address President Obama personally had to explain was not a way for him to compile an "enemies list."

Phillips had previously requested that if citizens “get an email or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy,” they “send it to flag@whitehouse.gov."

In response, Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, wrote to President Obama that he was concerned “about a new White House program to monitor American citizens' speech opposing your health care policies, and to seek your assurances that this program is being carried out in a manner consistent with the First Amendment and America's tradition of free speech and public discourse.”

The Texas Republican said it seemed “inevitable that the names, email addresses, IP addresses, and private speech of U.S. citizens will be reported to the White House. You should not be surprised that these actions taken by your White House staff raise the specter of a data collection program.”

Last week at a town hall meeting in Portsmouth, NH, one self-described "skeptic" of the President's health care reform push said he was "one of the people that turned myself in on the White House Web page the other day for being a skeptic of this bill. I'm proud to have done so."

"Can I just say this is another example of how the media just ends up completely distorting what’s taking place," President Obama responded. "What we’ve said is that…if you get an email from somebody that says for example, 'ObamaCare is creating a death panel,' forward us the email and we will answer the question that is being raised in the email. Suddenly, on some of these news outlets, this is being portrayed as Obama collecting an enemies list. Now, come on guys, here I am trying to be responsive to questions that are being raised out there."

But as of this week, flag@whitehouse.gov is now dead.

“To better understand what new misinformation is bubbling up online or in other venues, we want your suggestions about topics to address through the Reality Check site," Phillips writes. "To consolidate the process, the email address set up last week for this same purpose is now closed and all feedback should be sent through: here."

Macon writes that despite some in the media and in the blogosphere that have invoked “a variety of sinister conspiracy theorists” about the reality check website, more people signed up for updates last week than during the entire month of July – showing that the updates are wanted.

-Sunlen Miller and Jake Tapper

User Comments

I am confused by the white house’s response, especially as an email marketer. They did not follow proper privacy practices for building an “opt-in” list. You should confirm that the person desires to receive your communications, and you don’t just add people to your list from a 3rd party – no matter what “political stripes” they are from.
Just another example of not taking responsibility for your mistakes – always blaming “partisan” politics or vast conspiracies.

Posted by: Jim | August 18, 2009, 7:34 am 7:34 am

Anyone recieving unsolicited emails for mthe whitehouse should start a first amendent lawsuit against Obama.
Emanuel and Axelrod are running this country now. The empty suit with less work experience than a teenager is in way over his head now. Looks like a constitutional law degree means absolutely nothing!

Posted by: JOhn | August 18, 2009, 7:59 am 7:59 am

More lies coming out of this white house. Where is the transparancy?

Posted by: David | August 18, 2009, 8:02 am 8:02 am

White House Website Makes Security Changes, Amid Email Flap
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What a mess. What about security changes that will prevent radicals from bringing AR-15s and hand guns to public events?
Surely America is losing her way.

Posted by: Thinking | August 18, 2009, 8:04 am 8:04 am

Anyone recieving unsolicited emails for mthe whitehouse should start a first amendent lawsuit against Obama.
****************************************
How is receiving an email a violation of your 1st amendment?

Posted by: Thinking | August 18, 2009, 8:07 am 8:07 am

“The blog post emphasized that the White House continues to take online privacy very seriously.”
Nothing is ever their fault, is it?
Come on, Jake, please tell us this is tongue in cheek. You are not that gullible.
Being Barack Obama means never being able to say you’re sorry.

Posted by: drjohn | August 18, 2009, 8:16 am 8:16 am

Thinking: “What a mess. What about security changes that will prevent radicals from bringing AR-15s and hand guns to public events?
Surely America is losing her way.”
Security changes? What about the rule of law? Those “radicals” you’re talking about are citizens of the state of Arizona exercising their rights. Was anyone arrested? Any firearms confiscated? Anyone hurt (as opposed to St. Louis)? No. So you’re saying “someone” needs to implements “security changes” to solve a non-problem, all of which would require denying citizens their rights. Hmmm, sounds a lot like facism to me. Hugo Chavez would be proud.
I’ve never so much as held a gun in my hand but I will defend my neighbor’s right to own and carry one with my last breath. The Constitution is not a cafeteria menu where you can pick and choose which parts you like. It’s all or nothing.

Posted by: Woody | August 18, 2009, 8:25 am 8:25 am

YES WE SPAM!

Posted by: Community Agitator | August 18, 2009, 8:34 am 8:34 am

“Anyone recieving unsolicited emails for mthe whitehouse should start a first amendent lawsuit against Obama.”
Um, not quite. The Obama White House has committed the crime of poor political strategy and appearing paranoid. Nothing more, nothing less.

Posted by: Woody | August 18, 2009, 8:35 am 8:35 am

Woody,
Your tirade is nothing but BS. Those weapons at public events are meant to intimidate, nothing more. Sorry Woody they carried those weapons at the suggestion of some wack job, who suggested that these Nazis, socialists, communists, un-American, liberal need to be put in their place.
One should be able to take your children or grand children to a political event.
Keep it up, stop using common sense, and you will lose your right. All rights come with responsibility, as far as I am concerned your side is not showing the intelligence, nor responsibility to have them.

Posted by: Thinking | August 18, 2009, 8:38 am 8:38 am

I’m confused. Do I have to re-report Barney Frank for saying the public option will lead to single payer or is he still flagged?

Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | August 18, 2009, 8:43 am 8:43 am

Woody:”Security changes? What about the rule of law? Those “radicals” you’re talking about are citizens of the state of Arizona exercising their rights. Was anyone arrested? Any firearms confiscated? Anyone hurt (as opposed to St. Louis)? No. So you’re saying “someone” needs to implements “security changes” to solve a non-problem, ”
Open carrying an assault rifle to a presidential event shows nothing but utter contempt for the Secret Service. That man’s right meant that some Secret Service sniper had to spend hours with his crosshairs up. Why? Did the guy think he needed deadly force protection at a peaceful protest? What a coward. Bush Jr was hated by the far left but they never resorted to such jack boot intimidation tactics.
Phelps has the right to protest at the funeral of fallen soldiers yelling that they deserved to die and God sent them to hell for being part of the gay conspiracy. It’s his right, but he is still a jerk and rightly held in utter contempt by the vast majority of the nation for doing so.

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 8:47 am 8:47 am

John:”Anyone recieving unsolicited emails for mthe whitehouse should start a first amendent lawsuit against Obama.”
Heh, that was good for the morning chuckle.

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 8:48 am 8:48 am

‘Macon says that it has come to his attention that some people may have been added to the White House email list without their knowledge, “likely as a result of efforts by outside groups of all political stripes”’
Outside groups?
These people take all of America for fools. The problem is that they’re 52% correct.

Posted by: drjohn | August 18, 2009, 8:55 am 8:55 am

“Did the guy think he needed deadly force protection at a peaceful protest?”
“Phoenix police said the gun-toters at Monday’s event, including the man carrying an AR-15 semi-automatic rifle slung over his shoulder, didn’t need permits. No crimes were committed, and no one was arrested.”
It makes lots of sense. The man who brought the weapon was black, and a black man was beaten by Obama thugs at another “peaceful” event. Bringing the weapon, as noted above, was entirely legal.

Posted by: drjohn | August 18, 2009, 9:00 am 9:00 am

Being realistic, the spamming was not a plot by obama, gibbs, etc… It was the internet guy trying to build the list as fast as possible so he could impress his boss. the problem is what he was doing was unethical.
Instead of taking responsibility and doing the right thing, the teflon administration just says “we have amended our process.” The arrogance is what bothers me. The “we were just doing what was best for you” even if we have to bend a few best practices. It is a slippery slope when the leaders think they know what is best for the people.
Maybe this is just another teachable moment. I think they acted stupidly.

Posted by: Jim | August 18, 2009, 9:04 am 9:04 am

Nowhere was there an apology for collecting data on citizens.
Instead, an “acknowledgment” that some of us might have “misunderstood” the noble attempts of the fact-checkers.
Jake — the post at Whitehouse.gov was self-congratulatory and non-apologetic. It put the blame on others for what should have been a clear opt-in system.

Posted by: Ike | August 18, 2009, 9:04 am 9:04 am

jhw539, here’s your real morning chuckle (credit sagman):
Give It Up
OBAMA: This is a disaster. I need volunteers to accept responsibility and fall on their swords.
EMANUEL: I’ll commit seppuku during your next presser, sir.
OBAMA: Your call. Bob, seat Major Garrett and Jake Tapper within spurting distance. I want them to feel responsible for his sacrifice. Valerie?
JARRETT: Secret Service rules about weapons, sir. Rahm, disembowel yourself in the corridor, then hold things in until you get in front of the podium.
OBAMA: Rahm’s tough. Anybody else?
AXELROD: My Chicago street smarts have been a bust in Washington, sir. Since everybody says I look like a Soviet apparatchik, demote me to Special Envoy to Putin. .
OBAMA: Done. Uh, Joe . . . .
BIDEN: I’d volunteer, Boss, but your numbers would go through the floor if people thought I had what it takes to be President. You need me right where I am, O.
OBAMA: Good point. Let’s see . . . I need one more . . . .
MICHELLE: Who you looking at? I have a copy of the long form. You hear me, Barack?

Posted by: JD | August 18, 2009, 9:05 am 9:05 am

‘”Did the guy think he needed deadly force protection at a peaceful protest?”
It makes lots of sense. The man who brought the weapon was black, and a black man was beaten by Obama thugs at another “peaceful” event. Bringing the weapon, as noted above, was entirely legal.’
Posted by: drjohn | Aug 18, 2009 9:00:32 AM
A black man “was beaten by Obama thugs”? Did he get a backwards B carved into his face too?
All I’ve seen is pushing, shoving, and more of the gross exaggeration and ‘woe me’ victimhood we’ve come to expect from the hard Right.
I guess this is really the natural result of a political party that motivates it’s base by perpetual fear and insists that our government is “The Problem” (rather than the envy of every nation on Earth and the guiding structure of the most prosperous free nation mankind has ever seen).

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 9:14 am 9:14 am

Thinking:”Keep it up, stop using common sense, and you will lose your right. All rights come with responsibility, as far as I am concerned your side is not showing the intelligence, nor responsibility to have them.”
You almost had it right. If you stop using your RIGHTS you will surely lose them. I don’t know how you know what motivated any individual to carry a gun at that event but congrats to you on your mind reading capabilities. You should parley that into a profitable business.
And I’m also not on any “side” other than the side of the Constitution, which is still the law of the land but is under constant assault. It’s a great document. If you haven’t read it in a while you should refresh your memory.

Posted by: Woody | August 18, 2009, 9:22 am 9:22 am

All of a sudden, the right is worried about privacy.
As long as they were assuming that the government was keeping tabs on black and brown people, they had no problem.
What a difference a black President makes. Wingnut heads exploding like its the 4th of July.

Posted by: Flash Override | August 18, 2009, 9:28 am 9:28 am

Jake, the President often says insurance co’s., ‘big’ pharma, hospitals,Drs., etc are only after profit as the primary motivator for their industry.(As he has for Wall St.,banks,car co’s. and CEO pay).
Could you please ask the President how much profit he should have gained (as opposed to the millons he made) from writing 2 books, one of which was written on a grant (in which he was afforded the luxury of ‘time off’)?

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 10:05 am 10:05 am

“As long as they were assuming that the government was keeping tabs on black and brown people, they had no problem.”
Posted by: Flash Override | Aug 18, 2009 9:28:53 AM
Provide proof for such an outrageous claim!

Posted by: Seriously?? | August 18, 2009, 10:06 am 10:06 am

You almost had it right. If you stop using your RIGHTS you will surely lose them. I don’t know how you know what motivated any individual to carry a gun at that event but congrats to you on your mind reading capabilities. You should parley that into a profitable business.
***************************************
I do not know what motivated him either, I do know why it was promoted. Lets face it they are not called weapons for nothing. It is a matter of time before one of those weapons, at one of these political events is used. Your constitutional right to carry a weapon doesn’t trump my right to peaceful assembly. When I see weapons at a political event, I do not believe it is for peaceful purposes.
If anyobne is endagering the right to have, carry weapons it is the people who are abusing that right. Not me who is calling for responsibility and common sense.

Posted by: Thinking | August 18, 2009, 10:10 am 10:10 am

“I guess this is really the natural result of a political party that motivates it’s base by perpetual fear and insists that our government is “The Problem”….
BOTH political parties are the problem.They are dug in and it is trench warfare in a protracted partisan war.
They are just lobbing shells at one another, like WW1.
Yet, they spend the nation into oblivion.

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 10:10 am 10:10 am

J House:”"I guess this is really the natural result of a political party that motivates it’s base by perpetual fear and insists that our government is “The Problem”….
BOTH political parties are the problem.”
In the 1990′s, a Democratic president worked WITH a Republican Congress to reform Welfare (pretty successfully if you look at the numbers).
In the 2000′s, a Democratic minority in the Senate was bitterly opposed to the Republican running of the Iraq war, but did not filibuster funding of the troops or shut down Congress.
Yet now we have a Republican minority in the Senate, they have set records every year for the number of filibusters and refuse to compromise to allow the majority’s agenda through in any way.
The view that both parties are equally bad is simply not supported by the documented facts. Democrats compromise, break party lines, and allow things to get done. Republicans have repeatedly proven that if they aren’t running the show, they will refuse to do any work at all.

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:14 am 10:14 am

It’s great to see that it was the civil libertarians over at FoxNews that called the White House out on this probably illegal and obviously misguided operation.
And where were the “titans” of the 4th Estate ? Sucking the gas pipe.

Posted by: John Q Public | August 18, 2009, 10:15 am 10:15 am

J House:”the President often says insurance co’s., ‘big’ pharma, hospitals,Drs., etc are only after profit as the primary motivator for their industry.(”
*Only* after profit? Please cite.

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:16 am 10:16 am

It doesn’t matter. All communications that were sent to the “flag” email address are now part of retained and archived White House documents.
Any communication with the White House is kept indefinitely. This includes the senders name and IP address when sent in the form of an email.
They can’t destroy them.
Something is very rotten in the White House collection of this information. It has Rahm Emanuel’s “dead fish” smell all over it.

Posted by: Cervantes | August 18, 2009, 10:16 am 10:16 am

Jake, and the follow up-
“Mr President, every one of your predecessors for at least the past 50 yrs have profited financially from the status of being the POTUS.Will you pledge not to join a board,a company, form a partnership co., a law firm, lobby for anyone or any nation,do a book deal, take speaking/consulting fees, etc.?

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 10:17 am 10:17 am

I will defned the President on one claim-the ‘stimulus package’ actually has ‘saved’ jobs (‘created’ is a stretch).
But, the money for the ‘saved’ jobs are in the public sector (municipal workers, teachers, police, fire, etc.), not counting the small fraction for ‘transportation initiatives’.
(oh, and the multi-billion dollar bail-outs for the auto workers)
Of course, the WH doesn’t want to emphasize it because he knows, as he has put it before, ‘where his bread is buttered’.

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 10:23 am 10:23 am

UK SYSTEM: Woman gives birth on pavement ‘after being refused ambulance’…
CANADIAN SYSTEM: Thousands of surgeries may be cut in Vancouver…
The Obama/Pelosi plan is what now again?
read it at the Drudgereport.com

Posted by: stardate: 2731.1 | August 18, 2009, 10:29 am 10:29 am

J House:”But, the money for the ‘saved’ jobs are in the public sector (municipal workers, teachers, police, fire, etc.), not counting the small fraction for ‘transportation initiatives’.”
Interesting. So you don’t think the $237 billion in tax cuts did anything to help keep consumer spending from completely crashing, or that the $51 billion in tax cuts for businesses helped them avoid cutting any jobs?

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:31 am 10:31 am

Obama Joker artist unmasked: A fellow Chicagoan… and a democrat.. ha ha ha this is getting tooo funny

Posted by: stardate: 2731.1 | August 18, 2009, 10:32 am 10:32 am

jw,
When the President says a Dr. would rather take tonsils out because the fee is higher, that would be a fairly good example.
Are you exposed to the world media? Are you aware that the President has a long history of railing against the ‘big profits’ of companies as well as individuals he won’t name (the list is endless)?
Yet, the President’s income tax reports show he profted quite well from his books…I’m asking, what gives?
He has every right to make as much as he wants..he is a gifted writer.But it is odd, given he also never mentions Google’s profit, or Bill Clinton’s Khazak uranium deal,or the millions he has made writing, etc.?

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 10:32 am 10:32 am

J House:”Will you pledge not to join a board,a company, form a partnership co., a law firm, lobby for anyone or any nation,do a book deal, take speaking/consulting fees, etc.?”
He can’t join a company (so he has to work for himself), form a company (oops, can’t work for himself), write books (as he has since he was an obscure state senator), give speeches (there goes that aspect of his talent set)…
He’d have more options as a convicted sex offender. Your hatred wouldn’t even allow him to work for McDonalds (a company!) or do freelance editing of church bulletins. I guess this passes for rational though on the Right.

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:35 am 10:35 am

As well as the most profitable elephant in the room who creates nothing but instigates ‘velvet revolutions’ around the world, including one in the U.S., the international financier and globalist who holds no allegiance to any nation….billionaire friend of Barack, George Soros.

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 10:38 am 10:38 am

J House:”When the President says a Dr. would rather take tonsils out because the fee is higher, that would be a fairly good example.”
And one that is supported by several studies of actual data. Sorry if you have a problem with reality.
“Are you exposed to the world media? Are you aware that the President has a long history of railing against the ‘big profits’ of companies as well as individuals he won’t name (the list is endless)?”
The list is endless. How convenient. “Railing against the big profits”? Could you provide a citation OF HIS REAL WORDS to support this?
“Yet, the President’s income tax reports show he profted quite well from his books…I’m asking, what gives?”
He supports people earning money by providing valuable goods and services. He wrote his books – not a ghost writer – for initially questionable profit (his book did not begin to sell until after his breakthrough speech).
I suppose you support CEOs of failing companies getting voted $100 million golden parachutes by their friends on the board? Or the good work Enron did maximizing profits? Or the sweethart deal pharmaceutical companies got from Bush’s drug benefit bill (a lot better than the rumored deal they cut with Obama, that at least did cost them a little bit)? Or an insurance company earning an extra billion by loosing forms and having just long enough busy signals that an extra 10% of their customers give up trying to make claims? And the employees at that AIG division really made a bundle – good for them!

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am

In a moment of clarity, the president said, “Can I just say this is another example of how the media just ends up completely distorting what’s taking place. Like, uh, look what the media did to Sarah Palin for me.
“The media will, uh, usually do, uh, what I tell it to do. This time I, uh, forgot to tell them, uh, how they were supposed to spin this. Uh, giving up, uh, your family and neighbors to the government is, uh, is a good thing. Uh, a patriotic thing.
“They just happened to tell the truth this time, which is, uh, what I told them, uh, not to do. The ‘fishy’ part was, uh, put in there by Rahm. He said, uh, people would get the message.”

Posted by: Blue Skies | August 18, 2009, 10:45 am 10:45 am

jw, are you not aware the President is well-paid and protected once he is retired?
He already has a book deal…while in office.
And I have absolutely no hatred for the President.I like a alot of aspects about him, actually, besides his ability to write and communicate.
What I don’t like about him is his ‘blame America first’ attitude’, his political duplicity, his past relationships with people like Rev Wright, etc….basically things many liberals have in common.
That doesn’t come close to equaling hatred.Besides, I’m not easy on any President.
I would be the last person to make an off-the-cuff remark about a case in which I did not know the facts, especially if it involved a friend and possibly a racial incident.
Doing it in public and as POTUS, much less the fact that he was a law professor, says something about his view fo the world through race-colored glasses, not mine.

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 10:46 am 10:46 am

after another disasterous week..its vacation time for Obama..lmao he leaves everytime the @%#* hits the fan

Posted by: stardate: 2731.1 | August 18, 2009, 10:47 am 10:47 am

J House:”As well as the most profitable elephant in the room who creates nothing but instigates ‘velvet revolutions’ around the world, including one in the U.S., the international financier and globalist who holds no allegiance to any nation….billionaire friend of Barack, George Soros.”
Is this the Right’s newest fantasy villain now? Does he have a fleet of black helicopters? What revolutions around the world, specifically, has this evil mastermind engineered? I bet he has a really menacing cape hidden somewhere.

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:49 am 10:49 am

J House:”jw, are you not aware the President is well-paid and protected once he is retired? ”
Are you not aware that you were demanding that he cease all productive work for the rest of his life after leaving the presidency?

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:51 am 10:51 am

stardate:”after another disasterous week..its vacation time for Obama..lmao he leaves everytime the @%#* hits the fan”
I’m having trouble keeping up with the current hit piece line – is Obama saturating the air waves and destroying America by doing too much, or is he lazy and always on vacation?

Posted by: jhw539 | August 18, 2009, 10:54 am 10:54 am

More evidence of this administrations’ incompetence (or worse) as well as more reason not to trust anything they say or do.

Posted by: keys2truth | August 18, 2009, 10:54 am 10:54 am

Well,well,well!!
The Obama library looks to be a empty shell with 4 walls. Seven months of OJT and he hasn’t accomplished a damn thing other than crippling our economy!
Good job, Barry!!
I’m glad I didn’t buy into his fantastic lie he perped on the dummies!!
The only transparency I’ve seen through is, “Hope & Change.”

Posted by: American Infidel | August 18, 2009, 11:01 am 11:01 am

“Is this the Right’s newest fantasy villain now? Does he have a fleet of black helicopters? What revolutions around the world, specifically, has this evil mastermind engineered?”
Actually he’s not the newest. He’s been a big money pusher for the Democrats for at least 10 years. He also destroys economies overseas, something about exchange rate manipulation or something, and he walks away with millions. It’s been years since I read about him, but in my opinion he essentially is out to destroy capitalism and uses his wealth to destroy the economies of smaller nations to demonstrate capitalistic failure and influence them into socialist systems. He was also the #1 investor i think(?) in the hedge fund fiasco that helped with the recent economic issues of our nation. Could be interpreted as evidence that he is trying to destroy our nations capitalism.
So yeah, he concerns people.

Posted by: KR | August 18, 2009, 11:03 am 11:03 am

Well, jw, if you don’t think Mr. Soros helped Mr. Obama get elected in this country…or, do you think it was ‘the internet’ that got him hundreds of millions past the cap he pledged to honor?
evil-check (he sucks the financial lifeblood out of weak economies, as he did his fellow refugees as a youngster)
mastermind-check-at commodities trading, no question.Quantum had a good run.Check the chart.
‘villain of the right’- I have no idea.
(btw, could you post your list of ‘the right’?)

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 11:05 am 11:05 am

jhw539……..
Why don’t we tell Barry to stay on vacation? We can send him a check every 2 weeks. We’d do a sight better with him and his Chi-Town goons out of our way!!
Think about it …… we put back the unspent “stimulus” and let the free market straighten itself out.
2010 is going to be “PAY BACK” time!!

Posted by: American Infidel | August 18, 2009, 11:06 am 11:06 am

jhw539,you would think that he would have the common sense to stick around and try to push through the most important piece of legislation of his domestic agenda. Doesn’t it bother you that he doesn’t recognize how bad this looks?

Posted by: Nephron | August 18, 2009, 11:06 am 11:06 am

“Or the good work Enron did maximizing profits?”
Enron fluorished under Clinton and went down under Bush.
Is it ALL profits you despise, or do you simply despise profits which are not your own?

Posted by: drjohn | August 18, 2009, 11:08 am 11:08 am

jw,
Couldn’t he build homes with Jimmy Carter? That is very productive.In fact, I’ll meet you there and build one with Obama and you if he pledges not to profit from his status as ‘ex’ POTUS.
If he wants to go and spring 2 rookie journalists who deserved to be jailed for illegally entering a totalitarian country that typically shoots violators dead on sight,I’m all for him being productive at that.

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 11:08 am 11:08 am

The WH knows exactly what they are doing.
They are above the law and try to get away with things until they get caught.
Then conveniently play dumb.

Posted by: max | August 18, 2009, 11:09 am 11:09 am

“Does he have a fleet of black helicopters?”
Honestly, it’s quite amusing to hear this from a lefty. If I had a nickel for every time I heard a left wing conspiracist predict Bush’s black helicopters coming to take us away I’d……I’d…….
I’d have a profit!

Posted by: drjohn | August 18, 2009, 11:10 am 11:10 am

Actually Flash, I want Black men to succeed by your wildest dreams in this country.And I have hundreds of friends from all races and religions, world-wide.Some of my best friends from high school are black, asian, hispanic.I have traveled around the world 17 times in the past 14 yrs and lived in 4 other countries…my wife is Malaysian Chinese.
I live in Malaysia now (part-time), where we have a ‘reverse’ affirmative action system (i.e., the majority has special rights to loans, property, education,business ownership,etc.).(google bumiputra system)
It is appalling, and a failure, in my opinion.It pits the races against one another, in order to ‘level the playing field’. In my view, it doesn’t work.
And it is somewhat a mirror of our own failures with our system.I would hope this President would have helped America overcome it, but instead, he adds to it…his assoc. with Rev Wright, the Cambridge police incident, his policies…he cannot rise above it.

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 11:22 am 11:22 am

Imagine if the President would have had the rich experience of creating his own business, hired and managed his own employees, ran his own successful business empire, provided his employees benefits and fought the govt red tape and tax burden to provide for the welfare of his employees and shareholders….all while making a tidy profit for all.
His words would have so much more weight….but they are as light as a feather.

Posted by: J House | August 18, 2009, 11:30 am 11:30 am

I like the part of the WH blog where they express gratitude for the people who brought this to their attention. It’s also nice to see them express regret for not having done a better job informing people who emailed the WH through their link that they’d be signing up for WH emails.
Finally, the admission that perhaps asking people to forward other people’s emails to the WHITE HOUSE might have looked bad, even though they had good intentions, is very gracious.
The tone of the whole blog is very Presidential and once again shows this administration’s desire to get rid of the “us against them” political mentality.
::eyeroll::

Posted by: MayBee | August 18, 2009, 11:57 am 11:57 am

It’s too late for apologies, if that is what this is…
The White House has requested information from the public that will become “records” under the Presidential Records Act.
The list of names and email addresses already compiled by the White House is not covered by the Freedom of Information Act. It will not be released to members of the public (or press, lol, as if that is going to happen) who request its disclosure.

Posted by: Johanna | August 18, 2009, 1:17 pm 1:17 pm

Obama crippled our Economy!?!?!
What planet are you on?
I lost 1/4 of my retirement savings under Bush. And I have made it ALL back in the seven months of Obama.
Crippled the economy…. sheesh! That’s an absurd statement.

Posted by: barfy | August 18, 2009, 1:46 pm 1:46 pm

Some absolutely delightful new polling data out today on Obamacare.
People are far more concerned about the fact that Obama’s first-year budget deficit is larger than that of either of Bush’s entire four-year terms. They are terrified that he has endangered the nation’s future.

Posted by: Fascist Hyena | August 18, 2009, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm

Seems to me as if the e-mail addresses were simply a result of mischief by friends, not any W.H. conspiracy. My sister and I are opposite politically and I’ve often been tempted to add her address to some Dem sites but my better self prevailed! Perhaps there are others who couldn’t resist.
Everything isn’t a conspiracy folks, and if that is your first and only guess, that is telling more about you than what is the reality of the situation.

Posted by: Lydia | August 18, 2009, 2:58 pm 2:58 pm

A Rasmussen poll out today shows that 54% think it is better to do nothing with healthcare than to pass Obama’s plan. Only 34% support passing the proposal. This lack of trust in the president can be traced right back to things like the “flag” email debacle. This president has a long way to go to earn the trust of the American people and spying on them does not help. Do we really want the government keeping tabs on any citizen that dissents? That is Orwellian to say the least.

Posted by: Monique | August 18, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm

Jake you restored my faith in you by reporting this very important issue even though you matter of fact it. Given the law this is potentially criminal activity by the white house but only you and FOX have reported on it…and FOX got the issue out in the open…this is really staring to get scary when the news media refuses to recognize what everyone else knows..it is apparent that Obama is in way over his head in running this country…and even scarier the media is under his control…they either by into his left wing socialist garbaeg which polls clearly show the American people reject…or they are afraid to criticize him because he is Black…either way its not good for the people

Posted by: phillysmart | August 18, 2009, 3:27 pm 3:27 pm

Doesn’t it bother you that he doesn’t recognize how bad this looks?
Posted by: Nephron | Aug 18, 2009 11:06:29 AM
*** So silly. A complete tangent or as jhw puts it “hit piece line.” It only looks bad to the folks who are criticizing him no matter what anyway. He has a family. He has young daughters. He has the most stressful job in the fricking world, and you complain that he takes a break with his family to spend time with his kids– as if he’s not in touch or working on his vacation?

Posted by: Alyson | August 18, 2009, 3:30 pm 3:30 pm

Posted by: Alyson | August 18, 2009, 3:31 pm 3:31 pm

I have no issues with him taking a vacation. NO President is EVER really on vacation.
where is Amy/Angie? I forget which one, but one of them constantly rants on how many vacations Bush took. Like I said, there is no such thing a real vacation for ANY President.
What is hilarious here is they way you liberals are going nuts to defend him for doing the same thing you crucified Bush for.
AS ALWAYS – THE LIBERAL MANTRA
DO NOT AS I DO, DO AS I SAY!

Posted by: Mike_C | August 18, 2009, 3:48 pm 3:48 pm

Thinking:”Your constitutional right to carry a weapon doesn’t trump my right to peaceful assembly. When I see weapons at a political event, I do not believe it is for peaceful purposes.
If anyobne is endagering the right to have, carry weapons it is the people who are abusing that right. Not me who is calling for responsibility and common sense.”
Your argument continues to fall flat. The man was at a peaceful assembly. Not a single disturbance was witnessed nor was there a single arrest was made. It was the very definition of peaceful.
Again, how was the right to own and carry weapons abused? An abuse of that right would be using such a weapon in the act of committing a crime. Simply carrying a gun is not irreponsible.

Posted by: Woody | August 18, 2009, 4:51 pm 4:51 pm

The blog post by Macon and the response at the townhall by the President are just two more examples of how this Administration does not “get it”. It’s not just the media that thought the whole flag email thing was creepy, it was more than 50% of the population that thought it was creepy.
It reminds me of what my mom would say, “You know, for a smart kid, you’re pretty darn stupid”.

Posted by: Aaron | August 18, 2009, 5:29 pm 5:29 pm

The fact that flag@whitehouse.gov existed in the first place tells you all you need to know about the incompetence and fascist leanings of this administration.

Posted by: Stacey | August 18, 2009, 7:07 pm 7:07 pm

Both the President and his spokesman say that the snitch site was about “fishy” e-mails. Actually, the phrase was “chain e-mails and casual(read private) conversation. That’s ok because ABC forgot to mention this also. Gee, I wonder why? The White House was asking you to inform them about your private conversations. If Bush had done this it would’ve been the story of the week. Too few people have heard and understood this now. Hopefully in 4 years they will.

Posted by: william walker | August 18, 2009, 7:36 pm 7:36 pm

American want the following information and no later than August 22, 2009!
1. who ordered the flag program?
2. who approved the flag program?
3. who created the flag program?
4. how much did the flag program cost the taxpayers?
5. how many people were hired to run the flag program?
6. where are all of emails sent to the flag program being protected so the Supreme Court can see them when we demand answers?
7. explain to me how an email to flag even though dismantled and sees the reality check website and clicks on it..how can you guarantee the emails sent to “contact us” on the reality website and “healthreform”…send us your story will not be used by Axelrod?

Posted by: mindy | August 19, 2009, 3:18 am 3:18 am

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White House Folds “Flag@Whitehouse.gov,” Makes Security Changes, After Internet Flaps

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