Post-NEA Conference Call Flap, White House Issues New Guidelines
EmailWhite House deputy press secretary Bill Burton today posted a memo at WhiteHouse.gov.
Burton's blog post from a White House attorney explains guidelines for Obama administration officials conducting public outreach meetings.
"A recent administration conference call about the arts has generated some questions about how we go about achieving our commitment to public engagement," Burton wrote, referring to an NEA conference call in which artists were asked to help advance the president's agenda, a call that one good government group called "inappropriate."
You can read more about the controversy HERE.
"We wanted to make these guidelines public to answer questions about our policies and to make clear the steps we are taking to ensure that there is no further cause for questions or concerns about that commitment," Burton wrote. "Though we have made clear that the call was made with the best of intentions and we believe public engagement is an appropriate and vital part of effective governmental functioning, certain comments on the call raised appearance issues that troubled some participants."
In addition to the memo, Burton said, "We will be conducting further training sessions and personal visits with staff here to make sure the message gets across," as well as, "a meeting with the chiefs of staff of the executive branch agencies," and, "a series of training sessions at the White House to discuss rules and best practices in this area."
The memo from special White House counsel Norm Eisen, advises officials to be even-handed, make selections based on merit, and to avoid even the appearance of impropriety.
It can be read HERE.
- jpt
Sen. DeMint: GOP Race Could Go Until Convention 
Obama Avoids Questions on Contraception Rule
“Though we have made clear that the call was made with the best of intentions and we believe public engagement is an appropriate and vital part of effective governmental functioning, certain comments on the call raised appearance issues that troubled some participants.”
Yosi: “This is a community that knows how to make a stink.”
Buffy: “I just first of all want to thank everyone for being on the call and just a deep deep appreciation for all the work you all put into the campaign for the 2+ years we all worked together.”
Buffy: “I’m actually in the White House and working towards furthering this agenda, this very aggressive agenda.”
Skolnik: “all of us who are on this phone call were selected for a reason” “you are the ones that lead by example in your communities. You are the thought leaders. You are the ones that tell our country and our young people sort of what to do and what to be into; and what’s cool and what’s not cool.”
This just scratches the surface…
And I still want to know why the guy from the anti-Palin astroturfing Winner & Associates PR firm was in on this… oh, and the guy who made “baracky”
Posted by: yarrrrr | September 24, 2009, 7:58 pm 7:58 pm
FINALLY, ABC news is beginning to cover the real news.Where is your story on the school children singing obama’s praises???????the first thing that needs to happen is the teacher,principal and school super. should be FIRED.The second thing-the PTA should SUE all three also.Tax dollars going to promote this nonense and indoctrination is no different that Buffy’s phone call to USE the NEA as a political arm of this pres.Where is the MSM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!?????????????????
Posted by: lab | September 24, 2009, 8:29 pm 8:29 pm
Buffy Wicks needs to resign. How about as part of the Friday evening bad news dump?
Posted by: mesquito | September 24, 2009, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm
The Obama administration seems worried about this. If they can’t blame something on Bush then it’s a problem.
Posted by: max | September 24, 2009, 10:42 pm 10:42 pm
Jake,
Check out Ben Shapiro’s legal analysis of the WH release (Big Hollywood). He has written more than one legal analysis of the mess.
Also, what’s the WH stand on Buffy Wick’s leadership and statements during the meeting. Yosi is not the main crux of this story, but he is being used as a smokescreen.
And… what does the WH say about the May 12th meeting with a different group of artists for support of their policy agenda? Check out the Washington Times article (9/24/09) by Kerry Picket on the 60 artists who were grant recepients and attended that meeting.
Please dig and keep their feet to the fire, Jake.
Posted by: SjB | September 25, 2009, 10:46 am 10:46 am
Oops, I forgot to include Kerry Picket’s 9/21 article which is followed up by the 9/24 article. The 9/21 article has a link to a downloadable pdf that you may find useful.
Best regards to you, Jake, and may your endeavors be richly rewarded. :)
Posted by: SjB | September 25, 2009, 11:30 am 11:30 am
I confess, I am a pushy broad, but I hope you will look into this matter further. This short blurb from the downloadable pdf points towards WH fingerprints all over the NEA mess – I hope it piques your interest to read the whole pdf from the Pratt Center for Community Development, State Voices, Arlene Goldbard, and the Nathan Cummings Foundation:
Each of the sponsors of this meeting had been in contact with Yosi Sergant who was then an Associate with the White House Office of Public Liaison (and is now Communications Director of the National Endowment for the Arts.) Once we understood that a larger meeting would enable us to access more advisors and policymakers, it made sense to combine forces and invitation lists.
Posted by: SjB | September 25, 2009, 11:43 am 11:43 am
P.S. Don’t miss the section on Buffy Wicks on page 5 of the pdf.. Ok, ok, I’ll quit pestering you, Jake. :)
Posted by: SjB | September 25, 2009, 11:53 am 11:53 am
Ok… I lied. Here is more teaser from the table of contents in the pdf.
White House Briefing..3
Mike Strautmanis, Chief of Staff for the Office of Public Liaison…….3
Buffy Wicks, Deputy Director, Office of Public Liaison…………………5
Joseph Reinstein, Deputy Social Secretary………………5
Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President…..7
Trooper Sanders, Deputy Director of Policy and Projects, Office of the First Lady…………7
Mario Garcia Durham, Director of Presenting, National Endowment for the Arts………8
Tina Tchen, Director of Public Liaison……………………..9
Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President……………..10
Posted by: SjB | September 25, 2009, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm
So what is the truth? After looking at the evidence, I see no way that Yosi Sargeant acted unilaterally as the NEA claims.
There is also no way the WH is not neck-deep in this endeavor to utilize the arts for political purposes. It stinketh to the core.
Posted by: SjB | September 25, 2009, 12:33 pm 12:33 pm
If such abuse had happened during Ronnie’s presidency the media would have called it the “sleaze factor”!
This is the era of deception;
“Christian” leaders who don’t tithe and promote abortion.
CO2 gurus who get rich on the lie that CO2 is a pollutant, but leave a big carbon footprint.
A government that wants to redistribute the wealth without admitting that it’s socialism.
A government that says it’s on a mandate, but campaigns to sell it’s junk to a doubting constituency.
A government that’s going to give science its rightful place, but chooses consensus science over real science.
Michael Moore, hates capitalism but flits about in a 35 million dollar jet.
A president that wants us to drive hybrids but flits about in AF-1, at $500K per pop.
Ralph Nader who hated the Corvair but ignores the little green death traps of today.
Posted by: Ed Taylor | September 27, 2009, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm