White House Visitors No Longer Public Knowledge

[ariesgem]

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The White House and the Secret Service quietly signed an agreement last spring in the midst of the Jack Abramoff lobbying scandal declaring records identifying visitors to the White House are not open to the public.

The Bush administration did not reveal the existence of the memorandum of understanding until last fall.

The White House is using it to deal with a legal problem on a separate front, a ruling by a federal judge ordering the production of Secret Service logs identifying visitors to the office of Vice President Dick Cheney.

The memo last spring was signed by the White House and Secret Service the day after a Washington-based group asked a federal judge to impose sanctions on the Secret Service in a dispute over White House visitor logs for Abramoff.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/POLITICS/01/05/white.house.visitors.ap/index.html

[hamerfan]

1. What a sleazeball we have in the White House,

but did we expect anything different from the dimson? It just gets worse and worse, soon he'll be building a wall around the Oval Office, much like Nixon. I only hope this can be legally challenged.
dumpbush

[immoderate]

2. Bush doesn't give in easily.

I can see him forcing a severe crisis, if Dems don't blink first.

--IMM

[ChairmanAgnostic]

21. would be a nice surprise if we didn't blink. . . . for a change.

wouldn't it?

Or are too many democrats still consumed with fear over being accused of being weak on terra?

[salib]

52. I think what they usually do is roll their eyes

and let it go. We cannot let anything go anymore. There are too many sociopaths in positions of influence. It is time to "call BS" on everything they do, say, suggest or wistfully mention.

[The Doctor.]

38. Well, Bush did say that

The US is a nation of laws... :eyes:

[The Wizard]

64. What is the law?

Since when does the law apply to the Bush crime family? The only law they understand is the law of the jungle.
Unlike Poppy's consigliere, James Baker, Junior's Gonzo is a crappy lawyer who will be indicted for of all things, flaunting the law. Kind of like Leona Helmsley who went to prison for saying only the little people pay taxes. When enough "little people" understand the law doesn't apply to the Bush crime family, Rove, Gonzo, et al, will become the toss salad guys. Can you imagine these guys in skirts, net stockings, high heels, wigs and makeup swishing down the tiers in the Lewisberg, Pa. federal lock-up? Imagine the look on Alberto's face when he hears "Hey chiquita Gonzo give me a cigarette or toss my salad." So much for humor. We the little people have to keep the pressure on those we just elected to make the criminals accountable and make the punishment severe.
Just for a laugh or three we should start sending Henry Waxman faces to Administration officials.

[shance]

3. Isnt it lovely how they are opening our personal mail and they get to keep government

public property private.

How cute is that?

[tom_paine]

9. I have always said they are Soviets at he bottom of their black hearts

Capitalist Soviet Tyrants, if you get my drift. Soviet in all but economic philosophy.

The tyrannical bastards.

What you have described so succinctly and correctly is the Soviet State as it existed in the 1970s.

Luckily for us, Bushler and his minions dare not attempt THAT level of control or they will get a response from the citizenry.

But in so many ways, our rights now resembled that of the 1970s Soviet Citizen, and absolutely so in the areas of surveillance.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

14. "Soviet in all but economic philosophy."

Which was their one redeeming quality. The worst of both worlds. Like China, only coming from the other direction.

[tom_paine]

15. We will have to agree to disagree that Soviet economy was a "redeeming quality"

I think that is engaging in a bit of revisionist history. The Soviet lifestyle was very impoverished and the Soviet economy weak and largely marked by planning failures.

But, as I said we will have to agree to disagree because I am certain we are both quite firm in our economic beliefs.

On another score, consider (whatever else you may think of the USA with it's faults and flaws...nobody and nothing is perfect - nice double negative, eh?) how cool it is in this country that we can agree to disagree so civilly?

Not that such is entirely unique, but it is pretty rare having such diverse philsophies in such close proximity with each other and we can still get along, each doing our own thing.

In other words, that a tom_paine and a Commie Pinko Dirtbag can still sit back, laugh, and have a metaphorical :beer:

I'm off to carpe diem, have a good weekend, Commie Pinko Dirtbag :hi: See you 'round the boards next week!

[annabanana]

18. Money isn't everything. That's what it comes down to.

nothing else to say

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

19. ...not even in economy. -nt

[Aviation Pro]

49. Correct....

...and I refuse to get into a discussion on Adam Smith's tome, "The Wealth of Nations."

[jazzjunkysue]

25. I almost prefer the soviet accent over the souther drawl, though. n/t.

[Aviation Pro]

50. Priyatno....

...khoroshoj.

[jmowreader]

20. I take it you never heard of a dacha

I'm going to have to disagree with Tom_Paine's theory that the Bushlers are Soviet in all but economic philosophy.

According to official Marxist-Leninist doctrine, all adherents to that system of governance--call them communists, socialists or whatever--are supposed to live identically. From each according to his ability, to each according to his need. You know the slogan.

Communism on the ground works FAR differently from communism in Das Kapital. Most of the people in any communist country are dirt poor, living on meager paychecks in small cramped apartments, eating simple food and enjoying few luxuries. The highest ranking commies have access to hard currency, fine food, excellent accommodations, anything they want.

The major difference between America as it was, a communist country and America as it is, is economic philosophy. America as it was had a market-driven economy. This relies on two things: a consumer base that can afford to buy the things it wants or needs, and an industrial base that can meet those demands. Communist countries have an industrial base that's told how much to make and when to make it, and a consumer base that wants more things than the industrial base is allowed to produce. (Which is why communist countries fail. The only even remotely socialist countries that have ever been able to survive without shooting citizens on a regular basis are France and Sweden, whose leaders were smart enough to not try command economics or travel restrictions.) The America Bush has given us has a "thumb" industrial base--that's what you use to control the lifting assembly on the gantry that unloads container ships full of Chinese-made merchandise--and a consumer base with a fistful of credit cards.

[Commie Pinko Dirtbag]

28. Meager paychecks, small cramped apartments, simple food and few luxuries.

ARE the "redeeming qualities" I mentioned. Because it beats being homeless, undernourished, and without healthcare, by a thousand miles.

Of course, that's not worth living in a dictatorship for. But it's something.

[CompassionateLib]

48. This is where I struggle

Republicans are so horrible with their attempting to give our bodies to their church, not protect the environment or help the disadvantaged. We need to get out of this horrible war in Iraq. And so many other issues.

But when this absurd comparisons to the Soviet Union start it is such a complete and utter lack of knowledge or perspective of a country that has murdered so many millions of it's own citizens and kept them in ignorance and poverty for almost a century they are still trying to crawl out of the dark ages.

Is this hyperbole, which makes us sound like nuts? Or do you and the others saying they agree really believe it, in which case we are nuts?

When I asked a Russian friend what the biggest difference in her life here and in Russia were, without batting an eyelash said there is no fear here. In Russia, everyone watched you all the time and you were always tense. I have no fear Bush will burst through my door becuase he is not a dictator.

Bush is horrible, but clearly we can and are dealing with him. He has lost at the polls. He is losing in the courts.

I can't understand what productive comes from outragously naive comparisons as to the Soviet Union except making us sound like ignorant nuts who are so lost in partisan politics any negative statement is automatically true. We oppose Bush, so we can say anything bad about him and it must be true.

[originalpckelly]

11. shance, do you want to take part in the new Boston Tea Party?

(Only this is totally legal)

Here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=364&topic_id=3055829&mesg_id=3055829

[senseandsensibility]

29. Your post is exactly what the Dems should be

using as talking points. They should all be saying this, on TV, en masse, until someone listens. Has anyone from our side even mentioned this on TV? I don't watch, but I would be interested to know.

[wanpete]

57. my sentiments exactly.

[thecrow]

4. I bet he thinks he OWNS that house....

But he doesn't. It's the PEOPLE'S WHITE HOUSE.
He forgets how temporary his situation is.

[sam sarrha]

5. gannon will feel better now, and * , the Lincoln bed room will never be the same

[no_hypocrisy]

6. Another reason why: Karl Rove used to have to venture outside of the

WH to DC Proper in order to meet with certain individuals whom he did not want to have documented as visiting the WH. They changed the rules so Karl didn't have do all that traveling.

[tanyev]

7. WHAT ARE THEY HIDING???????

[tom_paine]

10. Satan is coming for a tour of the property he bought

with the souls of all the Bush Family males (and perhaps females, too, just how evil is Babs, unscripted and in private?)

[ptolle]

24. list

I think it would be highly instructive if someone compiled a list of all the bush actions of this nature including the executive orders he started issuing as soon as he hit the white house sequestering his and his daddy's papers for far longer than the usual interval. Virtually trying to hide them in perpetuity.

[salin]

32. the good folks at tpmmuckraker.com have been doing just this

the item linked to in the OP should take you back to their work on this.

oops on edit the original OP wasn't to this item : http://www.tpmmuckraker.com/archives/002290.php check that out.

[ClintonTyree]

59. If they're not doing anything wrong....

then there should be no reason to hide these records. I'm sure it's to protect 'national security' though. If American citizens were privy to that sort of information the terrorists have already won. :sarcasm:
This gang of miscreants must be removed from office. I hope Ms. Pelosi reconsiders her position on impeachment. Bush and his cavalcade of cretins need to be shown the door. NOW! :grr:

[Jeanette in FL]

8. That's Our House, Bush, not yours

And I want to know who is coming and going in my house.

Who the F**k do they think they are.

[GOPFighter]

34. You got that right!

We, the people...the OWNERS of the White House, have every right to know who visits. If they don't want to disclose who visits our house, we need to evict him and his merry band of freedom-hating fascists. I am so frickin' sick of those bastards!

[Tekla West]

42. our house

time to evict the squaters

[blondeatlast]

46. That was what I was thinking. Lockout, anyone? nt

[Hubert Flottz]

12. Congress should cut any funding for the White House!

[opihimoimoi]

27. These Dudes are Dictator BULLIES...dats whot dey are...asshole bullies.

[Hubert Flottz]

41. Bush don't want people to know that Bin Laden visits him along

with Rev Haggard and the dope dealers?

[opihimoimoi]

53. Jeff and Ted are regulars at the White House...they just love the Oral office

Of course they wanna keep this a secret...

[Hubert Flottz]

60. Bush don't want people to see what he looks like without make-up

"Cipher somethin' for us Mr. pResident!"



"HooOOOooT DAWG!"

[goofticket]

13. It's cover for the Scooter Libby trial

That way when Fitz calls for the lists, Bushie & Cheney can claim 'Executive Priviledge' like Nixon did.

You'd think they'd be a bit more creative with this. All Fitz has to do is subpoena every single person who ever worked at the white house to ask them is they ever saw the defendant with Abrahmoff? And that can include all the people who toured the facility.

That should make Atty Gonzalez poop his pants.

[mmonk]

16. Dictatorships don't have to disclose things to the public.

[NBachers]

17. This Is the Peoples' House

This is the Peoples' House

[SammyWinstonJack]

23. Well, it use too be. Now, not so much.

This would be easier if it were a dictatorship, so long as I'm the dictator. gw bush, 12/18/2000.

I don't believe he was joking when he said that, do you?

[Joey Liberal]

22. Emperor Bush rides again n/t

[jazzjunkysue]

26. Send in Captain Pellosi with her magic Serge Protector: And elec. collar:

[whistle]

30. Cover-up and obstruction of justice, both impeachable offenses

[IWantAChange]

31. The guest list to BizzaroWorld is private? Is there a threat to..

National security if the American public knows who is visiting the White House? My dream is that the American public can tear themselves away from American Idol long enough to demand impeachment.

[OneBlueSky]

33. the ONLY possible reason for this is that they want to hide something . . .

that alone should prompt the Congress to find a way to overturn this policy . . . let's find out what they don't want us to know . . . it is, after all, OUR house . . .

[Tekla West]

43. no threat to national security

except by those inside. That list only threatens the squatters.

[Marie26]

35. What really bugs me

is that the public isn't allowed into the White House anymore. It's our house, Bushie. You're just a renter.

[tabasco]

36. But did anybody get a blowjob ?!?!?

I'm sure the freepers will find some way to justify Nero Bush's latest outrage.

[Zambero]

37. Is this obstruction of justice?

Or merely concealment of evidence? This is straight from the Nixon playbook.

[DFLer4edu]

47. I'd say it's obstruction of justice

they would say it is executive privilege.

[helderheid]

39. Gannon can visit as he pleases

they must be so relieved!

[Botany]

40. The bunker bush is hiding in will soon become his downfall

So "they" don't want the world to know that in March of 2001 Cheney and his
energy thugs (including Ken "I really am dead Lay) had maps and notes on Iraqi
Oil fields.

When the public gets wind of this ..... boy oh boy

The media will have to have 3 missing white girls, an American Idol voting
scandal, and a Britney Spears / Paris Hilton sex tape to divert attention.

:rofl:

As a previous poster noted this obstruction of justice. It made Nixon have
to leave.

[Tekla West]

55. hey

I for one want more spears/hilton tapes. But I don't think they can out run what's commin down the pike now.

[XOKCowboy]

44. Bush is lawyering up too. The Bunker Mentality is hitting full stride...

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/01/06/washington/06counsel.html?_r=1&adxnnl=1&oref=slogin&adxnnlx=1168113944-BFWrHgGot68xHhvWPP8PdQ

WASHINGTON, Jan. 5 — President Bush is seeking a new chief lawyer with credentials as a proven combatant as he and his staff prepare for a potential raft of investigations from Democrats in Congress who have promised to challenge the White House’s conduct of policy and its assertions of executive power.
Skip to next paragraph

Republicans who have consulted with administration officials on personnel said the White House chief of staff, Joshua B. Bolten, was looking for a seasoned Washington hand to succeed Harriet E. Miers, the White House counsel who announced her resignation on Thursday.

Republicans said Friday in interviews that the White House was now, in essence, seeking a politically savvy outsider with ties throughout the capital and in Congress who might be called upon to become something of a public figure in potentially high-profile fights.

“They need somebody who can sit down face-to-face with an ornery committee chairman and work out a conflict over an oversight request,” said Bradford A. Berenson, a former associate counsel for Mr. Bush during his first term. “The job will require a certain minimum level of stature and a minimum level of political experience.”

[Tekla West]

56. Yee Hah!

well from one hollywood western cliche "dead or alive" (at last notice, still alive by the way) to "circle the wagons." However, the native Americans almost always won at that point.

[bluhoodie]

66. My taxes for his lawyer?

:wtf: Does this mean that the taxes I pay to the federal government will go towards W hiring a more-expensive lawyer than he already has so that he can find creative ways to dodge his criminal acts?
:banghead:

[Imagevision]

45. Merely Bushco need to cover tracks, Waxman will take care of this Bushit!!!

[Rosa Luxemburg]

51. Things are about to change in the White House

I don't think they will be able to operate like this in the future?

[va4wilderness]

54. Ya gotta wonder who's sleeping in the Lincoln bedroom...

We all know whatever they're doing is much sleazier than it ever was under Clinton.

No doubt lotsa Government-Contractor-stitutes involved & lotsa $$$$$.

[minnesota_liberal]

58. An agreement between 2 parties, neither of which has the right ...

... to keep the information from the public. The memorandum is meaningless. The records are rightfully open to the public.

[bananarepublican]

61. Not a problem! Now we can ask Tony Snow whether Osama bin Laden has visited the...

... White House recently.

Snow-job can answer in one of three ways...

1. I can neither confirm or deny any vist by Osama to the White House. Why is he so wishy washy on such a seemingly straight forward question?

2. No he hasn't been a guest of the pResident. If he can answer in such an emphatic manner, he has therefore breached the memorandum of understaing with the SS. Open dem floodgates baby!!!

3. Snow-job says 'yes'... well then!!!! Bush will be obligated to attack himself for harboring "terrorists".

[rman]

62. Nothing to hide if you haven't done anything wrong

Which obviously does not apply to the government; it doesn't do anything wrong so it hides everything.

[Cobalt-60]

63. They can hide the list

But they can't hide who goes in and out.
If we want to maintain a watch on the white house, it should be little trouble to establish video surveillance of the entrance routes.
They're in there on our dime. It's a public facility.
We have every right to watch.

[Pachamama]

65. Pretty soon there will nothing that the American Public is allowed to know!

This action by the White House along with so many other things are simply outrageous...

Sure, it was fine for them to know the comings (no pun intended) and goings of Monica Lewinsky, but they don't want the American public (tax paying public that pays for their salaries and every other expense spending they do) to know which lobbyists and energy industry CEO's are meeting with them?

I am so disgusted by this and every other action by this White House.....offensive is to gentle of a word to describe what they do....

:grr: