White House E-Mail Gaffe Shows Internal Schedule Discussion
We've all been there -- whether it's hitting "reply" instead of "forward," or typing the wrong name in the "To:" box.
Well, tonight's edition of the White House daily schedule had a lot more information than usual, as it appears someone inadvertently forwarded Thursday's tick-tock without deleting the internal comments made by the staff.
Though no sensitive information appears to have been released, one message in the e-mail chain addresses complaints the White House has apparently received from members of the local Jewish community about a planned Passover Seder the president will hold with staff.
"Apparently Jewish here and in neighboring states are now calling wondering why they have not been invited," one staffer wrote in an e-mail that seems to have been sent to more than 20 other colleagues, mostly members of the Communications Office.
The staffer asked if they could leave the dinner off the schedule, but another noted that it had already been announced publicly.
Another version of the schedule was e-mailed to reporters two minutes later, this time without the internal comments.
UPDATE: Insult to injury, they say it's for "Wednesday, April 9, 2009." Tomorrow is Thursday.
Full e-mail chain, with names redacted, after the jump.
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2009
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
Tomorrow morning, President Obama will host a roundtable discussion in the Roosevelt Room about the impact of historically low interest rates. Attending the meeting will be a handful of homeowners who have re-financed their homes and benefited from lower mortgage payments, as well as members of President Obama's economic team. There will be a pool spray at the end of the meeting.
Later in the morning, the President along with Secretary Gates and Secretary Shinseki, will make an announcement highlighting a plan to improve the health care system for America's veterans. The audience for tomorrow's announcement will include patients and health care providers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda) and the DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. This event is pooled press. In addition, the leaders from Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) and Military Service Organizations (MSO) will also be in attendance and the VSO and MSO leaders will meet with the President briefly before his remarks.
In the afternoon, President Obama will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing, the Economic Daily Briefing, and have lunch with the Vice President. The President will also hold separate meetings with Treasury Secretary Geithner and Secretary of State Clinton in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.
In the Evening, the President and his family will mark the beginning of Passover with a Seder at the White House with friends and staff. This event is closed press.
Intown Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: Fox
Print: Financial Times
Radio: AP
Magazine Photo: TIME
EST
9:30AM THE PRESIDENT attends Housing Refinance Roundtable
Roosevelt Room
Pool Spray at the Bottom (Gather Time 10:00AM - Briefing Room)
11:45AM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on improving veterans health care EEOB Room 450
Pool Press (Pre-Set 10:30AM - Final Gather 11:25AM - Stakeout Location)
12:20PM THE PRESIDENT receives Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press
12:50PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT have lunch
Oval Office
Closed Press
2:40PM THE PRESIDENT receives Economic Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press
3:30PM THE PRESIDENT meets with Treasury Secretary Geithner
Oval Office
Closed Press
4:15PM THE PRESIDENT meets with Secretary of State Clinton
Oval Office
Closed Press
6:30PM THE PRESIDENT hosts Seder to Celebrate Passover
Old Family Dining Room
Closed Press
Briefing Schedule
3:00PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs
##
--------------------------------------------------------
From: XXXXXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 7:05 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
I'd like to change the housing piece to this, if that's ok (put more emphasis on the real people aspect of this):
Tomorrow morning, the President Obama will host a roundtable discussion in the Roosevelt Room about the impact of historically low interest rates. Attending the meeting will be a handful of households who have re-financed their homes and benefited from lower mortgage payments, as well as members of President Obama's economic team. There will be a pool spray at the end of the meeting.
--------------------------------------------------------
From: XXXXXXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:55 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
Apparently Jewish here and in neighboring states are now calling wondering why they have not been invited.
--------------------------------------------------------
From: XXXXXXXXX--------------------------------------------------------
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:53 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
We put it on yesterday's deal - so folks already know that it's happening. They'll wonder why it's not listed if we don't include it on there.
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:53 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
Can we remove the dinner at the end of the day?
--------------------------------------------------------
From: XXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:49 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
Yes, saying closed press is fine
--------------------------------------------------------
From: XXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:49 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
If we do, shouldn't we note that the meeting is closed press?
--------------------------------------------------------
From: XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:48 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
Can we keep it and just change it to say before? Its good for us to say we are meeting with them
--------------------------------------------------------
From: XXXXXX-------------------------------------------------------
Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:45 PM
Subject: RE: DRAFT: DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
The below line is no longer accurate:
"and the VSO and MSO leaders will meet with the President briefly following his remarks"
Clutch will occur before the remarks and will be closed press.
I argue that we strike this line altogether.
From: XXXXX Sent: Wednesday, April 08, 2009 6:43 PM
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 8, 2009
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2009
Tomorrow morning, the President Obama will host a discussion in the Roosevelt Room with his economic team about the impact of historically low interest rates. Also attending the meeting will be a handful of households who have re-financed their homes and benefitted from lower mortgage payments. There will be a pool spray at the end of the meeting.
Later in the morning, the President along with Secretary Gates and Secretary Shinseki, will make an announcement highlighting a plan to improve the health care system for America's veterans. The audience for tomorrow's announcement will include patients and health care providers from Walter Reed Army Medical Center, National Naval Medical Center (Bethesda) and the DC Veterans Affairs Medical Center. In addition, the leaders from Veterans Service Organizations (VSO) and Military Service Organizations (MSO) will also be in attendance and the VSO and MSO leaders will meet with the President briefly following his remarks. This event is pooled press.
In the afternoon, President Obama will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing, the Economic Daily Briefing, and have lunch with the Vice President. The President will also hold separate meetings with Treasury Secretary Geithner and Secretary of State Clinton in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.
In the Evening, the President and his family will mark the beginning of Passover with a Seder at the White House with friends and staff. This event is closed press.
Intown Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: Fox
Print: Financial Times
Radio: AP
Magazine Photo: TIME
EST
9:30AM THE PRESIDENT attends Housing Refinance Roundtable
Roosevelt Room
Pool Spray at the Bottom (Gather Time 10:00AM - Briefing Room)
11:45AM THE PRESIDENT delivers remarks on improving veterans health care
EEOB Room 450
Pooled Press (Pre-Set XX, Final Gather XX)
12:20AM THE PRESIDENT receives Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press
12:50PM THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT have lunch
Oval Office
Closed Press
2:40AM THE PRESIDENT receives Economic Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press
3:30PM THE PRESIDENT meets with Treasury Secretary Geithner
Oval Office
Closed Press
4:15PM THE PRESIDENT meets with Secretary of State Clinton
Oval Office
Closed Press
6:30PM THE PRESIDENT hosts Seder to Celebrate Passover
Old Family Dining Room
Closed Press
Briefing Schedule
3:00PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs