They are afraid, over in Obama-land, that things might go haywire…so they carefully control what information they provide:
NewsBusters and the Weekly Standard’s Mary Katharine Ham are not the only critics of the Obama administration for its failure to transcribe, publish and archive the daily press briefings held by press secretary Robert Gibbs.
A Web site called WhiteHousePressCorps.org is running a graphic at the top of its main page which reads, “Waiting on the official release of the 1/22/2009 Press Briefing transcript for” followed by a ticker counting up from January 22. You can also track them on Twiter @whpresscorps.
The site, which features archives of White House press gaggle and briefing transcripts dating back to February 2006, describes itself as “an independent media watchdog source providing information and commentary on the relationship between the press and the White House” that is not affiliated with the White House Correspondents’ Association.
One of the really useful things at President Bush’s White House site was the ability to get every press conference, press gaggle, briefing, speech or what have you – it was tremendously useful in refuting lefty accusations which twisted what Bush or aides said…lefty would say, “Bush Said EVIL Thing”, a check of the White House website would easily reveal that Bush said no such thing. President Bush and team weren’t afraid, it would seem, of people going back over what they said – Obama and Team are seemingly quite fearful that things they said won’t look good in retrospect, so they are only putting out the bits they like best.
This is cowardly. This is the act of a tyrant. This is the work of someone who holds the American people in actual contempt. If Obama is worth anything at all, he’ll quickly change policy here and put every word uttered up on the White House website for all to see right through to the end of his term in office.
UPDATE: Seems someone at the White House reads blogs:
Checking back at the site a few minutes ago, the Obama White House now has a press briefings section with the Briefing Room portion of the site. You can find it here.
This morning I discovered that the Obama administration’s WhiteHouse.gov is indeed transcribing and maintaining its daily press briefings featuring Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. Of course you pretty much have to know where to find them since there’s no link to an archive section from either the main page or the “Briefing Room” page.
This will take careful monitoring to ensure the White House doesn’t star to “forget” to keep these things updated.
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