Major Garrett vs Gibbs - Is the White House in Your InBox?

In Case You Missed Last Week's Fiery Exchange



Last week, Major Garrett from Fox News hammered away at an issue during a routine White House press conference once again showing the bias that is corroding the integrity of the modern day media.

Basically, Garrett received numerous complaints from people claiming to ave received emails from the White House - from David Axelrod to be exact - without signing up for these updates. The email was more or less an issue advocacy piece "clarifying" the President's health-care plan and urging Americans to get behind the current legislation.

Garrett asked Press Secretary Gibbs a very simple question: why are these citizens receiving email updates from the White House? Are they on a list? If so, how did the White House cultivate these email lists?

The question was straight forward, direct and relatively simple. Why did Gibbs seem so agitated and frustrated with the question?

Garrett was actually just scraping the surface of a very complicated issue.

The White House cannot partake in political activity and they cannot lobby the American public. President Obama has actually maneuvered around these restrictions by allowing or supporting the creation of Organizing for America,the campaign apparatus left over after the president's run.

This organization is currently housed in the headquarters of the DNC. According to the Huffington Post:

Organizing for American has roughly 13 million e-mail addresses and two million active volunteers, though its strength in helping to advance specific legislative items has yet to be tested. (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/01/30/organize-for-america-to-t_n_162519.html)

13 million e-mail addresses at their disposal. Unlimited funds. Organizing for America is a beast to be reckon with, be sure of that. However, the real question that should bother all Americans who believe in freedom is: what is the true relationship between this organization and the White House?

Major Garrett was just scrapping the surface of a profoundly important issue. Did the White House utilize the organization's e-mail list? Is the White House overstepping its role in electoral politics? Is the Obama administration abusing its boundaries as the executive branch? Is the government mining IP addresses for emails? Late at night, when Axelrod, Emanuel and Gibbs are sitting around, are they bending some rules in the name of the"greater good".

Through my own professional experiences, I know you can purchase voter files with email addresses. Did the White House purchase a list; an act that I imagine is borderline illegal, immoral at best?

The end of this story is yet written. However, two truths have already come out:
1. Major Garrett is probably the only objective reporter in the White House
2. This can be the beginning of a far larger story and we should all thank Garrett for "following his nose" as the they say in the newspaper business.