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White House Releases (Some) Visitor Logs

By Michael Scherer | @michaelscherer | October 30, 2009 | +

All the best news drops late on a Friday night. And so the White House has released a batch of White House visitor logs–a very partial list–with lots of juicy tidbits, like:

–George Soros came to chat with Larry Summers.

–Democratic Lobbyist Mega-Couple Tony and Heather Podesta have been to the White House a total of eight times between them, meeting with such senior officials as Jason Furman and Pete Rouse.

–Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson has met with Carol Browner and Larry Summers. He has also heard Obama speak in the East Room.

–Actor Denzel Washington has received a tour of the White House.

–SEIU Union Chief Andy Stern has logged 20 separate visits to the White House.

–This great disclaimer from the White House: “In September, requests were submitted for the names of some famous or controversial figures (for example Michael Jordan, William Ayers, Michael Moore, Jeremiah Wright, Robert Kelly (“R. Kelly”), and Malik Shabazz).  The well-known individuals with those names never actually came to the White House.  Nevertheless, we were asked for those names and so we have included records for those individuals who were here and share the same names.”

Mine the whole list for yourself here.

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  • grape_crush

    All the best news drops late on a Friday night.

    Great…What is it?

  • deconstructiva

    Vikram Pandit is interesting …begging to keep his job?… but no Sarah Palin? Not even if she brought a tape measure for drapes and furniture? Meh.

  • bitterpill8

    Plus ca change, plus ce’la meme chose. This “transparent” WH is playing by the rules. No matter the party in power, after a while they play the same game.

    Tony and Heather Podesta???? Why???

  • http://www.simonvinkenoog.nl/beeld/Yogi%20-%20Annelies%20Rigter.jpg yogi

    Did R. Kelly not show up because he was required to be potty trained at the same place as the president’s dog?

  • http://twitter.com/michaelscherer Michael Scherer

    Remember this is not a complete release: Just a release in response to certain requests. So don’t draw any conclusions about who is not included?

  • hellslittlestangel

    Shouldn’t this post be topped by an animated police siren and the words, “EXCLUSIVE! MUST CREDIT SCHERER”

  • http://www.simonvinkenoog.nl/beeld/Yogi%20-%20Annelies%20Rigter.jpg yogi

    What’s the deal with the White House website always having the worst embedded tables? Can we get someone to use my tax dollars and mine alone to fix that? I give full authorization.

  • stuartzechman

    Michael Scherer:
    .
    What is interesting about this list?
    .
    I’d gladly mine it like it was the full text of HR 3962, if I understood what was to be gained from this information besides “juicy tidbits” ripe with the potential for glorious, glorious irony to report with eyebrow arched.
    .
    Seriously, what’s the point?
    .
    Is this a long-term thing, we’re supposed to connect the dots two years from now, what?

  • rustyreturns

    –SEIU Union Chief Andy Stern has logged 20 separate visits to the White House.

    .
    Beck will have a whole week of comments on this one alone!!

  • rustyreturns

    There is an old saying in my neck of the woods, stuart.
    .
    “Birds of a feather, flock together”
    .
    I like openness and transparency. At least partial transparency.
    .
    Will they be releasing any transcripts of the meetings that took place too, Michael?
    .
    Now THAT would be transparency!!

  • tstar3

    If this is juicy you sure don’t get out alot. Er, Soros is a billionaire investor..Podesta was head of Obama’s transition team. If you would look closer and do a better job…you see that Hillary met with Michelle a couple of times…thats interesting

  • Joe Bftsplk

    Any oil company executives drop by to discuss energy policy?

  • kbanginmotown

    Sorry, THOSE visitors’ logs are still in an “undisclosed location”…

  • bitterpill8

    That was John Podesta. This is brother Tony: a mover and shaker in the lobbying department.

    Stuart: Your point noted. But you will recall that the Bushies refused to provide this information and we raised the issue then. So releasing information about access to the WH be should be routine. For people who have business that should not be a problem.

    The issue becomes a talking point when megastars and megabucks have regular access.

    Another disgrace is the appointment of political contributors to plum diplomatic postings in Europe. Both sides do it. It’s a payoff for political contributions has been in vogue since WW 2 ended.

  • gysgt213

    Michael- How many previous administrations actually release a list of vistors before despite court rulings and despite previous requests by news org?

  • http://apostpartisan.wordpress.com/2009/10/31/news-round-up-for-31-oct-2009/ News Round-Up for 31 Oct 2009 « Post-Partisan Politics

    [...] Time: White House Releases (Some) Visitor Logs [...]

  • constantweader

    I guess some people — Liz Cheney, Michael Scherer — will express shock, shock that Oprah Winfrey, George Soros & some lobbyists showed up at the Obama White House. They’ll zero in on some unsavory characters & make a big deal about it.

    But — compared to what?

    Since previous Presidents refused to release their visitor logs (I think Clinton had to release very limited logs under Ken Starr’s subpoenas), it is grossly unfair to criticize this Administration for meeting with influence peddlers & sorted creeps.

    The Constant Weader at http://www.RealityChex.com

  • stuartzechman

    Dede Scozzafava has dropped out: link to AmericaBlog

  • palininatowel

    Great news for Sarah Palin! Her endorsement of Hoffman turned the tide! Palin/Liz Cheney 2012!
    .
    If self-identifying Republicans are now down to about 23%, a Palin/Cheney ticket could possibly knock that number down to the teens.
    .
    I also like the implications of this for 2010. The GOP has been overrun by the Teabaggers. And to think how much the Republican mucky-mucks were enjoying all the town hall screaming back in August…

  • palininatowel

    Funny stuff, rusty:
    .

    I like openness and transparency.

    .
    Yeah, I remember all of your indignant ranting when Cheney wouldn’t release the names of the oil and energy execs who basically wrote the Bush admin energy policy…

  • Dee in Columbia MD

    This is great news, while this individual race doesn’t matter a whole lot, it will embolden a strategy for the Sarabots who want ideological purity and they are going to start playing what a rino with all the gusto they can muster. Fortunately, all manner of Republicans positioning themselves as far right as they can get is not a winning recipe for general elections no matter how many times they say it is. Next up is the rumble in the scrub lands –Texas gubernatorial is already turning into a showdown between the Kay the iron petticoat and her cut man Darth Cheney vs Gubner Perriscope and this legion of secession wielding Sarabots. Well at last 2010 won’t be boring.

  • Paul-no not that one

    Not to be a contrarian-clearly not my style-but isn’t the 23rd more akin to the Democrats primarying Lieberman than the Club for Growth taking out Chafee?
    .
    That is to say a more conservative district wanting the more conservative (or what is defined as conservative by the 2009 republican party) candidate.
    .
    The Club for Growth took out a moderate and handed RI to Whitehouse, it doesn’t look like the Teabaggers are doing the same thing.
    .
    Of course if Hoffman doesn’t win everything I just wrote is bunk.

  • fhmadvocat

    Joe,

    Please note that Michael’s list included the CEO of Exxon. Clearly this was a secret meeting to formulate the Obama administration’s energy policy . . . . . . .

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