Unplugged: White House Says No "Enemies List" Exists

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The White House is making exerted efforts to combat misinformation about health care reform, Linda Douglass, communications director for the White House Office of Health Reform, said today on Washington Unplugged, but it is not collecting personal information or compiling any sort of "enemies list" as some have suggested.

"What we're trying to do is create a place where people can go to get the facts," Douglass said. "People out there, in a way, are citizen journalists... so we just want to arm them with information."

Earlier this week, the White House released a video in which Douglass refuted claims made on the Internet about President Obama's health care reform plans. In an accompanying blog post, White House Director of New Media Macon Phillips urged citizens to e-mail the White House with any "fishy" information they come across with respect to health care.

Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) subsequently accused the president of creating an "enemies list" and wrote a letter to him asking how personally identifiable information -- such as names, e-mail addresses, and IP addresses -- would be handled in the collection of this information.

"We're not keeping a list," Douglass said. "What is being said -- not who's saying it -- is what is being looked at. It's simply information that is out there."

She added, "Nobody's compiling a list. I bet you that Sen. Cornyn knows that."

CBS News' chief political consultant Marc Ambinder, also appearing on Washington Unplugged, agreed that Cornyn's accusation is probably simply a political tactic.

"Smart conservatives know that the White House isn't really compiling an emenmies list," Ambinder said. "That kind of takes it too far, but that's what political parties do."

The White House's response also reflects Mr. Obama's political style, Ambinder said -- though it proved more useful during the campaign.

"We've seen throughout the year how the White House and the Democratic National Committee have attempted to use the techniques and even the langauge President Obama used during the campaign," he said. "They haven't been so successful so far."

Conservative analyst David All said on Washington Unplugged that it is commendable that the White House is taking "unprecedented steps" to utilize the Internet to improve citizen engagement. However, he said Phillip's blog post might have gone too far.

"When they're asking people to submit casual conversations, we have to think about the ramifications and whether or not that has a chilling effect on speech," he said.

Watch the interviews in the video above, as well as analysis from CBS News' National Security Consultant Juan Zarate about the death of a key senior Taliban official in Pakistan. And click here for past episodes of "Washington Unplugged."

[SteveVA78]

How soon we forget! Remember this?

"Democrats have accused Karl Rove, a top adviser to the president George Bush, and other senior aides of using the email accounts maintained by the Republican national committee to circumvent government disclosure requirements."

Now Obama and Axe the Fraud are using govdelivery.com with email lists from the DNC and who knows what other sources. The same people who were up in arms over Bush are now saying the GOP is over reacting. Remember file gate? No enemies lists, right.

[jjpjimmy]

They can make a terrorist list... Why not a Enemy list?

It's too hard to accept what government tells us now a days, if they really want to tell us something...stop scaring us.

[kindrox]

I hope they have a list, I turned in my mother in law. A few days in a re-education camp might be just the ticket for her.

[bradkt1]

Of course it exists...in the tiny minds of the wingnuts!!!

[veritas_1212]

In fact, if you sent in one of these "fishy" propaganda emails about the health care reform bill, you would be a hero in the eyes of the administration, not put on some non-existent "enemies" list.

[veritas_1212]

In fact, if you sent in one of these "fishy" propaganda emails about the health care reform bill, you would be a hero in the eyes of the administration, not put on some non-existent "enemies" list.

[creeper00]

There is a law that says the administration MUST keep records of all contact with the White House. They're telling us they won't keep records. They're violating the law.

Classic Obama. Someone floats an idea that sounds good and they implement it before their three-martini lunch. Then, when it falls apart in the afternoon (see Cash For Clunkers), they have to scramble to salvage what they can.

Do these people ever think beyond the next ten minutes?

[veritas_1212]

They are interested in the CONTENT of the relevant emails, not who is sending or receiving them, dodo. They want to be able to counter lies and address misconceptions. It's really not so hard to understand.

[Meg003]

The supposed intent does not change the law. It is amazing that the Obama cultists are willing to throw out the Constitution and all of the laws designed to protect our freedoms, just to support this man.

[johnbrown8888]

Limboogers are the enemy. Limboogers are the real Nazis.

The Pudgy Prophet is due for a heart attack--overweight, hypertension, and God hates lying vermin like him.

[Meg003]

Obama will go down as the president who deliberately split the country into a deep and bitter divide. You are proof of that.