Major Garrett and Robert Gibbs: David Axelrod Health Care E-Mail

The White House is on defense in the health care debate.

As more people learn about the proposed goverment-run health care bill, more people oppose it.

In a desperate attempt to fight back, David Axelrod, senior adviser to Obama, penned an e-mail that the White House hopes will go viral.

From USA Today:

The White House is now hoping that a viral chain letter will help revive prospects for a health care overhaul.

Officials are forwarding an e-mail authored by top Obama adviser David Axelrod and urging recipients to pass it along. The missive includes a handy list of "8 ways (health care) reform provides security and stability to those with or without coverage, 8 common myths about reform and 8 reasons we need health insurance reform now."

...The e-mail also provides a link to the White House website "Health Insurance Reform Reality Check."

..."Across the country we are seeing vigorous debate about health insurance reform," Axelrod writes. "Unfortunately, some of the old tactics we know so well are back -- even the viral emails that fly unchecked and under the radar, spreading all sorts of lies and distortions."

He adds: "Right now, someone you know probably has a question about reform that could be answered by what's below. So what are you waiting for? Forward this email."

That's typical stuff.

What's not typical is that the e-mail has ended up in the inboxes of people who never asked to receive mailings from the White House.

There's something fishy about that.

How did the White House get the addresses?

Major Garrett tangled with White House press secretary Robert Gibbs about the unsolicited e-mails Americans are receiving.

Transcript, Press Briefing, August 13, 2009

Q Speaking of the e-mail, how was the list for who would receive it determined?

MR. GIBBS: I believe it's for people that have signed up to receive e-mail updates from the White House.

Q The reason I ask is I have received e-mails from people who did not, in any way, shape, or form, seek any communication from the White House, who have never registered on OFA, who have never registered on a campaign Web site --

MR. GIBBS: Well, hold on, let's --

Q Let me finish my question, let me finish my question.

MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, but let's be clear, because --

Q Let me finish my question.

MR. GIBBS: No, no, no, but let's be clear before you -- I'm going to give you a chance to finish your question. You've done this a couple of times, Major, and I just want to be very clear, okay. OFA -- no, no, no, no, don't look funny. OFA, whether Obama for America or Organizing for America has nothing to do with, never has had anything to do with what -- if you sign up for, through whitehouse.gov, to receive e-mails, so let's just -- the reason I interrupted you is because I want you to rephrase your question that doesn't continue to assume that --

Q Well, all I'm trying to get at is --

MR. GIBBS: -- somebody is violating the law and mixing up political --

Q -- I receive e-mails from people who have never, ever signed up for anything related to this White House, Senator Obama as a candidate, Senator Obama as anything, and have received e-mails from David Axelrod. How could that be?

MR. GIBBS: I'd have to look at who you said got the e-mail.

Q I mean, do you seek other pieces of information identifying who might be curious about health care outside of people who have asked for e-mails?

MR. GIBBS: I'm sorry, say that again.

Q Do you in any way seek databases or information about people who might be interested in health care?

MR. GIBBS: I will certainly check. I will certainly check. I am not under that impression. But again --

Q I mean, folks have emailed me -- I just want to know -- would like to know how they get an e-mail from the White House when they have never asked for one.

MR. GIBBS: I'd be interested to see who you got that e-mail from and whether or not they're on the list. I don't --

Q May I follow up politely on one of Major Garrett's --

MR. GIBBS: Well, let me -- let me finish needling Major.

Q -- this row, please.

MR. GIBBS: Again, I just want to be -- but I just want to be very --

Q So what you're telling me is I need to give you these people's e-mails so you can check them on a list? I'm just asking.

MR. GIBBS: Well, you're asking me if they're on a list.

Q No, they're telling me --

MR. GIBBS: If you can figure out a different way of checking without asking me to double-check the name, I'm happy to --

Q Perhaps I'm not phrasing this correctly. They're telling me they're not -- they can't be on a list because they never asked for an e-mail from the White House.

MR. GIBBS: Right, but what I'm saying is I don't -- I'd have to look and see --

Q So there's no -- you don't have an explanation for how someone who never signed up and never asked for anything from the White House would get an e-mail from David Axelrod?

MR. GIBBS: Well, I hesitate to give you an answer, because you might impugn the motives of the answer.

Q Why would you say that?

MR. GIBBS: Because of the way you phrased your follow-up. I'd have to look at what you got, Major. I don't -- I appreciate the fact that I have omnipotent clarity as to what you've received in your e-mail box today.

Q You don't have to have omnipotent clarity. You don't have to impugn anything. I'm telling you what I got -- e-mails from people who said they never asked anything from the White House --

MR. GIBBS: And I'm simply saying --

Q -- and yet they received something.

MR. GIBBS: We can -- let me go to someplace else that might be constructive.

Very fishy indeed.

Garrett discussed the issue with Greta Van Susteren.

Video, from Breitbart.

MAJOR GARRETT: I have offered to give to Robert Gibbs and the White House some of the e-mails from people who've said they never asked for anything from the White House, never subscribed, never signed up. None of these e-mails that they have identified to me were forwarded to them.

I know many... I've gotten a lot of e-mails from people who think I'm a complete Internet idiot. 'Of course these were forwarded.' No, what I'm saying is these people contacted me because they were not forwarded. They received them directly from the White House.

All right. I've offered to give those to the White House to find out the answers to the questions I posed today.

At this hour, Greta, and I hope the situation changes, I've heard nothing back from Robert Gibbs. And I'm not alleging anything nefarious. I'm just trying to find out an answer to what is basically a simple question. If you've never asked the White House for anything about health care or any other subject...

GRETA VAN SUSTEREN: Where did they get your name?

GARRETT: How did they receive an e-mail? That's all I'm asking.

...

GARRETT: This may have to go to a Freedom of Information request. I don't know. All I know is... and Robert Gibbs, after the briefing, he and I had what I would describe as a spirited conversation.

He said, 'You should take what I say at the podium truthfully.'

I do. I always have.

He said to me at the podium, 'Provide the e-mails.'

I'm prepared to do that. I'm more than happy to discuss this anytime, anyplace.

Very strange.

The Obama administration so often acts as if it has something to hide.

Obama hasn't just broken his campaign promise of transparency. He's shattered it. He's pulverized it.
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UPDATE, August 14, 2009: Major Garrett still has heard nothing from Robert Gibbs.