Here We Go Again

Once Again, the White House and Joe Sestak Are on Different Pages

As if it was not already clear that the White House is incapable of policing itself and that an independent investigation was needed, simply compare Joe Sestak’s own account during a press conference on Friday versus the accounts coming from the White House. 

In his memo, White House General Counsel and President Obama’s personal attorney says the White House made multiple efforts in “June and July of 2009” to reach out to Congressman Sestak.  Today, at the White House press briefing Robert Gibbs confirmed that what was in the memo was accurate.  But on Friday, Joe Sestak said not once, but at least four times, that only one brief conversation occurred.

Despite months of stone-walling and behind-the-scenes effort to get on the same page, the two are still singing two different tunes.  It is clear that either the White House or Joe Sestak has a problem with the truth and that an outsider is needed to look at the facts in order to come to an objective conclusion.

The White House’s Story

Robert Bauer: “Efforts were made in June and July…”

“Efforts were made in June and July of 2009 to determine whether Congressman Sestak would be interested in service on a Presidential or other Senior Executive Branch Advisory Board…. (Robert F. Bauer, Memorandum from Robert F. Bauer, White House Counsel, 5/28/10) 

Robert Gibbs: “Whatever is in the memo is accurate”

REPORTER: Thanks. Just a couple of quick things on the Sestak thing again.  The counsel memo said on Friday that efforts were made in June and July of 2009.  Were there multiple efforts and were all of those made by President Clinton because it seemed like --

GIBBS: Whatever is in the memo is accurate.

REPORTER: But, I mean, as far -- with regards to June and July, were all those President Clinton or --

GIBBS: I think the relationship on how that happened is, yes, is explained in the memo.

But Joe Sestak Is Telling a Different Story

(Joe Sestak, Press Conference on White House Job Offer, 5/28/10)

Once…

REPORTER: Can you describe what your reaction was to him and was it just one phone call that you got and that was it?

REP. SESTAK: He's called several times.

REPORTER: About this particular thing?

REP. SESTAK: This is the only time. He called last summer and during the conversation, he talked about how tough this democratic primary my be if I got in and he also said, you know, you've done well in the House and with your military background, you could make a mark there. and then brought up during a conversation, Rahm Emanuel brought up about a presidential board of something.  If I were to stay in the house. and I almost interrupt the president and said Mr. President, I am going to decide to get in this or not only depending upon what's good for Pennsylvania's working families, not an offer. He said, I knew u would say that.

Twice…

REP. SESTAK: If you remember, this happened in July and nobody asked me about this. Suddenly in February -- it was in February.  Someone asked me did they offer you a job? And I felt for my own personal accountability I needed to be honest and said yes. I didn't try to parch the word.  Then I said after that, no comment to the follow on questions that were asked because it -- I talked about my role in a matter and I thought that was important for me to do.

REPORTER: Sir, was there other calls or communications, any other positions --

REP. SESTAK: No, just that one phone call.

Three and Four Times…

REP. SESTAK: …How often had you spoken to Bill Clinton about this?

REP. SESTAK: Never, never again.

REPORTER: Not since February?

REP. SESTAK: No.