Research

Today Biden Has A Secret Transparency Meeting

“Spot The Irony”: Vice President Biden Is Holding A Closed-Door Meeting With The Government Accountability And Transparency Board. (Matt Negrin, “VP’s Closed-Door Transparency Chat,” Politico, 11/17/11)

Sound Familiar?

“President Obama Finally And Quietly Accepted His ‘Transparency’ Award From The Open Government Community This Week — In A Closed, Undisclosed Meeting At The White House On Monday.” (Abby Phillip, “Shh! Obama Wins Anti-Secrecy Award,” Politico, 3/30/11)

• Obama Was Supposed To Accept The Award In Front Of The Press Pool 2 Weeks Earlier, But The Actual Acceptance Ceremony Wasn’t Disclosed On The Public Schedule And No Reporters Were Present. “The secret presentation happened almost two weeks after the White House inexplicably postponed the ceremony, which was expected to be open to the press pool. This time, Obama met quietly in the Oval Office with Gary Bass of OMB Watch, Tom Blanton of the National Security Archive, Danielle Brian of the Project on Government Oversight, Lucy Dalglish of the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, and Patrice McDermott of OpenTheGovernment.org, without disclosing the meeting on his public schedule or letting photographers or print reporters into the room.” (Abby Phillip, “Shh! Obama Wins Anti-Secrecy Award,” Politico, 3/30/11)

“‘I Don’t Feel Moved Today To Say ‘Thank You, Mr. President,’ Said Steve Aftergood, The Director Of The Project On Government Secrecy At The Federation Of American Scientists.” (Abby Phillip, “Shh! Obama Wins Anti-Secrecy Award,” Politico, 3/30/11)

The Daily Show’s Jon Stewart: “When you were running for the White House you wanted to look at what the White House was hiding. Now you live in the White House and you want everyone to stop being so f***ing nosy.” (Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” 4/4/11)

• Stewart: “When you don’t live in the White House sunlight is the best disinfectant. When you live in the White House, disinfectant stings.” (Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” 4/4/11)