Obama Campaign: "A Lot Of Disinformation" About Transition Advisers

Barack Obama's transition team pushed back on Wednesday morning against an AP report claiming that former Sen. Sam Nunn and former Secretary of State Warren Christopher are playing an integral role in the presidential transition.

"Senator Sam Nunn will play an informal senior adviser role throughout the defense transition process. His expertise and the respect he has earned will be invaluable to ensure a smooth transition," Obama-Biden Presidential Transition Spokesperson Stephanie Cutter said in a statement.

"Secretary Christopher is deeply respected in the United States and throughout the international community. However, he is not playing a role in the transition process. There's a lot of disinformation out there. We're working hard to put the agency review teams together and expect they'll be announced this week and inside the agencies by the end of the week."

The AP reported:

Nunn's role has been described by others, speaking anonymously because the transition teams have not been announced, as the leader of Obama's defense transition. Similarly, a senior administration official said former Secretary of State Warren Christopher would advise Obama on his State Department transition...

Nunn and Christopher would be part of a national security brain trust for Obama that is heavy on former Clinton administration officials, including possible national security adviser James Steinberg, a former State Department official.

The wire service has since updated their story to include Cutter's response.

The fact that disinformation is creeping out is not terribly surprising. With literally thousands of journalists attempting to ferret out snippets of news from what appears to be a highly disciplined and tight-lipped transition team, half-true rumors and innuendo can be easily magnified beyond their importance.

Comments

[Territc]

Why can't the media just wait until they get the correct information. All these insinuations and innuendos are getting old and annoying.

[XME]

All of the rumors and annonymous sources is already getting very old...as is the response by some to get all bent out of shape about possible picks when it's not even been confirmed from reliable sources. At this point, I am only paying attention to info put out officially by the Obama-Biden team.

[meede]

The pundits and everyone else speculating for ratings -- it's old and people are tired of it. It is also how so many rumors get started and fester. There is so much other news that does need to be reported yet stations are transfixed on spinning their own opinions.

Report the news -- Real news. That's what they were hired to do and that's what we pay our cable/TV/interent bills for. I know I don't give a rat's a.s.s. about the personal opinions of the commentators, pundits, etc.

I'm finding myself writting many letters these days to networks & sponsors calling these people out. To just turn the show off tells nothing to the show, network or sponsors. If other people would write letters too to the networks & sponsors letting them know we are watching for news -- not personal opinions of commentators and pundits, maybe we can make a change. Search network sites for email addresses. Don't get nasty, just state your complaints in civilized fashion and it could work. Put these people back to what they are supposed to do.

[bioluminescence]

Very valid arguments. Instead of reporting, we often get editorials disguised as news stories. And when we do get news stories they are all too often "talking head" stories based on talking to three people and weaving a story around their quotes. Maybe we should follow the lead of Major League Baseball and keep stats for reporters with national audiences. Hits, strikeouts and foul balls. And then announce the stats on April 1st, April Fool's Day.

[Warrior7]

BEWARE of those boys and girls in town named "speaking anonymousl­y"...There are today's cowards and tomorrow's traitors!

[artistcain]

We have every right to be angry about the bail outs; it always seems we are bailing out the wrong people (financials, car companies, insurance companies, etc.etc.) all of whom get us into recessions or depressions. Giving the taxpayer $300.00 in a rebate was peanuts and did nothing to help the consumers. It was peanuts compared to the steak we are giving to the banks and other institutions .Better that we give the American people 1 hundred thousand dollars each over a 5 year period, (total over the 5 years would equal two hundred, Billon) that way housing will recover and spending will improve dramatically. I know the conservatives will hate this idea but there was a saying in a previous election (it’s the economy stupid) I would say now it's the consumer stupid. Give us the money we will do a much better job at getting it into the economy. Call your Senator and congress person and demand this plan
Peace
artistcain
La Quinta, CA.

[Carolab]

The media already obfuscating the truth.

[democratUSA]

Just don't make them all "Clintonit­es."

[BatedBreath]

Who believes anything written by the AP anymore. It has become the Associated Pundits, purveyors of propaganda.

[MilesTone]

Is "disinformation" a word? She may need to be fired.

[WildBeanSidhe]

Yes, "disinformation" is a word. Ten seconds on dictionary.com.

[ArturoYee]

Seems to be a word - but it is not used correctly - check the definition.

[Hawka]

Or is she? There's a lot of "leaks" going on when there weren't any before... I'm just saying...

[Mariposa27]

It is a word, and it's used appropriately. They are conveying that there is a deliberate dissemination of information (specifically through the media) in order to mislead people. While the definition says the word is used often to talk about when this occurs between opposing nations, the implication in the Obama statement is that someone else (not them) is doing this.

[jacqmac]

Did Al-Jazeera TV also report that SIX THOUSAND mullahs joined in an ANTI-TERRORISM FATWA??

[freebeer]

Yes the corporate Muslim TV network did report that.
Like all major networks around the globe, they often lie to suit their own means. they exclude some facts for their own benefit, but often they do tell the truth.

The 6000 clerics were from India where the old hostilities between Hindu and Muslim in the North West continue to flare up and cause problems more than 50 years after the British left in shame.

Another big story was that Iranian leader Mahmoud Ahmadinejad made some sort of positive comment or statement about Barrack Obama being elected President last week. Al-Jazeera seemed to think it was a big deal that Obama didn't bother to acknowledge or respond. It probably is.
I'm sure it pleased his new Chief of Staff.

[Shieldmaiden]

I don't trust most of these sources or news outlets that speculate. Unless Obama says it, or they actually release some info take none of this stuff seriously. The AP does not know what it is talking about half the time.

[research]

Yes, future news is bs,

wait till it happens, please.

[GrkAm]

I thought possibly after such a large voter turnout, and the history making mandate we all witnessed just over a week ago people would take a break from all the BS!

Lies, half truths and innuendo have wrecked havoc on innocent lives since time began (millions of years ago), but our new President hasn't even taken office and the criticism is already at high levels. Let this man take office FIRST. As Americans we collectively voted for Obama to LEAD us. Let's let him have the chance!

[FirstShirt]

I agree. I am a republican and he is now my president-elect. So, if i have a complaint I will complain. Not in a partisan manner, but as a concerned citizen.

Hopefully you who elected Obama will not now have the temerity to suggest that he should not be criticized.

[boogygran]

I supported and voted for President-elect Obama, and I hope that many like yourself who did not vote for him will take your approach. Of course there will be issues to criticize him about as well as hopefully many to cheer about, depending on your personal viewpoint. Mr Obama has said all along that he welcomes input from all citizens and that his campaign was not about him, but about us. I believe he plans to have a website put in place to provide information and updates from his staff regularly, and offer a means of communication for everyone who wishes to criticize, or give kudos, or offer suggestions as appropriate. :-)

[Liberoservative]

As my next CIC, PE Obama is doing a great job during this transition period... I think that he is going to be prepared from day one and my hope is that he will do a fantastic job.

Criticize him all you want once he becomes POTUS because then you will see (or not see) how he manages a nation in turmoil...­. I have faith in him and after reading the enlightening interview he did on his faith and how it guides him... I have even more faith in him to be ALL AMERICAN's POTUS.....

So yes, First Shirt.... is that a MSGTM?.... you have every right to criticize him if he is leading us down the path of destruction (as our last POTUS has done) because that is the patriotic thing to do...

GO NAVY!!!!!
CDR J

[macohmz]

There is something called the "Hawthorne Effect". This refers to the lift that people feel when change occurs. Rearranging the furniture in your living room produces a similar effect. The effect is temporary. I think this is what folks are feeling with the election of Obama. I don't trust Obama anymore than I trust Bush. I really don't trust any of them. How can you trust anyone who you don't know personally? And you will never know personally. You have to wait and see. Betrayal is in the air. Bush poisoned the air with his theft and murder.

[TimberGhost]

You compare bubbleboy to Obama?

If you really are concerned with a better future for our country, it won't be long before you see the fallacy of that comparison.

[kburlz]

I think I have a pretty good sense of both of them, and I'd say I trust Obama about 5000% more than Bush.

[FirstShirt]

All presidents begin with high hopes. Every one. Name just one that came out without significant negatives.­..just one. maybe Ike.

[AddictedToHope]

Don't you just ha.te it when a tr0lly profile gets removed and all your witty comments go with the thread they started.

===================
My name is Mindy and I thrive on rejection.

I think HP should make the email address she keeps posting into an auto-mo.d trigger.

As if we'd actually send an email, thereby giving her a source of email addresses to sell to who-knows-what spammer.

[Grunty1]

I doubt it is a real address anyways, or not "Mindy's" at the very least.

I think HP needs to ban all the URL shrinker sites. That would shut down "Mindy" plenty fast. Also, those sites have no real usage beyond hiding viruses.

[karela]

I grow pretty weary of the anonymous source who does not have permission to tell us anything---and who gets it wrong all the time. I wondered when after the election we suddenly started seeing this kind of thing out of the Obama camp when we never had before----with good reason! They aren't from Obama's reliable people. Obama doesn't tolerate this kind of stuff in his people. If we see something from "anonymous", it might be a good idea to not waste too much thought on it. Obama is good about getting information to us as soon as he has it ready to give. What's the purpose of all this other junk other than to keep journalists busy and in the news. It's quite counter productive. I think I'll get my news from Obama and on the record from his official spokespersons. Look at just this week and the potential trouble this stuff can cause i.e. trying to start trouble between the current president and the president elect by implying that the president told Obama he would let the American auto industry die a fast death unless Obama agreed to the Columbia trade agreement---that was a potential mess and downright bad for the country!!! How about a little love for America and less for their own paycheck from journalists?

[Grunty1]

The "anonymous source" doesn't have permission because he is not part of the team at all.

[jacqmac]

I truly believe that there is only ONE person NAMED ANONYMOUS SOURCE who is giving out the misinformation on BOTH sides. P.S. I have a SUGGESTION for the Republicans--IF the 'STARS' that are being touted at your Governor's convention this week are any indication, YOU DID NOT GET THE MESSAGE! I don't CARE that Mike Huckabee now has his own TV show, I don't CARE that Bobby Jindal is brown, I don't CARE that Mitt Romney the PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE (not the Governor) thinks he's good looking enough to run in four years. I also DEFINITELY DON'T CARE about the Governor of ALASKA! THEY ARE DONE!! ALL OF THEM! WHY? Because there is NO CHANGE in POLICY OR PHILOSOPHY GOING ON --NO SOUL SEARCHING. It's just 'oh well--how can we CAPITALIZE ON the Democrats' VICTORY and play to our (STILL SHRINKING) BASE? There is NO BIG IDEA COMING out from ANY of these 'talking heads'---might as well run JOHN MCCAIN again in four years if that is all you have to offer us--THE SAME OLD WINE in newer bottles!