"If You Leak, You're Gone": Obama Transition Team

Marc Ambinder reports on the Obama team's somewhat unsuccessful attempt to run a tight ship:

Several Obama transition staffers have put a version of that quotation in transition co-chief John Podesta's mouth.

Many of the major staff appointments so far - Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff, Greg Craig as White House counsel, the fact of the Clinton meeting, along with details about internal thinking on Gitmo and other subjects - have escaped whatever barriers the Obama team has set in place.

Every transition staffer and adviser has signed a non-disclosure agreement, and staff members are regularly warned by their superiors not to talk to the press.

My guess is that the sheer size of the universe that Obama's now dealing with - huge agency teams, reams of outside advisers being asked for their opinions - renders silence virtually impossible.

Read more about Obama's transition team here.

Comments

[SeanGardner]

This is why its hard to believe that of all news sites, the righ-leaning POLITICO gets an "inside scoop" that people in Obama's campa are upset that Hillary is being considered for Sec. of State.

Obama will be on top of the leaks if they occur.

[OverIt]

So the transition team members are leaking about the strict leak policy. Smart.

[PKSSK]

Ironically, yes!!!!

[larry278]

This is contrary to the MSM spin that Obama is super cool tempered & has the complete situation under control. Maybe Rahm, aka the junk yard dog, will stop the leaks, if BHO really wants to stop the leaks. The leaks about cabinet choices look like trial balloons. Oh boy, another governmnet by leaks in lieu of press conference briefings. It's a hell of a lot easier to deny the contents of a leak if a leaked proposal proves unpopular. We're starting BHO's administration with SS/DD, not change. Voter's regret could become a reality if BHO uses 'leaks' as trial balloons.