Are We SURE Gannon Only Had a DAY PASS and Not a HARD PASS???

[Beetwasher]

Or do we only have McClellan's word on this? Has this been conclusively resolved yet???

I'd bet a dollar he had a hard pass.

[merh]

1. I'm with you, I don't believe anything the admin says.

I think he had a hard pass

Did you see this thread? Gannon's pass on ebay
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=104x3097082

[immoderate]

2. Dana Milbank said he saw Gannon with a hard pass.

--IMM

[merh]

5. Do you have a link?

I have a debate going with someon that claims a security check was not required because he was only given day passes.

[Beetwasher]

7. It Was In An Interview On Olberman, I Believe

Where Dana made the claim that it appeared that Gannon had a hard pass complete w/ photo...

[MissB]

11. Yes, it was one of the first times that MSNBC talked about Gannon

I think that was about a week or so ago?

[merh]

13. Can we find a photo with the pass and blow it up to see if we

can tell? That would be neat!

[dmkinsey]

9. Yeah, I saw him on Olberman

saying he (Milbank) THOUGHT it looked like a hard pass with photo

[Webster Green]

3. If Scotty the liar said it was a day pass....

It was definitely a laminated, all access, backstage pass.

They always lie about everything.

[tridim]

4. I'd wager on the hard pass

If you know what I'm talkin' about. ;)

[Cocoa]

44. based on his performance reviews

I'd go with hard pass too. :-)

[BurtWorm]

6. I guarantee that no one on DU knows the answer to this question.

:hi:

[Beetwasher]

8. Yeah, But This Is a VERY Relevant Question, IMO

All the articles I've read are taking McClellan at his word on this. Yet Dana Milbank has stated he believes otherwise. This needs digging...Maybe some of the FOIA requests will/can answer this.

If it turns out that Gannon had a hard pass then WHAMMO! This thing escalates BIG TIME!

This is the sort of tact that should be taken w/ this story.

FWIW, I think you're right about his Plame involvement being a dead end because he was just a disposable tool in that affair, but his ACCESS to the WH is a whole other story...

[BurtWorm]

14. It is absolutely relevant.

I wholeheartedly agree with you. If Gannon did have a hard pass, then you're right, it will escalate.

But will askers of this question accept anything less than "hard pass" as an answer before they stop asking it?

I would like to see a definitive answer to the question myself.

[Beetwasher]

19. I Would

There should be documentation regarding exactly what type of pass he recieved, somewhere. It SHOULD come out eventually, I would think.

Dana Milbank is a pretty good reporter and I think he WOULD know what a hard pass looks like. I think this should really be a serious avenue of focus for this.

[BurtWorm]

23. It would seem that the answer to this wouldn't be so difficult to find out

You know what's weird though? Why wouldn't they just give Gannon a "permanent day pass" to cover their asses. I mean, why wouldn't they just let the dope in, but don't let him wear a hard pass to call attention to the favoritism?

Of course why anyone would think this WH has a brain to reason about such things is a mystery all of its own. ;)

[Beetwasher]

24. Indeed!

Yes, indeed...

[Inland]

10. Is this inside lingo from Gannon's webpage?

[Stephanie]

12. I asked the same question >

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=3094178

Milbank thinks he saw a hard pass. Is Scotty lying about this too?
___________________


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6947877 /

Feb. 9.

OLBERMANN: Was he—it‘s been reported that he was issued daily passes rather than the proverbial hard pass, the permanent one that admitted him. Is that correct, to your knowledge?

MILBANK: Well, we don‘t know. I‘ve seen him with something that looked an awful lot like a permanent White House pass, with his face, name and organization on it. Others have seen the same thing. We don‘t know for sure. But either way, it‘s clear that Scott Mcclellan knew that it wasn‘t his real name. He had to provide his real name to get into the White House. So, here you have the press secretary to the United States, playing along addressing this guy by his pseudo name. So there was some degree of complicity, even if he was not granted, against White House rules, an actually hard past.

___________________


http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/02/20050210-6.html#4

Q Jeff Gannon. How did he get a White House pass, or what kind of credentials did he have?

MR. McCLELLAN: Just like anyone else who comes to the White House.

Q Hard pass?

MR. McCLELLAN: No, he had never applied for a hard pass. He had a daily pass.I think he's been coming for --

Q Was he coming for --

MR. McCLELLAN: Hang on. I think he's been coming for more than two years now.

* * * * *

MR. McCLELLAN: Well, like I said -- what do I think about it? Well, let me explain a few things. First, as the press secretary, I don't think it's the role of the Press Secretary to get into picking or choosing who gets press credentials. Also, I don't think it's the role of the Press Secretary to get into being a media critic, and I think there are very good reasons for that. I've never inserted myself into the process. He, like anyone else, showed that he was representing a news organization that published regularly, and so he was cleared two years ago to receive daily passes, just like many others are. The issue comes up -- it becomes, in this day and age, when you have a changing media, it's not an easy issue to decide or try to pick and choose who is a journalist. And there -- it gets into the issue of advocacy journalism. Where do you draw the line? There are a number of people who cross that line in the briefing room.

* * * * *
Q But just to make it clear, the only criteria, from the White House perspective is, someone can pass the Secret Service background check

MR. McCLELLAN: No, no, that's not -- first of all, I don't involve myself in that process, it's handled at a staff level. Like I said, if the White House Correspondents Association ever wants to talk about issues, I welcome that. But it becomes an issue -- it becomes an issue of where do you draw the line? Do you draw the line at advocacy journalism because there are a number of people that crossed that line, as I said? But there's hard -- there's hard passes and there's daily passes, as you are well aware. For a hard pass, you have to have a House and Senate credential, you have to regularly cover the White House, you have to apply for it, you have to go through a detailed FBI background check.

___________________

[Beetwasher]

15. Thanks Stephanie!!! (Links To Hard Pass Allegation Above!!!!)

:hi:

[BurtWorm]

18. "We don‘t know for sure."

Just don't lose sight of that part of his statement. It's kind of important.

[Beetwasher]

21. But It SHOULD Be Easy To Find Out For Sure

Shouldn't it? They MUST have records of the types of passes issued. If he was getting a daily pass pretty much daily then there should be LOT'S of records of him applying for it daily.

Has anyone TRIED to get these records yet????

[DoYouEverWonder]

16. Who invited him to the parties?

There's a couple of pictures of Gannon going into the WH for some party dressed up in a tux.

Who was this party for and who invited him? That might be the key to how he got access every day.

[Beetwasher]

26. Good Question

n/t

[WilliamPitt]

17. Nope

http://forum.truthout.org/blog/story/2005/2/11/142517/041

[LeftHander]

20. Does it matter?

They guy was there and asked questions.

He was let in by someone in the White House without a proper background check.

[Beetwasher]

22. YES!!! Big TIME!!!

It's a WHOLE other level of security clearance and Scotty SPECIFICALLY deflected the issue by claiming he ONLY had a day pass.

[BurtWorm]

25. If he had a hard pass, then it's much more difficult for the WH to claim

they didn't have a hand in his being there.

[latteromden]

27. Did Gannon have a hard pass at the 3/3/2003 press briefing? (photos)

I screencapped these from the March 3rd, 2003 briefing video from C-SPAN. I was originally alerted to this specific briefing through a comment by a poster by the name of ladydawg over at DKos, but the photos provided didn't seem to provide enough information, so I checked it out myself and made screenshots, and sure enough...

(Forgive the shoddy text design, done on the spur of the moment :P and also all the different effects, I was just trying to get it to show up more clearly)













Looks like a laminated pass with his photo on it to me. I, honestly, have never seen a White House hard pass, so I shouldn't speculate as to whether or not that's what that is, but I'm pretty dang sure the guy on the film is Gannon. Check it out, 3/3/2003 briefing, Ari calls on the lady who asks the question (sitting in front of Gannon) at about 35:10, and I think it's pretty clear that it's him on the video when you watch it.

[Beetwasher]

29. Nice! Can Someone Get Better Resolution on that?????

Anyone????

Great catch!!! I think that IS A HARD LAMINATED PASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[latteromden]

30. The original photos are pretty good, but I don't know if I should post

them, because they're not my screenshots - on the other hand, they're from the same video? Oh hell, here (we're all working at exposing Gannon's ties to the administration, after all, aren't we?):





Man, if this guy had a hard pass, those bastards had better have a good explanation.

[Beetwasher]

31. I'm No Expert

But that sure as hell looks like a hard pass w/ photo... We need to see copies of actual hard and day passes though and compare them to this...That is DEFINITELY a pass w/ a photo...If day passes don't have photos then THEY ARE BUSTED!!!!!!!!

Can you also post a link to the DKOS discussion, just to give it props too! Thanks!!!!

[latteromden]

34. Here it is!

http://www.dailykos.com/comments/2005/2/16/155840/912/29

The post I'm talking about is about half-way down the page.

Hmmm, this is getting interesting.

[Beetwasher]

36. THANK YOU!! EVERYONE CHECK THIS OUT!!!!!!!!!!

PHOTO OF GANNON W/ WHAT APPEARS TO BE A HARD PASS!!!!!!!!1

[Spazito]

53. Whoa! This was on the dailykos link you provided too

Dana Milbank give a definitive description of both a hard pass and soft pass:

"You've stated that you think you've seen Gannon with a "hard press" pass. What is the visual difference between a hard pass and a daily pass?
A hard pass has your photo and news org and name on it. A daily pass is just a brown and white striped pass that says, "Press," on it and comes on a dog-tag style chain. Note that the one Gannon wears in the footage on TV is a blue lanyard - not the sort of thing a day pass comes on."

From SusanG's interview posted today with Dana Millbank. (The interview took place before the revelations of JG's escort service were up on AMERICAblog.) What "news org" would have been on that pass on Feb. 28, 2003?"

(It's about 3/4s of the way down that link.

[qanda]

52. From the DailyKos diary interview w/Dana Milbank

You've stated that you think you've seen Gannon with a "hard press" pass. What is the visual difference between a hard pass and a daily pass?

A hard pass has your photo and news org and name on it. A daily pass is just a brown and white striped pass that says, "Press," on it and comes on a dog-tag style chain. Note that the one Gannon wears in the footage on TV is a blue lanyard - not the sort of thing a day pass comes on.


http://www.dailykos.com/story/2005/2/17/10515/0631

[Spazito]

32. Excellent!

What would really nail it now is to try and screen capture a pass on one of the real journalists we know has a hard pass! I also wonder what a 'soft pass' looks like.

If we could get pics of each side by side, it would nail this question big time!

Great work!!

[latteromden]

45. There are some people at the press briefings that are always there - I

assume they have real hard passes, and I'll try to grab a capture of one of those.

[Spazito]

49. Great! Thanks!

It could nail this one down for good if you can!

[Walt Starr]

37. You should put those pictures into a thread of their own!

Then we can recommend for the Greatest and hopefully get this on the front page!

[nostamj]

28. why haven't we heard from HELEN THOMAS

or David Gregory or SOMEONE from the WH press corps?

or have we...? so many gannon threads, so little time.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[thebigidea]

35. practically, what would be the difference?

if he got the day passes indefinetely renewed and by the looks of it, laminated/photo/etc, what's the difference?

Wasn't he still getting year-round access, what was being denied him even if Snotty is correct?

wouldn't it just be a minor technical point to give them a paperthin level of deniability?

why would it be more acceptable to have an endlessly renewed day pass?

[Beetwasher]

38. The Security Check is WAAAY Different

He would NOT be able to get a hard pass w/ out serious WH involvment.

And Scotty lied about it BIG TIME.

[thebigidea]

39. why would the WH have skimpy security for day passes?

and could we have some specifics?

wouldn't giving him an endless day pass also require WH involvement?

[Beetwasher]

41. Read The Modo Piece In The NYT

Also the Frank Rich Piece...

Also read the transcript of the Keith Olberman interview w/ Dana Milbank...

It's a whole new level of security by the SS that could take months.

[thebigidea]

47. yes, I know that - but barring this check, what practical difference?

its not like they were denying him anything, by giving him a permanently renewed daypass, they could skip the security check and avoid messy paperwork.

IMHO, it stinks just as bad with just a day pass. they were giving him a free ride and maintaining deniability, because they knew damn well who Guckert was and what he was up to. This day pass/hard pass issue seems pretty minor compared to what was actually going on.

[Beetwasher]

48. But Scotty Specifically LIED about this

AND while it doesn't make a whole lot of practical difference, it would mean he would either have had to pass a much stricter security check and all his skeletons were ignored OR someone from the WH intervened. The hard passes are much harder to get. If he had one, it escalates his ties to the WH.

[madhat]

50. When is the daily briefing?

[lamp_shade]

40. KICK..

[MADem]

55. No, you hand the day pass back in before you leave

You aren't allowed to keep it, or take it out of the area.

[LynneSin]

42. Day passes did not require you to pass stringent requirements

in order to get a day pass!

[paineinthearse]

43. Technically, he did not qualify for a WH pass

As I understand the rules, he would have needed a Capitol press credential.

See letter from the capitol press office that denied a credential.

http://www.talkaboutgovernment.com/group/alt.politics.l...

&

http://mediachannel.org/mc/gannondoc.pdf

[Thoth]

46. At first I thought your title was a joke...

meaning he had a pass as long as he had a "hard-on"

sorry... ;-)

[yodermon]

51. kick

:kick:

[MADem]

54. I think it was a hard pass--but maybe not a PRESS PASS

I have whined on about this in other threads, but it bears repeating.

Dana and one other reporter, whose name escapes me, have said that they saw him with a hard pass. Now, despite the snarky comments we all can make, often deservedly, about the crappy state of the media nowadays, one thing reporters are good at is OBSERVING. Half of a story is the color of the minute details, anyway. They observe like we breathe--it is second nature. I don't think they made a mistake about seeing a laminated pass with a photo on it around Jimmy-Jeff's neck. The question is this: WHICH OFFICE AT THE WHITE HOUSE ISSUED THE PASS?

There are passes to get into the East Wing, and there are passes to get into the West Wing. There are passes that are just for the pressroom and environs, there are passes for the gardeners, the chefs, the housekeeping staff. There are passes for the big wigs, too. I think people are focusing on a PRESS pass, when what they might want to do is find out if any OTHER department/office within the WH issued that guy a pass.

If you are the head mutha in charge, you can go around the "system" and get the pass office to take the head shot, print out the pass, and laminate it. Who, if anyone, gave such an order?

The lamestream media needs to FOIA this information, they need to demand answers. Something stinks here, and we need to know who is responsible for creating such a stench!