Subject: RE: message from press staff
From: "Chris Lu" <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked]
Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 16:39:46 -0500

Got it.  Here's the revised version of the briefing memo:

Weekly Transition Memo for Senators Obama and Biden
 
From:    Transition Advisory Board and Staff
Date:     October 18, 2008

I.	Structure of Transition

At this point, we are planning for a transition staff of 400 people with
a total budget of $11 million ($5.2 million would be covered by the
federal government, and the rest would be raised privately.)  As with
the composition of an Obama Administration, we are working to ensure
that the transition will contain a mixture of campaign staffers and
outside people with relevant policy, technical, or management skills.
The task of creating a diverse transition staff will be easier after
Election Day when we can actively reach out to state and local elected
officials to solicit names of qualified people.

To facilitate the staffing of the post-Election Day transition staff, we
have asked board members and working group chairs to provide their
thoughts on how many people will be needed in the various departments.
We are also engaged in discussions with the campaign leadership on how
best to move campaign staff to the transition after Election Day.

Separately, we anticipate that the inauguration planning efforts will be
able to hire several hundred staffers.
 
II.	Agency Review

The agency review team held an all-day meeting last week and is in the
process of finalizing the two-page memos of every federal
department/agency which will be used by the President-Elect and Vice
President-Elect in selecting and interviewing potential nominees. 

III.	Communications

The communications team is reaching out to the various transition
working groups to solicit their ideas for how to frame the message of
the 77-day transition.  The team is examining how previous
president-elects, vice president-elects, and first ladies-to-be have
spent the transition period, and is also coordinating the content for
the transition website, which will go live on November 5.

IV.	Economic Team
	 
On October 17, the transition economic team (led by Bill Daley) met with
its informal "advisory board," which consists of Laura Tyson, Roger
Ferguson, Anne Mulcahy, Bob Reich, Bob Rubin, Larry Summers, Paul Volker
and Jack Lew  (Volker and Ferguson were unable to attend).  The group
spent six hours reviewing the following topics:  stimulus, budget,
financial markets (including foreclosures), and international economics.
Each area began with a review of the positions expressed during the
campaign.  

V.	Operations

We are working to ensure that both the D.C. and Chicago transition
headquarters have sufficient security measures to handle classified
documents, briefings, and phone calls.  We are also working with GSA to
ensure that email communications will be secure.

So far, we have submitted the names of about 70 people for interim
security clearances which will go into effect on November 5.  After
Election Day, we will submit additional names, including the names of
any administration nominees.

VI.	Miscellaneous	

We understand that both the New York Times and Washington Post have top
reporters working on stories about the transition planning efforts.  We
have instructed our team, once again, not to speak to reporters.

The board, staff, and working group chairs will meet again on October 24
for a half-day meeting.  We have asked all of the policy groups to
circulate drafts of their 20-page strategic option papers before this
meeting.  This Friday's meeting will be our last large, in-person
meeting before Election Day, although we have scheduled a three-hour
conference call for October 31.  In addition, all of the working groups
continue to hold weekly conference calls or meetings.

-----Original Message-----
From: [email-masked] [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 5:36 PM
To: Chris Lu
Subject: Re: message from press staff

I'd still drop 2nd para for security reasons.
Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

-----Original Message-----
From: "Chris Lu" <[email-masked]>

Date: Sat, 18 Oct 2008 15:18:21 
To: John Podesta<[email-masked]>; Steiner,
Joshua<[email-masked]>
Subject: RE: message from press staff

John -- Just to clarify: I had asked Josh to put something together so I
could include it in the weekly briefing memo to Biden/Obama.  So, the
paragraphs would only go to them, not to the press.

-----Original Message-----
From: John Podesta [mailto:[email-masked]] 
Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 4:10 PM
To: Steiner, Joshua
Cc: Chris Lu
Subject: Re: message from press staff

..don't think we need to put anything out, but this is fine if others
in the campaign think we need to do something. I would probably drop
2nd para. no need for that level of detail.

On Sat, Oct 18, 2008 at 12:36 PM, Steiner, Joshua
<[email-masked]> wrote:
> Here are two draft paragraphs that John and you should obviously feel
free
> to edit.  I've copied John since he was there.  Hope it's helpful:
>
>
>
>
>
> On October 17th in New York, the transition economic team (led by Bill
> Daley) met with its informal "advisory board," which consists of Laura
> Tyson, Roger Ferguson, Anne Mulcahy, Bob Reich, Bob Rubin, Larry
Summers,
> Paul Volker and Jack Lew.  All members except Mr. Volker were
scheduled to
> attend, but Mr. Ferguson was unable to come at the last minute.  In
> addition, John Podesta, Pete Rouse, Bob Litan, Todd Stern and Michael
Froman
> attended.  The group spent six hours reviewing the following topics:
> Stimulus, Budget, Financial Markets (including foreclosures) and
> International Econonics.  Each area began with a review of the
positions
> expressed during the campaign.
>
>
>
> Several high level areas received particular attention:  1) framing
the
> budget discussions in contrast to the situation in 1993 and in light
of the
> current economic climate; 2) the size, timing and content of a
stimulus plan
> given the economic climate and budget picture; 3) efforts to address
the
> foreclosure crisis; and, 4) reviewing the international agenda in
light of
> potentially conflicting priorities (e.g., addressing China's currency
> policies without compromising important bilateral financial
relationships).
>
>
>
>________________________________
>
> From: Chris Lu [mailto:[email-masked]]
> Sent: Saturday, October 18, 2008 8:49 AM
> To: Steiner, Joshua
> Subject: RE: message from press staff
>
>
>
> Josh -- Here's their contact info:
>
>
>
> Anita Dunn - [email-masked]
>
> Dan Pfeiffer - [email-masked]
>
>
>
> And the number for the communications office in HQ is 312-819-2423
>
>
>
> Also, I'm putting together the weekly briefing memo that we give to
Obama
> and Biden on our transition planning.  Is there anything I can/should
tell
> them about yesterday's meeting - who was there, what was discussed,
> comments, concerns, etc.?  John reviews the memos before they get sent
out
> but any information you have would be useful.
>
>
>
>
>
>________________________________
>
> From: Steiner, Joshua [mailto:[email-masked]]
> Sent: Fri 10/17/2008 9:15 PM
> To: Chris Lu
> Subject: RE: message from press staff
>
> We had our economic "advisory board" meeting today and told them not
to
> speak to the press.  Also said we would circulate names to whom they
should
> refer calls from the press.  Are Anita and Dan the right people and if
so,
> could you please give me their numbers?  Thanks.
>
>
>
>________________________________
>
> From: Chris Lu [mailto:[email-masked]]
> Sent: Friday, October 17, 2008 12:06 AM
> To: Chris Lu; Adam Hitchcock; [email-masked];
> [email-masked]; [email-masked]; Valerie Jarrett;
> [email-masked]; [email-masked]; [email-masked]; Pete
Rouse;
> Melody Barnes; [email-masked]; [email-masked];
> [email-masked]; [email-masked];
[email-masked];
> [email-masked]; [email-masked]; Jim Steinberg; Steiner,
> Joshua; [email-masked]; [email-masked]; [email-masked];
> [email-masked]; [email-masked]; Lisa Brown; John
Leibovitz;
> [email-masked]; [email-masked]; [email-masked];
> [email-masked]; Gitenstein, Mark H.; [email-masked];
> [email-masked]; katy kale; [email-masked]; laura
> nichols; Jeanne Lambrew
> Cc: [email-masked]; [email-masked];
Jayne
> Thomisee; [email-masked]; [email-masked];
> [email-masked]; [email-masked]; Katie
Johnson;
> Elizabeth Utrup; [email-masked]; Phil Schiliro
> Subject: message from press staff
>
>
>
> This comes from Anita Dunn, one of our communications people on the
> campaign:  "Both the Times (Peter Baker) and the Post (Balz, Shaleigh
> Murray) are working on big transition pieces.  A timely reminder to
all our
> task force members not to talk to the press is definitely in order."
Please
> pass this message to others on your teams.  And just a reminder, all
> press calls should be directed to Anita Dunn or Dan Pfeiffer at the
> campaign.  Thanks.
>
>
>
>
>
>