In a move it is hailing as "transparency like you've never seen before," the White House on Friday released nearly 500 visitor records of individuals visiting the executive mansion between Inauguration Day and the end of July.
Many of the names appear, on first glance, to be boldface ones -- such as Michael Jordan, William Ayers, Michael Moore, Jeremiah Wright, Robert Kelly ("R. Kelly") and Malik Shabazz -- but the White House warned on its blog that these names in particular were "false positives."
"The well-known individuals with those names never actually came to the White House," wrote Norm Eisen, special counsel to the president for ethics and government reform.
Among those who showed up most often on the visitor logs are Service Employees International Union president Andrew Stern; John Podesta, who co-chaired President Obama's transition; and National Organization for Women president Kim Gandy.
Other names on the list were more straightforward and unmistakable, including Edward Kennedy, Thomas Daschle, Howard Dean and a certain Mr. Newton Gingrich.
The records reflect only those names that members of the public specifically requested information about from the White House Counsel's office and so is skewed in the direction of famous individuals who are a matter of public interest or controversy. The White House's comprehensive voluntary disclosure policy covers the period from Sept. 15, 2009 onwards, but not the earlier months of the administration.
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