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“Newly disclosed emails link White House directly to NEA politicalization scandal
By: Mark Tapscott

10/30/09 12:02 PM EDT

Former actor and present White House associate director of public engagement Kalpen Modi was directly involved in planning the controversial conference call hosted by a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) flack to encourage tax-supported artists to create propaganda for President Obama, according to emails obtained by Judicial Watch via a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

The emails reveal that Modi worked with now-former NEA national communications director Yosif Sargant in planning the August 10 conference call that was first revealed by Andrew Breitbart's Big Hollywood.com web site. Participants in the conference call were encouraged to use their talents to generate public support for the Obama agenda in Congress.

Here are four of the most illustrative emails, according to Judicial Watch:


· August 10, 2009, 10:23 am. Email from Yosi Sergant to Kalpen Modi: “[The call is] organized by me…I’d ask you to come on and give the exact spiel you gave on Saturday. Walk them through the WH Arts Policy. They won’t know it. Then I will take them into United We Serve and the NEA.”

· August 10, 2009, 10:29 am. Email from Kalpen Modi to Yosi Sergant: “Oy. This would be awesome to be a part of. Let me know if you think it’s going long, or maybe I can get someone from here to do it if I can’t because of the Social Security mtg.”

· August 10, 2009, 11:04 am. Email from Kalpen Modi to Yosi Sergant: “Let me see if we can move Social Sec by a few mins. Agreed, it would be great to be on the call and helpful for us also.”

· August 10, 2009, 1:37 pm. Email from Yosi Sergant to Buffy Wicks, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement: “We have an important call at 2pm for UWS (United We Serve) and the Arts with my peeps. Indie producers around the country. Kal can’t join the call. Any chance you can hop on for 5 minutes and intro with Nellie and I?”



AHHHH! BLAAAACK HELLLLICOPTERRRS! ! ! ! !”

“that sounds like politics as usual. Build an agenda. Find ways to support said agenda. Recruit others to help support said agenda.

Don't make it RIGHT. Doesn't make it proper.

But politics in DC (and pletny of other places) have worked that way for YEARS. Don't start condemning just because the current players are from the other party.”

“This is the best thread about news networks EVER!”

“Former actor and present White House associate director of public engagement Kalpen Modi was directly involved in planning the controversial conference call hosted by a National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) flack to encourage tax-supported artists to create propaganda for President Obama

That opening paragraph told strat all he wanted to hear.”

“Hyway sums it up best. We only complain about things the other side does.”

“Agreed, we may be disgusted by the behavior of our peeps, but never voluntarily verbalize it. That's why it's usually a waste of time to read/post about these issues. It's too seldom that anyone even admits to their party leaders wrong doing even when confronted with direct evidence. It's the same way at the coffee shop in town; it's all about being right.

No different than it's always been in the history of Man on Earth.”

“Hold the phuck up....

I admit it. I'm the ONLY MUDDER PHUCKER in here that admits it. I back dat sh1t up. I left the R party and declared Independant. I did it, because I'm tired of it. I stand up against corruption from any side of the spectrum.

Chili, no it's not what I wanted to hear. What I want to hear is about is an honest politician. I don't care what party they're from. What I want to hear is you take a stand for us, not for your party affiliation. What I'd like to hear is that you have a freek'n problem with taking my money and spending it on a democrat or even a republican, commercial. I'd bet my bottom dollar that you'd have a huge problem with this if it was Bush doing it for the republicans. Dood, man up and admit that it's wrong. That's the first step. Wrong is wrong.

Niblefoot...that's the problem with our country. People just say, "Oh well, they all do it, they've always done it and they always will. Well I call bull#&%!$! Stand up and speak out against this crap. Quit being a dolt and take your country back. Apathy is for loosers, man.

They work for us. We don't answer to them. Why would any of you put up with this from our so called leaders? Why don't you care about this nation's future? Why don't you care about the world your kids will inherit? How much are you willing to tolerate?

What do you believe in? Lying, cheating, and stealing? NO? How bout a little lie? Just stealing a little?

Disgusting!”

“I admit it. I'm the ONLY MUDDER PHUCKER in here that admits it. I back dat sh1t up. I left the R party and declared Independant. I did it, because I'm tired of it. I stand up against corruption from any side of the spectrum.

You're not the only one.”

“High 5 HPD!”

“Agreed, we may be disgusted by the behavior of our peeps, but never voluntarily verbalize it. That's why it's usually a waste of time to read/post about these issues. It's too seldom that anyone even admits to their party leaders wrong doing even when confronted with direct evidence. It's the same way at the coffee shop in town; it's all about being right.

No different than it's always been in the history of Man on Earth.”

I wasn't speaking of politicians, but of the rigid mindsets of people here and in town...more value being placed on being right or 'winning' than in doing what's best for the country.”

“now, i dont watch a lot of talk news shows, but saturday morning i was flipping around and stopped at CNN. There was some guy interviewing a republican senator (don't recall any names). I was really surprised at how rudely the interviewer treated the senator. He'd ask a question, with a somewhat snide tone even, and then interrupt the senator before the man finished his response - and his response was even at least on target with the question - he wasn't blatantly dodging as they all so often do.

I thought of this thread of course. It was a shameful piece of interviewing. Whether you agree with soemone's position or not, if your going to interview them - at ANY level - at least pretend to be respectful to them.

The bias was so blatant as to cause the interview to completely lack value and merit.”

“And hence CNN is scraping the bottom of the barrel ratings wise.”

““Hyway sums it up best. We only complain about things the other side does.”
chili36
6:05:56 PM
10/30/09

The other part of that is that if we don't complain about what the other side does, then the only complaints will be about what our side does. (My point being that the other side will complain enough about our side, they don't need my help).


But concerning the conference call with the artists. The difference between what one side does and the other is that one side is doing it on the public dime while on the white house payroll.”

““I admit it. I'm the ONLY MUDDER PHUCKER in here that admits it. I back dat sh1t up. I left the R party and declared Independant. I did it, because I'm tired of it. I stand up against corruption from any side of the spectrum.

You're not the only one.”
HighPlainsDrifter
9:13:55 PM
11/01/09

So, both of you voted for Bush twice?

Y'all "left the R party" after Bush tore us a new one.

Dat's a cheap cop out and you back dat up.”

“I make no excuses, and have no regrets for voting for Bush. I much preferred him over the alternative. I wish there was somebody in the running at the time that was a better choice. I left the (R) party during his 2nd term, but not because of him, but because of the party as a whole. Last election I wrote in Ron Paul.

It's funny how I've so often been criticized for not changing my mind (even though I had in the past), yet when I do (left the R party), it's not good enough.

Who is sticking to the same ole song and dance? Who isn't being open minded? Who is voting for "their party" instead of principles? Obama is doing everything Bush did, except moreso, and faster. Yet, here you are, defending him.”

“Bushama”

“exactly”

“There's a lot of TV mentality in this thread. The system's a wreck after eight years of mismanagement and poor decision-making and the two-second attention-spanners want an instantaneous fix, ready to crucify the guy after a year in office. Hell, the general population would crucify ANYONE in the White House right now.”

“unlike when Bush took office?

You're right roseymonster, we aren't thinking for ourselves, only you are. Come on. Get real.

Maybe, just maybe, people are tired of our FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS being taken away from us. This is nothing new. It's just that now, it's happening faster than ever. This is an old concept -- "protecting our freedoms". It has nothing to do with some TV excuse or whatever you're trying to say.

FREEDOM - when do you support it? Our ONE job as citizens should be to elect somebody who will protect our freedoms. All I see from you is protecting the guys who want to take those freedoms away.

I don't care if Obama, or Shmomomma is in the whitehouse, I want somebody to defend our rights.”

“What right(s) has/have been taken away from you HPD?”

“Luckily, citizens and lawmakers have blocked much of what he has tried to do. I have seen NO instance of him defending our rights. NONE. He defends rights that he has made up.

I'd be glad to hear an example of a right he has defended.

free speech - NO, he tried to control the press corps

bear arms - he's pushed for more control over guns

taxes - let's not even go there; the dam is breaking on that and we all know it

free trade - he has only pushed government control of various key markets

Please, tell me what right he has defended. I don't mean by saying "I believe in the right to ...", but actually supporting something that protects a specific right of ours as defined in the constitution.”

“What IS happening is you are defending the man who is not only doing the SAME things you (guys) criticized Bush for, but doing them to a greater extent.

Afghanistan, Iraq, corporate bailouts, corporate welfare, excessive spending, excessive borrowing ...”

“How's that Patriot Act turn-around thing working out for you?

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2009/sep/16/obama-seeks-patriot-act-extensions/

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/22/obama-patriot-act-surveil_n_295194.html

my personal favorite ... http://donedems.com/2009/04/14/holy-crap-obama-actually-manages-to-make-the-patriot-act-worse-than-under-bush/
last edited: 11/02/09 12:52:59 PM”

“HPD..and lets not forget. During D'OHbama's five minutes of experience as a Senator...HE VOTED for all the stuff he now is dealing with.”

“I'm still waiting for an answer to the question I asked first, HPD: what rights of yours has Obama taken away?”

“I answered that directly.

When did you stop beating your dog?”

“You did not answer my question, on the other hand.”

“Twigeater, the turkeys are fighting again.”

“Taxes and Free Trade involve Rights?

What Rights? Whose Rights? Where the hell did I find Rights?

**chili moves on to listen to some Frampton***”

“I answered that directly.

I think not. Where's the answer? There are about 25 sentences posted from you after I asked my question and NOT ONE of them answers the question I asked. Instead, you tried to be deliberately effusive and evade the question. I asked you to tell me what rights Obama has taken away from you. You still haven't answered it. I doubt you will.”

“Exactly, Chili.

HPD: turn off Faux and THINK about what you are saying next time.
last edited: 11/02/09 1:20:33 PM”

“�I'm still waiting for an answer to the question I asked first, HPD: what rights of yours has Obama taken away?�
roseymonster
1:01:40 PM
11/02/09

I will respond, ROSEY he has taken my right to my property. That is he has begun the greatest confiscation of my property in American History.

With the passage of any form of Health Care reform, the benefits of my putting myself through college and grad school, working 60 and 80 hour weeks to move up to a good position with perks and insurance will be pretty much devalued. Additionally I will see MY PROPERTY...i.e the money I have earned being Taken at the POINT of a GUN to give to people who really never gave a crap about success in their life.

That enough for you Rosey? Or Maybe there will be an attack and I will get the fun of going through more and more security checks with people who as a rule are not comptent enough to be Slinging Burgers at Mickey D's. But put them in the SEIU and make them "Federal Air Transportation Airport Security Service" and they can screw up my flight, and still let hazardous weapons on board.”

“I answered that directly.”

“I'll let you two morons fight it out.”

“So, when are these armed bandits coming to rob you of your ego, XL? Again, a buncha of prognostication about what you FEEEEEEEEL Obama is going to do, however, nothing of substance.

You and Sarge are GREAT entertainment.

Be sure to read up and find out the actual meaning of RIGHTS so you guys don't get confused again.

I'll take that as your typical concession, Sarge.
last edited: 11/02/09 1:54:03 PM”

“for the last 7 years the left has been screaming about the rights Bush has been taking away, and the Right was saying what rights have you lost. Now its the reverse.

Bushama”

“roseymonster somehow "missed" the Patriot Act links”

“OH Really? I am pretty sure that http://www.cnn.com/ALLPOLITICS/1998/04/29/irs.hearings/index.html

In the day's testimony, Roth's committee heard from John Colaprete, the co-owner of the Jewish Mother restaurant in Norfolk and Virginia Beach, Va., whose business was turned upside down in 1994 by agents with dogs and weapons. Customers were ordered to leave in the middle of their meals and employees were lined up and searched for drugs.


The IRS also carted off a truckload of property, including cash registers, computers and financial records. But five months later the case was dropped; the IRS found no evidence of wrong-doing. The raid, it turned out, was based partly on statements of a bookkeeper who the restaurant had fired for embezzlement.

"Unfortunately, rather than make restitution, [the bookkeeper] sought shelter with the IRS and told them a fantastic tale of money laundering, gun running and drug dealing by my partner and me," Colaprete testified.

Colaprete and his business partners are suing the IRS and state law enforcement agents for $20 million, alleging violation of civil rights.

I am guessing that can't happen in CALIFORINCATA”

“You somehow missed how that is just continuing with a policy implemented by Shrub. Not saying its right, its just nothing new and nothing that wasn't already in place when Obama took over.

So back to square one: what rights is Obama taking away from you, Sarge?”

“Right, XL. And this Obama's doing, how??”

“Okay, so we've come full circle and are now back to 'I know you are but what am I?' Silliness.”

“Again, I'm just really enjoying reading you guys prattle on about your perceived notion of rights violations by this administration. It's classic.”

“the only rights being violated are their right to have a republican in office. They're very oppressed by the tyranny of an elected official with different ideals than theirs”

“When did you stop beating your dog roseymonster?”

“What are you talking about, Sarge?”

“He has a dog named roseymonster?”

“
Democracy just isn't their 'thing.'

Half the time they can't even spell it.

”

““What are you talking about, Sarge?”


Exactly. There is "hope" for you yet.”

“ooooh. how cryptic.”