The woman who caused the White House to start asking people to report information on the Web about “health insurance reform that seems fishy” doesn’t think she did anything wrong.
At issue is a popular Internet video, promoted by the Drudge Report, of then-presidential candidate President Obama discussing how a public health care option could lead to the elimination of private insurers at a health care forum sponsored by the Service Employees International Union in 2007. The Internet video contrasted those remarks with current promises from President Obama that his favored health care reforms, including the public option, would not eliminate private insurers, an obvious contradiction.
The White House said the video amounted to “disinformation” and posted a solicitation on its official blog asking for people to “report” those spreading the objectionable content.
“These rumors often travel just below the surface via chain emails or through casual conversation,” the post said, accompanied by a video of White House Communication Director Linda Douglass chiding the aforementioned video. “Since we can’t keep track of all of them here at the White House, we’re asking for your help. If you get an e-mail or see something on the web about health insurance reform that seems fishy, send it to flag@whitehouse.gov.”
Pam Key, a children’s book illustrator who created the video, said the offensive launched from the White House was “frightening.”
She originally founded Naked Emperor News, a site where she posts her videos, as a riff on the old children’s tale about the emperor with no clothes. She told The Washington Times it became a place to archive videos after she read Mr. Obama’s first book, “Dreams from My Father,” and found all the “completely and totally radical stuff in there.” After that she began scouring old video and audio tapes searching for more information about Mr. Obama.
She made waves during the presidential campaign by digging up 2001 audio of Mr. Obama talking about the redistribution of wealth with a Chicago radio station and posting it to YouTube. The book illustrator’s online video archive of “Greatest Hits” includes audio of Mr. Obama discussing his opposition to the Born Alive Infant Protection Act, legislation to protect babies who survived abortion.
“I’m not a blogger and I’m not an opinionater,” Ms. Key told the Washington Times. “I only do video. All I’m doing is putting out there things that already exist and those who are essentially attacking it are attacking evidence and making it personal. I’m surprised the White House would even bother.”
When asked if she was intimidated by the pushback, she laughed. “I just put it in God’s hands. For some reason I find this stuff and other people can’t. I’m not seeking any publicity, I’m just doing what I think is important and I’m not going to be scared of anything.”
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