Washington's new Blackberry elite

Only those who have the President's email address are truly part of his inner circle

News in pictures
News in pictures
On Facebook
From the blogs

HIV orphans in Thailand prepare for the future

In Baan Gerda, a community for HIV infected or affected youngsters in Northern Thailand, a group of ...

Online House Hunter: England’s most romantic places

Our Online House Hunter goes in search of romance this Valentine's Day...

Roy Hodgson for England: A club of one

To argue against Harry Redknapp for England is akin to arguing in favour of bankers bonuses. While s...

Time for a reality check on the Sri Lankan civil war

Sri Lanka, much like Britain, has side-lined accountability long enough.

In a city obsessed by status symbols and access to power, nothing tops being one of the few who can send emails to President Barack Obama's "security enhanced" Blackberry.

Ever since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis, there has been a hot-line from the White House to the Kremlin. The modern version of that "red phone" is the little silver device hitched to Mr Obama's belt. Nothing in Washington is more coveted than a spot on the list of email addresses that can pass unimpeded to his inbox.

"I finally agreed to limit the number of people who could email me. It's a very exclusive list," Mr Obama told the annual Alfalfa Club dinner where the elite of the Washington elite gather. "How exclusive? Everyone look at the person sitting on your left. Now look at the person sitting on your right. None of you have my email address."

The Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, may be the most powerful woman in America but her emails to the President's Blackberry bounce. The same goes for the heads of Fortune 500 companies whose hands are outstretched, seeking access to a share of the $819bn economic stimulus plan that the President is backing.

For decades, discovering who was in and out in Washington was an art form which involved scouring the invitation lists for state dinners and the visitor logs to the presidential retreat at Camp David. In Bill Clinton's time, the names of guests invited for sleepovers in the Lincoln Bedroom was one indication. Today, it is about having Mr Obama's email address, although investigations by The New York Times and The Washington Post have done little to reveal just who is on the exclusive list.

Michelle Obama is undoubtedly on his list, as is the Vice-President, Joe Biden, who has his very own top secret Blackberry. Rahm Emanuel, the White House chief of staff, and the President's top advisers and members of his close circle of Chicago friends are also part of his tight email circle.

Beyond that, not much is known. Anthony Lake, one of Mr Obama's top foreign policy advisers before the election, no longer has the President's ear, or his thumb, as one wag put it. "No," he told a reporter. "Did. Don't."

Mr Lake does not feel excluded, however, since most members of the Obama cabinet are also off the list. Even the Defence Secretary, Robert Gates is not included, but his advisers say that is because he sees the President in person so often that he does not need to communicate by email.

The secure email list is not just to safeguard the President from spam. The CIA wants to protect him from cyber attacks. One nightmare is that the President's emails get forwarded to a hostile foreign intelligence service. To reduce the risk, his address will be changed regularly and security systems ensure that none of his emails can be forwarded or have attachments.

Independent Comment
blog comments powered by Disqus
Career Services

Day In a Page

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

Apple admits it has a human rights problem

After years of complaints and workers' suicides in China the technology giant faces up to the human cost of its gadgets
Peter Moore: 'I feel guilty I'm the only one alive'

Peter Moore interview

'I feel guilty I'm the only one alive'
Sellafield faces nuclear option as overspending threatens plant's future

Sellafield faces nuclear option

Overspending threatens plant's future
Israel blames Iran for embassy bomb attacks

Israel blames Iran for embassy bomb attacks

Tehran rejects Netanyahu's 'lies' after diplomats in India and Georgia targeted
Former manager enjoying Apoel crack at the big time

Tommy Cassidy interview

Former manager enjoying Apoel crack at the big time
James Lawton: Patience may not be a virtue this time, Roman – Andre Villas-Boas looks all at sea

James Lawton: AVB looks all at sea

Abramovich's visits to training reinforce the idea of a coach feeling pressure from above and below
The 10 Best sledges

The 10 Best sledges

Not all of them require snow...
Procrastination: Not now – I'm busy

Procrastination: Not now – I'm busy

Confronting the real reasons for puttting things off can help us beat it
Fun in the sunset years

Fun in the sunset years

A new movie follows retirees moving to India for low-cost care and a culture of respect for the elderly. For many Britons, it's already a reality
Picture preview: Lucian Freud drawings

Lucian Freud drawings

Picture preview
Silent revolution at the Baftas as the French take top awards

Silent revolution at the Baftas

The Artist wins in seven categories, with Meryl Streep the other big success story
Whitney Houston: The diva who had – and lost – it all

The diva who had – and lost – it all

Nick Hasted charts the highs and lows of Whitney Houston's life
How Picasso won over (some of) the British

How Picasso won over (some of) the British

Winston Churchill and Evelyn Waugh hated his work, but Picasso provided inspiration for a whole generation of UK artists
Topshop: A Decade Of Design

Topshop: A Decade Of Design

When London Fashion Week starts on Friday, Topshop will celebrate 10 years backing its brightest young stars
John Prescott: 'My wife thought I'd just retire, but I'm not a slippers man'

'My wife thought I'd just retire, but I'm not a slippers man'

At 73, John Prescott isn't mellowing. In fact he's taking a shot at becoming a police commissioner