Bush, Citing Privacy, Swears Off E-Mailing Family.

April 5, 2001 1:51 PM

Bush, Citing Privacy, Swears Off E-Mailing Family. "He said he does not e-mail out of concern his private communications could be subject to freedom of information laws and could be made public... Bush said, however, that his administration will cooperate fully with freedom of information requests..."
posted by tranquileye (11 comments total)

besides, those carnivore d00ds would have his emails posted all over the fbi offices...
posted by quonsar at 2:51 PM on April 5, 2001

This is old news. AP talked about this some two weeks ago. Slow day in the Reuters offices, apparently.
posted by Dreama at 3:03 PM on April 5, 2001

Well, he mentioned it at his talk today, that's why this piece. The older articles even gave out his (closed) AOL address, something like GWB94 (for his gubernatorial campaign).

Sadly, I think he has a point: his own party poisoned that well, though. I think this will be a difficult sticking point for future presidents as well. Personally, I'd be happy to let them have an e-mail account for mailing friends and family; they can talk to them on the phone, can't they? We don't record all of that. But sure as shooting one of these days there will be a subpoena to find out who he e-mailed before X Y or Z.
posted by dhartung at 5:25 PM on April 5, 2001

I know for a fact that George Bush senior used PGP after he left office to communicate with Dubya when he was governor of Texas. (I know the guy who installed it on Bush Sr's computer and showed him how to use it.) I don't know why dubya can't use PGP now.
posted by maj at 8:47 PM on April 5, 2001

I think he's just hiding the fact that he's computer illiterate.
posted by SpecialK at 8:48 PM on April 5, 2001

Would he also have to hand over his PGP key under this same law? And does that cheap shot really contribute to the discussion SpecialK?
posted by gyc at 9:58 PM on April 5, 2001

ohh someone likes a little bush....
posted by northwestblogger at 10:05 PM on April 5, 2001

Bullets are damn cheap nowadays.
posted by crasspastor at 10:31 PM on April 5, 2001

er. . .cheap under this administration I mean.
posted by crasspastor at 10:33 PM on April 5, 2001

Hmm, surprised that self-deleting email isn't more popular in these situations.
posted by mecran01 at 7:34 AM on April 6, 2001

I think the point is that, under present case law deriving from the FOIA, it's illegal.
posted by dhartung at 7:40 AM on April 6, 2001