Politico’s Mike Allen reportedly allowed a top Hillary Clinton aide at the State Department to write an item for his morning newsletter Playbook, according to emails obtained and published by Gawker Friday.
In the November 2010 email exchange, Clinton adviser Philippe Reines sent Allen the text of a promotional blurb for a “behind-the-scenes” National Geographic documentary about the State Department.
Allen responded: “sweet – thanks and congrats.” Shortly after, Allen replied again with a slightly edited version of the promo item. The copy concluded with a cheeky shout out to Reines and Caroline Adler, the former State Department communications director: “If your Cabinet-level boss wonder why they ‘can’t get something like this done,’ blame Caroline and Philippe.”
Reines responded “Tytyty” to express his gratitude for the edits. He later responded again, asking Allen to pull the “Cabinet-level boss” line.
The “VIEWER ALERT” item appeared without Reines’ quip in the Nov. 8, 2010 edition of Playbook.
It’s not the first time Allen has run into ethically murky territory with his inside-the-Beltway newsletter. Late last year, he came under fire for emails to Reines offering Chelsea Clinton a “no risk” interview as part of his Playbook-branded breakfast speaking series. He later apologized, writing “MY BAD!” in the newsletter. Days later, Gawker published a round of emails that showed Allen offered an unnamed senior Democratic lawmaker a similar arrangement in exchange for an interview.
Allen, whose Playbook has long been a lucrative Politico product, is slated to leave the site later this year.
In response to a request for comment by Gawker, Allen deferred to a Politico spokesperson, who said in a statement:
This National Geographic television special was worth flagging for Playbook readers and as such the information was condensed into our signature, bite-sized format with a link to the outside source.
A TPM request for comment from Allen was not immediately returned Friday.
Philippe Reines and politico clown Allen are the names actually in play here. But if we try real hard, as the Rolling Stones said, you can get what you need. Clinton. She had nothing to do with this.
Glad you said that. I thought I had lost my senses. I couldn’t see how they could put this on Hillary.
ETA: And about a National Geographic video. Nothing political. Where’s the story?
And this happen in 2010. God help us all.
Not really any news here, unless you don’t know how bulletin-style columns like Allen’s are written. Lots of people send him blurbs, he picks some, rewrites a bit for style and to drop extraneous details and fluff, and then publishes it.
(Note: I’m not an Allen fan by any means. I’m just pointing out how these things are done, as anybody with experience in the business knows.)
It allows one to drag the name Clinton thru the mud. That’s why it’s being talked about. You are right…there is no story here but there is that name Clinton and you must shit on it.
This might as well say, Mike Allen Let’s Clinton Aide Write Birthday Card to His Nephew. It would be just as meaningless and innocuous as this story.