UPDATED: White House ‘Message Meeting’ For Pundits On List

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A group of Democratic talking heads gathered at the White House March 13 for a meeting with Ellen Moran and David Axelrod.

The White House visitors logs released today show Axelrod, President Obama’s senior adviser, met that day for about two hours in the West Wing with 18 people. Among them were Chris Kofinis, Karen Finney, Margaret Omero, Margaret Myers, Steve McMahon, Peter Fenn, Michael Feldman, Jennifer Palmeri, Hillary Rosen, Simon Rosenberg, Brad Woodhouse (of the DNC) and Mo Elleithee.

It was called a “communications message meeting” on the spreadsheet.

A source who attended the meeting tells TPMDC the White House hosts weekly message calls sharing their talking points with pundits who appear on television. The meetings are sometimes hosted in person at the White House. The March meeting actually was called and led by Moran, then communications director. She has since departed the White House.

The source said Axelrod came in toward the end of the meeting.

Another source who attended said the group discussed health care “in terms of where we were at that point in the debate.”

“It’s a smart thing for the administration to do – bringing in Democratic pundits so they know what the message the White House is pushing,” the source said.

The source said attending the meeting does not equal parroting the White House’s talking points, but said they are helpful to have a sense of where the administration stands on key issues.

Ed. Note: This post has been updated as we found more attendees of the meeting.

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