by Peter Nicholas and Noam N. Levey
Federal archivists today released 11,000 pages of schedules from Hillary Rodham Clinton's time as first lady, but the material offers little to support her assertion that her White House experience left her best prepared to become president.
The records show her to be an active first lady who traveled widely and was deeply involved in healthcare policy, but they are rife with omissions, terse references and redactions that obscure many of her activities and the identities of those she saw.
For months, Sen. Clinton has faced calls to speed the release of about 2 million pages of material covering her eight years as first lady. The records are stored at her husband's presidential library in Little Rock, Ark. But it seems doubtful that the schedules made public Wednesday will satisfy those who argue that Clinton touts her experience in her husband's White House, yet refuses to offer details about her precise role.
The records span some of the most historically rich and well-documented chapters in the Clinton presidency, including Bill Clinton's affair with a White House intern, Monica S. Lewinsky; Hillary Clinton's failed healthcare initiative; and her role in the dismissal of several employees in the White House travel office. But in many cases, the documents refer only to "private meetings" and do little to illuminate the dramatic events unfolding at the time.
California First Amendment Coalition Executive Director Peter Scheer, a leading advocate of public access to government records, said that more disclosure was essential.
"It seems to me that after so much time has passed, that there is no longer a real justification for keeping the names of people you are meeting with a secret," Scheer said.
One author who has interviewed Clinton, Carl Sferrazza Anthony, said he was not surprised that the schedules do not reveal much.
"She didn't put a lot in writing," said Anthony, who is based in Los Angeles and who has written extensively about first ladies. "She explicitly told me she didn't put a lot in writing because everything in writing, including a personal diary, could be subpoenaed."
The records were released in response to a Freedom of Information Act request and a lawsuit.
Over time, Clinton's schedules offer less and less information. In 1993, her first year as first lady, the records include a space for the names of people she met with. But federal archivists blotted out those names, citing privacy issues. In the spring of 1994, Clinton's schedulers appear to have stopped including names -- so her days are filled with one "private meeting" after another, with no mention of whom she met with or why.
On Jan. 28, 1994, the participants in a 10 a.m. meeting with her at Bally's Casino in Las Vegas have been erased.
Sometimes, even the names of people getting their pictures taken with Clinton were removed. So it is not known who had a photo op with Clinton at 2:45 p.m. in the White House Map Room on March 10, 1994.
In later years, the records are even more spare. On June 25, 1997, for example, Clinton is shown as having taken part in three successive meetings in the White House residence, stretching from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. They are labeled simply "private meeting."
In a conference call with reporters today, Clinton advisors were asked whether there was true transparency in a release of documents riddled with redactions.
Clinton spokesman Jay Carson said the National Archives controlled what was made public.
He said the National Archives first submitted even more heavily redacted records to longtime Clinton confidant Bruce Lindsey, who was the second-to-last step in the document review before a final review by the White House.
Lindsey wrote a letter to the National Archives requesting that large sections of documents be restored, Carson said, and the agency complied. None of the redactions were the work of Lindsey or of Clinton lawyers, Carson said.
Those mining the records for deeper insights into Clinton's activities may be disappointed.
There was little in Clinton's schedule to indicate anything was amiss on May 19, 1993, when seven employees of the White House travel office were fired. The dismissals triggered an uproar as critics charged that sloppy bookkeeping was being used as a pretext to open jobs for a Clinton cousin and other cronies.
Clinton herself urged a White House official to staff the office with "our people," according to a General Accounting Office report on the scandal.
But there is nothing in her schedule at the time that specifically mentions the purge or the fallout from it, dubbed Travelgate.
On the day the travel office employees were fired, Clinton's calendar shows two meetings with the participants' names redacted. Federal archivists included a notation that releasing the names would amount to "a clearly unwarranted invasion of personal privacy."
When it came to overseas travel, the papers show that Clinton did spend some time conferring with foreign leaders on strategic issues.
But they suggest she spent a lot more time fulfilling the traditional role of the first lady: meeting the wives of foreign leaders and focusing on women's and children's issues.
Clinton has pointed to a March 1996 trip to Bosnia and other parts of Europe as an example of what she said were the dangerous assignments she took. The records show that on that trip, she did speak to the Bosnian president, as well as to German and Turkish leaders.
But she also socialized with leaders' wives, listened to children read poetry, visited archaeological and religious sites, met with women's groups, and looked on as singer Sheryl Crow and comedian Sinbad entertained U.S. troops.
Little is revealed about the Lewinsky scandal.
On Feb. 28, 1997, the day Lewinsky wore her infamous blue dress to the White House, Hillary Clinton was also in the building, stopping by events in the Map Room and the Diplomatic Reception Room, records show.
When Lewinsky had what she said was her final sexual encounter with the president -- March 29, 1997, in the Oval Office -- Hillary Clinton was in Africa. The first lady opened a health clinic in Eritrea after being greeted by a traditional ceremony of "singing songs and throwing popcorn," her calendar says. Later, she flew to Cairo and then back to Washington.
peter.nicholas and noam.levey report for the Los Angeles Times and Times staff writers Robin Fields, Michael Finnegan and Paul Richter also contributed to this report, as did Glenn Thrush of Newsday and Andrew Zajac of the Chicago Tribune.
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Comments
Thursday: went downtown to get cheeseburgers for Bill.
Friday: washed strange stains off Bill's shirt collar.
Saturday: dinner with Vince Foster. He's nice, though a little gloomy.
Sunday: chased swingers out of the Lincoln bedroom.
Monday: meant to return call from Linda Tripp. Forgot. I'll do it tomorrow. How important could it be?
Posted by: Mark | March 19, 2008 9:16 PM
Did anybody really expect the Billary machine to reveal anything? Remember this middle America....she can relate to you. She's vetted. Give me a break.
No shocker here. If she releases taxes expect the same tap dance.
I'm sure all the coin-flip (Bush/Clinton) Billary backers will see exactly what she wants while they keep drinking the kool-aid.
McCain or Obama
Either works for me
Posted by: karl | March 19, 2008 9:19 PM
Obama is desperately trying to move away from the fact that he went to a hate mongering church and belonged there for 20 years!!! His little speech about race can't erase those facts for me. So the man can give a speech - big deal! The real truth about obama is just starting to come out!
Posted by: b daley | March 19, 2008 9:34 PM
"She explicitly told me she didn't put a lot in writing because everything in writing, including a personal diary, could be subpoenaed."
There you have it, folks. A glimpse of a Clinton Presidency. Lots to hide, I guess.
Posted by: DD | March 19, 2008 9:35 PM
Release ALL of your Tax Returns, Hillary!!
Hillary hasn't released ANY of her tax returns since 2003 and she calls herself "transparent"?
And while your at it Hillary, release all of your papers concerning:
~Whitewater
~The Presidential Pardon of felon Marc Rich
~The papers showing who donated to the Clinton library and the Bill Clinton foundation
~The papers showing ALL of your dealings with the now jailed fundraiser Norman Hsu.
~The papers showing your work in getting NAFTA passed
If Hillary is going to take credit for her time in the White House she needs to buck up and quit hiding all the papers that are pertainingg to her time there.
This isn't going to go away, Hillary.
OBAMA 08!!!!
Posted by: American citizens who hate the Clinton's | March 19, 2008 9:45 PM
Many puzzles in Clinton records:
No experience in White House, she did not know what Bill was doing while she was in WH.
Failed healthcare.
Friend/advisor Vince Foster had suicide, was there an investigation?
All the foreign trips were busy with social issues, no freign policy experience.
Whitewater investigations, she had big involvement, what was the result?
If she goes into WH again, Bill will be the first lord.
No vote for Clinton or McCain.
Posted by: Ahmed | March 19, 2008 9:54 PM
ABC News reports Hillary was in the White House on the famous "blue dress" day with Bill doing you know what with Monica. She reportedly was ordering flowers for a White House dinner, a real qualification for being president. But the real question is how she could aspire to be chief executive of the U.S. when she wasn't even able to detect her husband's and a young intern's hanky panky going on under her very nose? Inspector Clouseu she is not.
Posted by: Jeremiah | March 19, 2008 9:56 PM
Actually, it isn't ABC News alone that is noting the presence of Hillary Clinton in the White House on days that President Clinton had affairs with Monica Lewinsky. That fact is noted in this report as well (see below). It's also worth noting that the Oval Office of the president sits in the West Wing, which is a distinct office building, separated from the White House residence and its many rooms, such as the Map Room and Diplomatic Reception Room by a long breezeway -- and a press filing center in between the two structures. What goes on in the Oval Office often stays in the Oval Office, a least until Ken Starr is done reporting on it....
from the above report:
On Feb. 28, 1997, the day Lewinsky wore her infamous blue dress to the White House, Hillary Clinton was also in the building, stopping by events in the Map Room and the Diplomatic Reception Room, records show.
When Lewinsky had what she said was her final sexual encounter with the president -- March 29, 1997, in the Oval Office -- Hillary Clinton was in Africa. The first lady opened a health clinic in Eritrea after being greeted by a traditional ceremony of "singing songs and throwing popcorn," her calendar says. Later, she flew to Cairo and then back to Washington.
Posted by: Mark Silva | March 19, 2008 10:06 PM
All there people are ridiculous. This has no relvance to her. She is a great person and will make a great president.
Obmaa has been agreeing with his pastor for last 20 years.
Posted by: Shaen | March 19, 2008 10:17 PM
Blinis and Smoked Salmon in Russia! Names blotted out by Archivists citing Privacy! Question: What Experience? That's an Eight Year Hole in 35 years of experience. Now that's Revealing.
Posted by: ji_john | March 19, 2008 10:21 PM
bdaley Obama didn't write the article. He's not even quoted. You are the hate monger.
Posted by: miss poli-sci | March 19, 2008 10:22 PM
The Queen B was an undistinguished First Lady. She's been an undistinguished senator.
Obama has an empty resume and is connected at the hip (by choice) to a racist pastor.
The Democrats are done in 08!!
Posted by: John D | March 19, 2008 10:25 PM
The Queen B was an undistinguished First Lady.
Define undistinguished.
* Around 1994, Hillary Clinton received the Living Legacy Award from the Women's International Center, in recognition of "her vast contributions in so many fields, especially honoring her work for women and children."[4]
* Clinton won the Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album for It Takes a Village during the Grammy Awards of 1997.[5]
* In May 1998, Clinton received the United Arab Emirates Health Foundation Prize for her work in health and social welfare, especially as it related to women, children, and families.[6]
* In April 1999, Clinton was honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Children of Chernobyl Relief Fund for her support of that Ukrainian organization's efforts regarding legacy effects of the Chernobyl accident.[7]
* In June 1999, Clinton received the Mother Teresa Award, the highest honor given to civilians by Albania. This was in recognition of her humanitarian efforts following the Kosovo War and worldwide.[8]
* On March 26, 2004, Clinton was presented with the inaugural Nursing Health and Humanity Award from the University of Rochester School of Nursing.[9]
* On February 13, 2005, Clinton was awarded the German Media Prize 2004. "Hillary Clinton is a model politician for millions of women around the world" who "represents in an exemplary way women's rights", the jury for the prize said.[10]
* On February 15, 2005, Clinton was given the American Medical Women's Association's President’s Vision & Voice Award, for being an advocate for women's health and related issues.[11]
* In May 2005, Clinton received an honorary doctorate from Agnes Scott College near Atlanta for being a "defender of human rights" and "a resolute defender of the rights of women and girls."[12]
* On July 30, 2005, Clinton was given the Reserve Officers Association's National President's Award.[13][14]
* In September 2005, Clinton initially accepted but later rejected honorary membership into Alpha Kappa Alpha due to its exclusive requirements which would prevent her from accepting honorary membership in other National Pan-Hellenic Council organizations.[15]
* On October 9, 2005, Clinton was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.[16]
* In April 2006, Clinton was honored with the Remembrance Award from the Northeastern New York Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association.[17]
* On June 14, 2006, Clinton received an Energy Leadership Award from the United States Energy Association's Energy Efficiency Forum, in recognition of her leadership on energy issues.[18]
* During 2007, Clinton was awarded an honorary doctorate in medicine by the University of Gothenburg in Sweden, for being "a strong advocate for increased investment in medical research" and for "raising awareness of the increased health problems linked to obesity, poor quality food and physical inactivity."[19]
NME Awards 2008
Villain of the Year - George W. Bush
Posted by: The Democrats are done with underappreciated Republicans | March 19, 2008 10:41 PM
they also note that she did work on NAFTA with bill, which means she lied about being against NAFTA to Ohio and the rest of the country...
not a 'little' issue at all.
Posted by: kravitz | March 19, 2008 10:50 PM
Can we please get back into discussing the issues that are at hand for these two candidates? I don't give a rat's a** about their past events, what church they belong to or their religious preferences. I'm only interested in what they can do to help/benefit myself and other fellow Americans.
I am at the point that if "Kermit the Frog" decides to include himself in the preseidential race I would rather vote for him than to vote for Obama or Clinton. I wouldn't dare stoop low to vote for McCain...he is worse than Bush.
Posted by: YaVaughn | March 19, 2008 10:56 PM
MAN! What a crock of ---! Talk about doin' a lot of NUTHIN'! Jeez, I'm surprised people aren't overcome by the fumes. Every time she opens her mouth the stench of the BS she's spewing must be just overpowering. I didn't really expect much but this is even less than I would have thought. The only REAL meetings she had are all blacked out because they were illicit little scheming sessions to plan out her cons, threaten and intimidate potential snitches, make insider deals and collect soft money. Anybody who would actually want to let this pathetic creature back into the White House has got to have more than a few loose marbles rolling around in their skull. Well I say "No WAY Hil-layyyy!
Posted by: Jim Griffin | March 19, 2008 11:35 PM
I prefer the reporting on this topic by The Guardian. Their article was much more concise and cuts to the point. Their headline:
"Hillary Clinton missed key presidential moments
· Papers cast doubt on claim of first-hand experience
· First lady was often far from scene of negotiations"
Posted by: Lesniak | March 19, 2008 11:43 PM
Barack Obama has pastor problems, but Hillary Clinton has been a busy bee for thirty-five years. Throw some popcorn at this: http://theseedsof9-11.com
Posted by: Peggy McGilligan | March 20, 2008 12:29 AM
What is deeply toxic and rampant in this country is that peoples' behavior has become increasingly petty, tackless and undisciplined. The lack of mindfulness, integrity and temperance is overwhelming as is evidenced in most all the comments above. Get with it America ... grow up. We will get nowhere with this immature behavior.
Read Hillary Clinton's book "Living History" and you will understand the complexities, integrity and power of a woman who really has been able to get great things done, (for US!), against incredible odds.
Try to be kind even if you don't agree.
Posted by: rebecca | March 20, 2008 12:59 AM
"ARCHIVES DON'T LIE"
THIS IS WHY SHE'S HOT, A ND THIS IS WHY THEIR NOT.
"KARL" YOU DID A HECKUVA A JOB"
SINCE 1994........YOU HAVE KEPT ME OUT OF JAIL. KEPT ME BOOZED UP, KEPT MY EMAILS INTACT, BUT THE TIME HAS COME, AND YOU WERE THE FIRST ONE TO0 WALK PAST MY OFFICE TODAY, AND I NEEDED A DISTRACTION, YOU, ARE HIRED AGAIN.
MADE IN CHINA BUT!
HECK I STILL GOT ONE (1) year to go, the american people are just stupid and blind to all that we have done. DICK SAID IT WELL, FCC THEM ALL BY THE TIME WE GOT TO THE FINISH LINE, I MEAN SENATORS AND CONGRES. I AM THE DECIDER
I DECIDE WHAT "PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS CAN BE FOUND" I'M THE DECIDER WHOMS PRESIDENTITIAL ARCHIVES CAN BE RELEASED.
HECK I "SAID I LOST MINE"
LIKE SAND IN THE H0UR GLASS. NO 0OOOOONE RIDES FOR FREE, IT WAS EITHER "CASH,"GAS," OR SOME OF THAT MARIANA "FREE SEX SLAVE" ISLAND ...DAMN IF JACK DIDN'T TAKE "RUSH" OR "TOM DELAY" THERE.
KARL....NO KARL....I'M SICK OF HEARING "THIS IS WHY SHE'S HOT AND THIS IS WHY I'M NOT.
Posted by: Roger Morris | March 20, 2008 1:44 AM
"Wednesday March 19, 2008 20:38 EDT
The worst, sleaziest press corps possible
(updated below - Update II)
It just isn't possible for this country to have a more depraved and wretched press corps. After spending months haranguing Hillary Clinton to release her schedule as First Lady -- based on high-minded demands that open government is important -- this is what ABC News "investigative reporter" Brian Ross did with the documents today (h/t Susie Madrak via email):
Hillary Was in White House on 'Stained Blue Dress' Day"
http://www.salon.com/opinion/greenwald/
Yes Salon.
Congratulations America,
Now, I understand what type of mentality is backing this years elections at the ballot box in record numbers for the Democrats(or should I go further and say Obama;nah).
Between Obama and McCain, I'm wondering if there might be a small, tiny, possibility that by some chance I could write in Bush, and he can get elected for another term. I never agreed with the man, but I will miss tuning in to see what George has done/said today at his event/press conference. And I can forget how much American Idol has set the guideline for presidential elections.
Posted by: peace out | March 20, 2008 1:57 AM
“. . . 11,000 pages of schedules . . .”
This sounds like an old civil discovery trick. One party to a suit asks the other for documents related to a given topic, and the other side responds with an oppressive flood of documents. You get everything you ask for, but get nothing at the same time because it is too difficult to cull and marshal the relevant evidence from the paper mountain. Well, at least we know she learned something from her days at the Rose Law Firm.
Posted by: John W. | March 20, 2008 5:21 AM
John D.,
Just like in '06, eh?
Posted by: Doug "Hussein" Zook | March 20, 2008 5:56 AM
Oh Doogie, neither Billary nor Barack will win the presidency. Face that facts.
In regard to the 11,000 pages revealing little, that is not the case if the "journalists" actually did their job and did a little digging.
Secret meetings in which names have been redacted (like when Hillary was in the room when her brother was lobbying for pardons, well, wouldn't examining the Secret Service logs reveal who visited the White House and at what times on those days?
Or how about the meeting the Queen B had with women businessowners in which the Queen B spoke about her support for NAFTA and belief it should be passed. Course, now the Queen B says "she was always against NAFTA."
The released papers reveal more than nothing. Course, the Corrupt Media, in the bad for the DNC, will not investigate.
Posted by: John D | March 20, 2008 9:17 AM
The Obama campaign keeps demanding that Senator Clinton release her tax returns. My question is when is he going to release his records from when he was a State Senator in Illinos? When is he going to release the records of how many fund raisers Tony Rezko held for him?
Posted by: notjmariotti | March 20, 2008 9:37 AM
People are dieing everyday in Iraq - People are loosing their houses everyday. East Coast-South and West Coast. People can not get Health Care they need. REAL ISSUES
this is not a vote for American Idol America. Hillary Clinton is a seasoned experienced leader. Why would we even consider a person with no experience? It scares me that Obama choses to go to a black church. Where all the " black Movers and shakers" hang out. Any one that is anybody goes to his church. What is the bias on having to Support his black culture. Why does he take time to explain how Blacks think at church. And how they Act. I do not care what color or gender our President is. Please dont be a specialist and a Seperatist of one particular culture. Dont make excuses for extreme thinking. And how Obama can interact without reacting or being influnced. sure-!
Spend 10 minutes in a Black church and tell me your not influnced. Back to Real Issues -less talk and more getting it done. I trust Hillary Clinton to Lead us to a better America.
Posted by: J Heckerman | March 20, 2008 10:54 AM
Obama and Hillary have too many Skeletons. I'm going with McCain.
Posted by: Brian | March 20, 2008 12:25 PM
Obama and Hillary have too many Skeletons. I'm going with McCain.
Posted by: Mike | March 20, 2008 2:53 PM
McCain has four skeletons that hide out in the closet with him -- they go by the name of Keating. There's even more in the 'Lobby'.
Posted by: DD | March 20, 2008 4:19 PM