Did the White House lower the flag@whitehouse.gov?
posted at 12:05 pm on August 17, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Almost two weeks after the White House launched its Snitch Central in order to get reports on political dissent over ObamaCare, it appears that the Obama administration and its chief propagandist have quietly thrown in the towel. Matt Drudge reported this morning that all e-mails to flag@whitehouse.gov have begun bouncing back as undeliverable. Tom Maguire ran a test, as did I earlier this morning. This is what I got in return:
A message that you sent could not be delivered to one or more of its recipients. This is a permanent error. The following address(es) failed: flag@whitehouse.gov SMTP error from remote mail server after RCPT TO:<flag@whitehouse.gov>: host mailhub-wh2.whitehouse.gov [63.161.169.140]: 550 5.2.1 <flag@whitehouse.gov>... The email address you just sent a message to is no longer in service. We are now accepting your feedback about health insurance reform via:http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck
Hmm. OK, let’s take a look at the website again, and its contact form:
If you have questions about health insurance reform or suggestions on what topics we should address next, please let us know.
Please refrain from submitting any individual’s personal information, including their email address, without their permission.
I think the entire effort is a “permanent error.” Unfortunately, if it passes, our money and our choices in health care won’t bounce back to us like this once it fails, as it will surely do.
Update: Fixed the formatting error that caused the message to run off the screen. And to answer a question from the comments, yes, I was trying to flag myself.
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Could this be a win? Or is it just an overwhelmed/poorly managed email server?
cannonball on August 17, 2009 at 12:08 PM
+1 Headline.
Patrick Ishmael on August 17, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Oh well….David Axlerod wasn’t going to send me any more emails anyway, so, there was nothing left for me to flag.
JadeNYU on August 17, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Yes, let’s put them in charge of our healthcare system!
WisCon on August 17, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Awww…. I hadn’t even finished denouncing all my friends and acquaintances yet.
Realist on August 17, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Oh no. How will citizens protect the revolution now?
elduende on August 17, 2009 at 12:10 PM
No more flagging ourselves and each other?
But we can still have some fun submitting suggestions.
myrenovations on August 17, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Epic Fail. They should’ve never done this in the first place. They’ve been caught and are now trying to cover themselves hoping to get their tanking poll numbers up.
conservative pilgrim on August 17, 2009 at 12:10 PM
shoot. I haven’t signed up yet.
ted c on August 17, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Either too many “Go F Yourself” emails or too many “I think my conservative neighbor is building a tank in his basement” rants.
Either way, the site was never meant to actually gather ideas from the public, Ogabe could care less, it was about intimidation.
Bishop on August 17, 2009 at 12:11 PM
backtracking once again!
….
DISCONNECT
cmsinaz on August 17, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Drudge is reporting? I sent you an email on this last night @ 10:38 PM PST after reporting on it myself: http://ihatelinux.blogspot.com/2009/08/snitching-program-over.html
dahat on August 17, 2009 at 12:11 PM
There is something fishy about this. Maybe I should report it.
I just email Flag@….Oh wait …..ummmmmmmmmmmmm
Rocks on August 17, 2009 at 12:11 PM
Oh yes! Ed, that was one of the best headlines ever.
conservative pilgrim on August 17, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Heh heh heh…
Though, theoretically, the mail system could be full or overloaded, but that’s somewhat unlikely.
Either way, PWNED. What a black eye for this administration. (RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACIST!!!)
MadisonConservative on August 17, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Sorry Barry. A little too late. The damage has been done.
……….as I sit and wait for the brownshirts, the IRS, the Secret Service and the SEIU to knock on my door.
Knucklehead on August 17, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Obama just realized he could have his internet Czar find us all anyway and save the public humiliation.
cntrlfrk on August 17, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Just goes to show how much they’re making it up as they go along.
misslizzi on August 17, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Maybe we should email David Axelrod and ask that the link be fixed?
GarandFan on August 17, 2009 at 12:14 PM
When you were testing, did you flag yourself?
FontanaConservative on August 17, 2009 at 12:14 PM
BUSTED!!!!
cmsinaz on August 17, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Aw man now what am I going to use my stopdissentnow@gmail.com email account for?
Joe Caps on August 17, 2009 at 12:15 PM
ARRRGGGGHHH. I didn’t get it at first and now I feel stupid. Yes, that’s an awesome headline.
And an awesome victory. Chalk up another win, but let’s not get cocky.
OneGyT on August 17, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Obama’s IT czar is too busy kyping pennies shirts to pay attention to this email stuff
gatorboy on August 17, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Probably too many people reported Obama and the Administration for fishy behavior. August is not turning out very well for Barry and the Gang, is it?
kingsjester on August 17, 2009 at 12:16 PM
How will I report myself everytime I have an “un-American” thought or anytime I spread “disinformation”???
Huh? Huh? Bueller? Bueller?
Asajj Ventress on August 17, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Excellent scoop but I think the indication is that if DRUDGE has it, it has gone large.
Cindy Munford on August 17, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Heh…foiled by their own petard! The servers were over-loaded with patriots emailing in phony stuff and/or real stuff the democrats were saying.
LOSERS!
SouthernGent on August 17, 2009 at 12:17 PM
The adults are in charge.
NOT!!!
rockmom on August 17, 2009 at 12:17 PM
sssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss…….(the sound of air leaking from unicorn-gas-filled Hopenchange balloons)
strosfan on August 17, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Amateur Hour at the White House again.
fbcmusicman on August 17, 2009 at 12:17 PM
Isn’t anyone going to get fired for screwing-up the HC plan? Not Rahm, not Nancy, not Biden, not even this hideous Linda Douglas creature?
They just say “never mind” and walk away?
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:17 PM
UGHHH!!!!!!1
FontanaConservative on August 17, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Could the Clintons be nudging the HC opposition along??
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:18 PM
I nominate they blame Hillary somehow.
elduende on August 17, 2009 at 12:19 PM
The address isn’t shut down; it’s just been changed to jollyroger@whitehouse.gub
Laura in Maryland on August 17, 2009 at 12:19 PM
I just tried it, I got back a message saying they changed the email address to: flag@whitehouse.gov/realitycheck
feedercattle on August 17, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Dammit – I had reported over 50 dissidents – what am I to do now??
WE OVER LOADED THEM – WOOT!!!
Ris4victory on August 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:18 PM
That would be pretty funny. I would not put it past them at all. They don’t get mad. They get even.
kingsjester on August 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
LOL! I wrote my last post before I saw your post.
elduende on August 17, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Well MR. Clinton is. He was in Chicago last week giving some speech. He’s pushing it alright.
conservative pilgrim on August 17, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Ha! If he’s a one-termer, some Dem has got to run against him–for the good of the party and movement.
Bill, you magnificent bastard!
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:22 PM
LMAO. Bishop, you apparently know me far too well. My GFY emails have gone without response until now…
Jaibones on August 17, 2009 at 12:23 PM
How do you spell failure?
I spell it O-b-a-m-a.
BuckeyeSam on August 17, 2009 at 12:23 PM
True.
Every hour is amateur hour with these effing nitwit frat boys.
Jaibones on August 17, 2009 at 12:24 PM
FTFYWH
LibTired on August 17, 2009 at 12:24 PM
This is an automatically generated Delivery Status Notification
Delivery to the following recipient failed permanently:
flag@whitehouse.gov
Technical details of permanent failure:
Google tried to deliver your message, but it was rejected by the recipient domain. We recommend contacting the other email provider for further information about the cause of this error. The error that the other server returned was: 550 550 5.2.1 … The email address you just sent a message to is no longer in service.We are now accepting your feedback about health insurance reform via:http://www.whitehouse.gov/realitycheck (state 14).
Ris4victory on August 17, 2009 at 12:25 PM
I want the WH list of tips/disinfo purveyors released. Please God, let Obama be #1.
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:25 PM
I was quite confused about it at first but now I get why she took on SOS. She’s out of the Senate and gets to stay completely out of the fray. Ha!
misslizzi on August 17, 2009 at 12:25 PM
So it was you who turned me in. To make ammends, could you please tell me how to get my new tank out of my basement?
Knucklehead on August 17, 2009 at 12:25 PM
What is going to take for people to stop saying that this man is the intellect and gifted politician of our time?
Cindy Munford on August 17, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Great, now where am I supposed to report my neighbor’s political dissidence?
I was looking forward to my extra ration of Obamacare.
jhffmn on August 17, 2009 at 12:26 PM
I’m waiting for Olbermann to carp on and on about this woman working for the Obama administration after working for ABC News. Ya know, like he did with Tony Snow. Oh wait, she’s a liberal. Never mind. But look at who I’m talking about.
NathanG on August 17, 2009 at 12:27 PM
FIFY!
misslizzi on August 17, 2009 at 12:27 PM
I say fire Kathleen Sibelius and Linda Douglas, at a minimum. I also question whether this WH team can adequately serve the POTUS.
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:28 PM
Cindy Munford on August 17, 2009 at 12:26 PM
Exactlt what has been happening, m’dear. I do think that by September wew may get to see the First President Temper Tantrum (TM) as his plans are thwarted. Sunlight is indeed the best disinfectant.
kingsjester on August 17, 2009 at 12:28 PM
If he ever says something so stupid that it’s just undeniable
people will just say that he has risen to a new, higher plane of enlightenment and intellect, so we cant possibly understand.
blatantblue on August 17, 2009 at 12:29 PM
nov 2012
cmsinaz on August 17, 2009 at 12:29 PM
It’s Bush’ fault
Jeff from WI on August 17, 2009 at 12:30 PM
If the emails to flag@ are hitting the whitehouse servers, only to be bounced, do they still need to retain those messages in accordance with presidential records act?
They are viewing the emails, if only to pull the sender information, shouldn’t they be required to retain the records since they are taking “possession” of the data? It is not as simple as refusing delivery of mail, they are making use of the address information. It is an automated process, probably much in the same way as Bush’s warrantless wiretapping sifted data. Shouldn’t they comply with the law in this case as well?
rw on August 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Thanks to my brother-in-law working for Obama during the campaign, they still have my email. I said yesterday that all email addresses they currently have should be locked down, archived, and they need to be forced to begin collecting them anew by opt-in only.
Connie on August 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Flag You, Barry.
profitsbeard on August 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Nice busload of Lightworkers you got there, Barry.
Dusty on August 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
heh, bankruptcy.
jhffmn on August 17, 2009 at 12:31 PM
LOL-They must have gotten tired of me and all my conservative friends flagging ourselves.
Dave R. on August 17, 2009 at 12:32 PM
Who should go so the Presidency can be saved? Help Obama by suggesting who he should fire.
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:32 PM
I really think they just weren’t prepared for the backlash. Snitch central and the Axelrod spam just was too much heat all at once in the way this administration was capturing and using personal data like e-mails for propaganda purposes. They were expecting the thousands of people to cherish the fact that they were part of team Obama and he cared enough about their ideas one of his top advisors included them in his e-mail chain. Likewise, the public was supposed to be out there defending the filthy liar’s plan and ratting out dissent so that some unnamed thug in the White House could contact the dissenters and set them straight. That’s all Chicago style street thuggery, not the way an administration should be running.
highhopes on August 17, 2009 at 12:33 PM
Gibbs owes Major Garrett a public apology…
d1carter on August 17, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Is it just me, or does this bunch seem like the folks in Blazing Saddles? If it were not so critical to our freedom these clowns would be hilarious in satirical movies and SNL skits! Because they have never run a business,made payroll, built anything, motivated,hired, fired,earned or lost money on their merits , paid taxes,paid health insurance,faced oppressive government regulations: they really don’t understand this country. If all you have ever run is your mouth; you are constantly playing wordsmith to try to obtain your communist ends. The pasty-faced mealy mouth press secretary is almost as clueless as his Kenyan communist boss. The reason we can’t just laugh them off is that they are a clear and present danger to The U.S.A!
Marco on August 17, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Just when I finished collecting the e-Mails of my un-American neighbors! Who do I send all these e-Mail addresses to? :-)
BigMike252 on August 17, 2009 at 12:34 PM
I don’t know, Republicans can’t even comment on the president or his policies without a paragraph of phrase. It drives me crazy. I am hoping with falling poll numbers will encourage them to stop.
Cindy Munford on August 17, 2009 at 12:34 PM
If I were him, I’d fire myself now, while I’m still somewhat marketable.
misslizzi on August 17, 2009 at 12:36 PM
I desperately want to see a temper tantrum by The Won. It sounds so wonderful.
Cindy Munford on August 17, 2009 at 12:36 PM
president@whitehouse.gov still works.
Flag them.
profitsbeard on August 17, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Make it into a reality show. Instead of a primetime presser that interferes with commercial broadcasting, make the event interactive.
Obama: Let me be clear, healthcare failed because somebody besides me wasn’t up to the task. I’ve nominated the following people to take the blame…..
Then the next night after the loser is announced, they crawl under a giant prop that looks like the front of a bus.
highhopes on August 17, 2009 at 12:38 PM
HAH! My kids can’t turn me in!
Reality Check on August 17, 2009 at 12:38 PM
Don’t you think they’re just trying to cover their own butts?
I don’t buy the praise. Seems to me like they’re keeping their hands off and allowing Obama to self-destruct, rather than allow anyone to aim the blame on them.
misslizzi on August 17, 2009 at 12:39 PM
ok. so now we have idiots in wh.putting the IP ADDRESS in there for all the enemies of America to hit. Someone could hit that address repeatedly and take down the mail server
ConservativePartyNow on August 17, 2009 at 12:40 PM
I demand an investigation!! The white house crossed the line when it collected private names/emails from American people without their permission. Pulling flag@whitehouse.gov does NOT make this go away.
TN Mom on August 17, 2009 at 12:41 PM
American Idled
misslizzi on August 17, 2009 at 12:42 PM
Thanks for ignoring my spelling. Sorry about that. They would do better not to mention him at all just present their ideas or explain the flaws in his policies. Sucking up makes them look like pansies. My apologies to flowers everywhere.
Cindy Munford on August 17, 2009 at 12:42 PM
mark my words, they were getting peoples e-mail address from the snitch line…people were turning in there neighbors and bingo the address…
twiggman on August 17, 2009 at 12:44 PM
I sure hope these people will give me some advice on raising my children…
kirkill on August 17, 2009 at 12:45 PM
Possibly, probably. I think that’s what many of them were doing at the Sotomayor hearings as well. I didn’t believe one word of their adulation.
misslizzi on August 17, 2009 at 12:45 PM
American Idiot
MCW on August 17, 2009 at 12:46 PM
Glad ur finally getting onboard, and willing to help the F.L.
JiangxiDad on August 17, 2009 at 12:46 PM
They need a more covert way for us to rat on our neighbors.
ClanDerson on August 17, 2009 at 12:48 PM
Steven Crowder, you magnyfycent basterd!
ScottMcC on August 17, 2009 at 12:49 PM
That ex-journalist turned chief-rat-hack, Ms Douglas sure turned her reputation to toast.
FireBlogger on August 17, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Obviously, it’s because I reported someone who made fishy statements, and I didn’t get his permission.
And he found out about it, and now he’s upset.
The person? Barack Obama.
The statement? It’s on the realitycheck website FAQ, that the healthcare plan will add “not one penny” to the deficit.
Chris of Rights on August 17, 2009 at 12:51 PM
Great, the Flag Yourself campaign worked! We overloaded them with nonsense – so too much bother to separate the wheat from the chaff.
I googled in ‘Fish Health’ and found pages of items. I sent the links in to their snitch central. LOL
I also sent in Obama’s NYT editorial yesterday as a pack of lies and misinformation.
I guess when their own crap gets sent back, it’s time to pull the plug.
txdoc on August 17, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Rush is talking about this right now.
kingsjester on August 17, 2009 at 12:54 PM
A glorious day where a domestic enemy to American freedom has surrendered. Yes, I’ve self-flagged becuz I’m disabled so I don’t get to hike Afghan mountains to put me between Taliban mysogenic scum & American gorgeous women… but I’ll fight, baby, fight for my way of life here at home becuz I can.
HotAirJosef on August 17, 2009 at 12:55 PM
Ga Gasp! He answered my question!!
FontanaConservative on August 17, 2009 at 12:56 PM
So, lets just continue on this site and crash it if we can.
After all WE OWN IT!
As we suspected, they cannot even run cash for clunkers. Dealerships all over are thinking about suspending, or already have because they cannot get their money out of the government! My first thought weeks ago was the gov trying to break the dealerships they could not close before. Could it be they are only paying the ones they want to and letting the others twist? Probably just their ineptness at work though.
patriotparty1 on August 17, 2009 at 12:57 PM
Barry’s summertime done come and gone.
My, oh, my.
Christien on August 17, 2009 at 12:58 PM
Waterloo.
wildcat84 on August 17, 2009 at 12:59 PM
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