1,356,745th Example Of Clueless Email Habits

After permanent paper email trails have brought down countless individuals and companies, you'd think folks would wise up --- especially at the Department of Defense:

Back in June 2006 there's this email ...

hi. jed babbin, one of our military analysts, is hosting the michael medved nationally syndicated radio show this afternoon. he would like to see if general casey would be available for a phone interview any time between 3 and 6 pm. topics would be: status of operations in iraq and if troop levels should/can/will be reduced. ... please feel free to contact jed directly (contact info below) if the general can/would be available for the interview. this would be a softball interview and the show is 8th or 9th in the nation.

A short time later a press flack from the Office of the Secretary of Defense writes back ...

Hi Thanks for sending this. Just fyi, probably wouldn't put "softball" interview in writing. If that got out it would compromise jed and general casey.

NEWSFLASH: It always gets out. A-L-W-A-Y-S. While you're at it, just assume everything you ever write ON A DoD COMPUTER will be a) read by a dozen other people and a few hundred algorithms at the NSA, and b) backed- up forfreakingever.

(h/t: memeorandum)

Comments

[Lemur King]

You can hear the sucking noises as the vacuum inside his skull sucks everything in.

And the noise as drool hits the floor.

[See-Dub]

Good advice on DoD computers, but exactly what's wrong with what the guy said? It's true, polite, and noncommittal.

I'm trying to picture myself getting exercised about a staffer saying this about an interview with a liberal congressman, but I just can't do it.

[Cuffy Meigs]

Given how Limbaugh always rails on MSM "softball interviews" (Larry King especially), I think the guy could've picked another phrase that still conveyed the friendly nature of the upcoming interview. It just looks bad, especially in context of lefty squawking about DoD "propaganda!!one!!"