christian grantham
Christian Grantham was a student activist in the late 90s and later was a consultant to domestic policy forums for the Clinton Administration as well as events for HRC and GLAAD.
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February 10, 2005

We understand he checked in as James Dale Guckert, but we liked to call him Jeff Gannon. When they ask all the right questions, who really cares?

QUESTION: Jeff Gannon. How did he get a White House pass, or what kind of credentials did he have?
MR. McCLELLAN: Just like anyone else who comes to the White House. QUESTION: Hard pass?
MR. McCLELLAN: No, he had never applied for a hard pass. He had a daily pass. I think he's been coming for --
QUESTION: Was he coming for --
MR. McCLELLAN: Hang on. I think he's been coming for more than two years now.
QUESTION: Under what name?
MR. McCLELLAN: Sorry?
QUESTION: Under what name?
MR. McCLELLAN: Well, you have to get cleared. You have to -- just like anybody else that comes to the White House, you have to have your full name, your Social Security number and your birth date. So you have to be cleared just like anybody else.
QUESTION: So he was being cleared under James Guckert, or whatever his name is?
MR. McCLELLAN: My understanding, yes.
QUESTION: Okay, and how did he get picked to get a question asked at the last news conference?
MR. McCLELLAN: He didn't. The President didn't have a list. The President didn't -- he was in the briefing room. There are assigned seats in the briefing room. We didn't do any assigning of seats, and the President worked his way through the rows, and called on people as he came to them. He doesn't know who he is.
QUESTION: Were you aware that he had another name?
MR. McCLELLAN: Was I aware? I had heard that. I had heard that, yes, recently.
QUESTION: But did you know during all this time that he really wasn't Jeff Gannon?
MR. McCLELLAN: I heard at some point, yes -- previously. [White House Press Briefing - White House - 02-10-05]