A good friend at a local news bureau just shared with me his office’s standard letter for requesting a “hard pass” for access to the White House press corps.
Jeff Gannon/James Guckert could not get this kind of pass — and instead got a daily pass which had to be secured by faxing a slightly more simple request to the White House — lower press office — with full name, date of birth, and social security number. These day passes are apparently easy to secure. However, Gannon/Guckert would have had to have someone approving him on the inside and/or regularly waiving him in with a “request for meeting.”
There is even less security screening for those going to such meetings if the White House staffer has indicated to the guards to waive someone in.
Here is the standard request letter:
January 24, 2005
Georgia Godfrey
Office of the Press Secretary
Lower Press
The White House
Washington, D.C. 20500
Dear Georgia Godfrey:
I am writing to request White House press credentials for Mr./Ms. xxxxxxxx.
Mr./Ms. xxxxx is a full-time reporter for the XXXXXXXXXX. He/She has been accredited by the Senate Press Gallery. He/She is assigned to cover the White House on a regular basis, and is willing to undergo the necessary Secret Service background check. Mr./Ms. xxxxxx is replacing Mr./Ms. xxxxxx and is handing in his hard pass as part of this application.
Mr./Ms. xxxxx is a (non-U.S.) citizen. His/Her passport number is xxxxxxxxxx and his/her birth date is xxxxxxxx.
His/her home address is xxxxxxxxx. And his/her work address is xxxxxxxxxxxx.
If you need any further information, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Sincerely,
XXXXXX XXXXXXX
Bureau Chief
— Steve Clemons
