Wonkette

The Washington Post ombudsman this week drew attention to the confusion some readers experience regarding Dan Froomkin’s “White House Briefing,” which is not actually written by someone officially covering the White House. Actual White House reporters were said to grumble as well, fretting that Froomkin’s left-of-center snark lost them points in the media-sensitive Bush administration; they’re already working out from under what’s known as the “Milbank deficit.” In today’s WashingtonPost.com chat, credentialed WP WH correspondent Peter Baker put things in perspective:

Austin, Tex.: I might as well ask (I’m sure you’re getting a lot of this) - but what is your take on Froomkin and his column? Do you get a lot of flak about it from peers and sources at the White House? Do White House staffers ever comment on his column to you?
Peter Baker: Can’t say any White House staffer has ever mentioned Dan’s column to me, at least not that I recall.

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In this White House pool report, Peter Baker tries to get WH spokesbot Scott McClellan to comment on the President’s vacations or lack thereof:

Asked if POTUS needs a vacation after this vacation, Scott said, “This is not what you would call a vacation. This is the president’s home. He always enjoys coming here. But when you’re president, you’re president 24/7.”

Ah, yes, especially when consulting with that little-known cabinet official, “Secretary of Clearing Brush.”

Full report after the jump.

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