Plouffe to give remarks available to ‘pencil press’ only

Remember when President Obama’s campaign manager David Plouffe riled everyone up in February by giving a speech at the National Press Club that was closed press?

It looks like Plouffe is now set to give speech at the end of April that straddles the line between open and closed press.

Plouffe is scheduled to speak at the American Hospital Association’s annual membership meeting from April 27 to 29, according to a release from the group. Plouffe’s remarks are denoted as “for pencil press only.” That means that radio and television coverage is not allowed, according to a spokesman for the group. The spokesman also said that that broadcast media is not allowed for “contract reasons.”

That seems to indicate that, like the Press Club event, Plouffe is probably negotiating how open his speeches are to the press in his contract. I’m not sure why there is a very big difference between print reporters and broadcast media, though. Don’t they know we all have recorders?

jeremy.jacobs@digital-stage.thehill.com