Don’t get excited: Anita Dunn is not being thrown under the bus

By Michelle Malkin  •  November 10, 2009 12:05 PM


President Obama with Anita Dunn, David Axelrod, Rahm Emanuel, and Robert Gibbs (via White House Flickr stream)

A month ago, White House interim communications director Anita Dunn stepped into the role of lead Fox News-basher.

She’s handing the reins over to her young protégé and fellow Tom Daschle flack, Dan Pfeiffer.

Dunn never planned to stay in the role permanently. So don’t mistake this for a Van Jones-style under-the-bus disappearance. She may be cutting back and switching seats (she remains as a consultant), but she’s not going anywhere.

I profiled Dunn, Pfeiffer, and the rest of the press shop here. Quick refresher:

Democratic media consultant Dunn’s claim to fame is her decade-long service as chief strategist for disgraced Democrat and former Senate Majority Leader-turned-health care lobbyist Tom Daschle. She was in the thick of his failed re-election campaign as Daschle asserted a bogus property-tax homestead exemption claim on his $1.9 million D.C. mansion – which he listed as his primary residence despite voting in South Dakota and claiming it as his primary residence in order to run for re-election. And Dunn was with Daschle during the years he failed to pay gobs of taxes on a luxury car and driver provided to him by crony donor Leo Hindery, Jr.

After working as communications manger for Obama’s political action committee and then as senior adviser to his 2008 presidential campaign, Dunn “trained” White House press secretary and anti-Fox sniper Robert Gibbs. Deputy communications director Dan Pfeiffer is another young protégé of Dunn’s who worked with her on the disastrous 2004 Daschle re-election campaign.

(Another Daschle connection: Obama transition adviser John Podesta, who served as Daschle’s counselor and has helped staff the administration with many alumni of his left-wing think tank, the Center for American Progress. One CAP fellow, Hugo Chavez-admiring radical Mark Lloyd, has attacked conservative talk radio – second home of several Fox News hosts — and is now the FCC’s “Diversity Czar.”)

Dunn is married to Robert Bauer, a Washington, D.C. corporate lawyer who served as general counsel for Obama for America. It was Bauer who lobbied the Justice Department unsuccessfully last fall to pursue a criminal probe of American Issues Project (AIP), an independent group that sought to run an ad spotlighting Obama’s ties to Weather Underground terrorist Bill Ayers.

It was Bauer who attempted to sic the DOJ on GOP donor Harold Simmons and sought his prosecution for funding the ad. It was Bauer who tried to bully television stations across the country to compel them to pull the spot. All on Barack Obama’s behalf.

While conservatives revel in the Left’s hysteria over Fox News Channel’s dominance, more of Obama’s friends hope he’ll wipe his nose and man up. Fat chance. As long as he’s surrounded by career flacks who demonize dissent to distract from the Beltway stench, the White House will remain an all-whine zone.

Keep an eye on Bauer, who has been rumored for more than a month to be in line for Greg Craig’s job as WH counsel.

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Comments


  1. #840246
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:08 pm, iamsaved said:

    Well, I guess we’re done with Dunn!

  2. #840247
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:09 pm, Michelle Malkin said:

    No, we’re not.

  3. #840248
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:09 pm, iamsaved said:

    Darn!

  4. #840254
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:13 pm, Insomniac said:

    This administration refuses to be Mao-Maoed!

  5. #840255
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:13 pm, GladzKravtz said:

    She’s handing the reins over to her young protégé and fellow Tom Daschle flack, Dan Pfeiffer.

    Obama’s shell game.

  6. #840256
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:14 pm, d1carter said:

    Who gets the red phone number now?

  7. #840257
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:16 pm, Zheldon said:

    Maybe she will be our ambassador to the UN.

  8. #840258
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:16 pm, AlohaGuy said:

    Well, I guess we’re done with Dunn!

    No, we’re not.

    Wooden stake, not a fork.

  9. #840263
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:25 pm, Hangfire said:

    Damn. I was standing by to pipe her ashore.

  10. #840267
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pm, happyscrapper said:

    I remember how euphoric I felt when Daschel was defeated! I could have never envisioned this day where we have dozens, maybe hundreds of people in the WH who are even worse than that pond scum bottom feeding piece of garbage!! The euphoria is long gone, and I pray I will get a chance to experience it again some day!

  11. #840268
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pm, tre said:

    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:09 pm, iamsaved said:
    Darn!

    Don’t despair, Dan, Dunn, Daschle don’t do diddley. Dios’ devine design declares dominion!

  12. #840269
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:28 pm, Rogue Cheddar said:

    How many fruits in that picture?

    Not counting the nuts and bad bananas.

  13. #840273
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:34 pm, cicerokid said:

    Anita Dunn gives new definition to the phrase “tongue wagging”!

  14. #840277
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:36 pm, Ron said:

    Yeah, the way this administration works, you can’t just look at the official org chart. I maintain Van Jones never left, just switched out to a private group that is calling the shots on the Obama agenda. Eventually they’ll get the picture, that they need ostensibly acceptable people in the public role being manipulated from behind the scenes by the ones who really hold the power.

  15. #840282
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:39 pm, carole said:

    I am going to spin like our leader…..Beck kicked her to the curb…move over van, her comes lizard tongue.

    Beck 2
    Obama zillions more to go

  16. #840284
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:40 pm, cicerokid said:
  17. #840285
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:41 pm, J S Ragman said:

    When I see that photo of the Oval Office, I can’t help but think it is an April 1st gag in my hometown newspaper. When I was a kid, people like those dedicated Marxists, “of dubious antecedence, and questionable progeny” wouldn’t even have been allowed to take the White House tour.

  18. #840290
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:45 pm, happy2behere said:

    It’s kinds like church, if the members complain about the Pastor, the heirarchy gives them somebody worse.

  19. #840295
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:51 pm, willie peter said:

    Ragman’s nailed it.

    Krauthammer recently described the ‘08 election as an anomaly.

    This picture epitomizes his take.

    5 clueless overeducated dorks driving the Country over a cliff.

  20. #840298
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:56 pm, et said:

    With Anita Dunn’s husband Robert Bauer rumored to become the next White House Counsel; is this a lateral move with Anita becoming the new bus driver? Someones got make sure these people stay under the bus.

  21. #840304
    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:58 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    On November 10th, 2009 at 12:14 pm, d1carter said:

    Who gets the red phone number now?

    they lost that number long ago….

  22. #840307
    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:02 pm, Truesoldier said:

    The way I see it is this is a way for Dunn to still be a part of the Obama administration in all but official capacity.

  23. #840310
    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:06 pm, happy2behere said:

    Sorry – can’t type well. S/B It’s kinda like church…

  24. #840311
    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:07 pm, Hangfire said:

    Dunn is just being relocated.

    She will now be under Oveur.

  25. #840325
    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:26 pm, right4life said:

    has she ever called Glenn Beck? with the red phone he set up?? I liked the way he closed his shows for a while…’good night mrs. dunn wherever you are’

  26. #840332
    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:

    Anybody and everybody associated with that Chicago thugocracy is going to be dirty so Dunn done gone or Dunn be here matters little. When the sewer backs up you don’t clean out just a little–it all has to go.

    Not that I am comparing the Chicago thugocracy to a sewer-sewers serve a useful purpose. Every once in awhile we need to flush the line to get rid of the sledge build up. I do compare the Chicago thugocracy to the sludge build up in the sewer line. What damage that Chicago sludge will do until we can flush them out is to be seen.

  27. #840333
    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:37 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    too bad we can’t recoup some of our trade deficit with the Chinese and ship the entire white house staff to them in exchange for a few trinkets….that’s about all their worth….

  28. #840337
    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:41 pm, happyscrapper said:

    On November 10th, 2009 at 1:36 pm, ArizonaNeanderthal said:
    Anybody and everybody associated with that Chicago thugocracy is going to be dirty so Dunn done gone or Dunn be here matters little. When the sewer backs up you don’t clean out just a little–it all has to go.

    Not that I am comparing the Chicago thugocracy to a sewer-sewers serve a useful purpose. Every once in awhile we need to flush the line to get rid of the sledge build up. I do compare the Chicago thugocracy to the sludge build up in the sewer line. What damage that Chicago sludge will do until we can flush them out is to be seen.

    Well said, AZ!! Well said! :wink:

  29. #840359
    On November 10th, 2009 at 2:13 pm, rightwingrocker said:

    Eh.

    Not like Glenn’s phone ever rang anyway.

    RWR
    http://www.rightwingrocker.com

  30. #840361
    On November 10th, 2009 at 2:14 pm, rightwingrocker said:

    they lost that number long ago….

    I doubt they even bothered to open the envelope.

    We do know she signed for it, though.

    RWR
    http://www.rightwingrocker.com

  31. #840362
    On November 10th, 2009 at 2:17 pm, Dave Turson said:

    I wonder if the “pizza-and-politics” sessions still occur in Axelrod’s apartment.
    Perhaps Van Jones could now drop by with a case of Pepsi.

  32. #840366
    On November 10th, 2009 at 2:21 pm, maisy said:

    I sure wish my desk were as clean and clear as His Highness Obama…but then I’m not the President .

  33. #840376
    On November 10th, 2009 at 2:31 pm, Flyoverman said:

    People like Dunn are never gone. They remain an integral part of “The Team.”

  34. #840387
    On November 10th, 2009 at 2:45 pm, NC BLUE said:

    That pix looks like they are pondering how to exonerate the terrorist killer Nidal Hassan. They bemoan the fact that anyone with a damn brain views this as a terrorist attack. Commies all of them.

  35. #840420
    On November 10th, 2009 at 3:15 pm, Laree said:

    Speaking of boycotting Fox News…this happened coincidentally shortly after Imus joined FBN. Everyone remembers how MSNBC -CBS and WFAN and their advertisers were threatened with a boycott. Hmmm they couldn’t make a boycott of Glenn Beck work so they threatened a whole Cable News Channel with boycott.

    The first day Imus broadcast he raised FBN’s morning slot rating by 1500%

    ChannelXRFR is back blogging on Imus Times HERE.

    http://imustimes.wordpress.com/2009/11/09/its-official-imus-is-awesome-on-fox-business-news/

  36. #840438
    On November 10th, 2009 at 3:47 pm, Bob1234 said:

    She’s handing the reins over to her young protégé and fellow Tom Daschle flack, Dan Pfeiffer.

    Oh, pfooie! How pfrustrating!

  37. #840443
    On November 10th, 2009 at 3:55 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    here’s one that we should all get behind…

    Operation Taco Bell (or mickey d’s or walmart or ??)

    http://jeanettepryor.wordpress.com/2009/11/08/operation-taco-bell-hey-congress-would-you-like-some-hot-sauce-with-that-bill-you-just-passed/

  38. #840444
    On November 10th, 2009 at 3:56 pm, tiredofit08 said:

    ooops forgot the link to the online version to save some gas….

    http://www.tacala.com/tacala-application.pdf

  39. #840517
    On November 10th, 2009 at 6:28 pm, Dimsdale said:

    She just wants to spend more time with her little red book and wear her Mao suit full time.

  40. #840518
    On November 10th, 2009 at 6:28 pm, Dimsdale said:

    Do all five half asses in the picture add up to one half wit?

  41. #840626
    On November 10th, 2009 at 11:11 pm, PKAmmoTroop said:

    please Michelle, PLEASE tell us that we won’t have to watch her speak before a camera again! Please? My children have developed a paranoid fear of lizards and reptiles of all types after watching her speak.

  42. #840657
    On November 11th, 2009 at 6:15 am, Ralph Gizzip said:

    The wheels on the bus go thump, thump, thump.

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