Re: Jason Grumet -- Important

From:john.podesta@gmail.com To: dmcdonough@barackobama.com Date: 2008-10-31 23:06 Subject: Re: Jason Grumet -- Important

Don't do that yet. Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile ----- Date: Fri, 31 Oct 2008 19:41:42 I can check discreetly with the Heathers. I do not have good visibility into what we owe him. Do we owe this to this guy? Will he talke direction from Carol? Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile ________________________________ Don: I have been reaching out to all of the folks who have been approved for my agency teams. In connection with that exercise, I spoke today with Jason Grumet. As you know, I had not put Jason on my agency lists, on the assumption that he would be part of a central policy effort. I received word back, however, that we should ask him to co-chair the DOE team. I called Jason to ask him if he would be able to take this on, and to review the makeup of the team that we have assembled for DOE, as well as the other teams in the energy and natural resources cluster, since he has worked with many of these folks over the past 18 months. We had a good conversation (Jason is a friend), but Jason made it clear that he is not happy with the proposed assignment. He asked about whether there would be some sort of central policy team in the post-election transition, and when I answered in the affirmative, he questioned why he wouldn't be on that, since he's been working across this broad issue area throughout the campaign. He was very pleasant about it, but he expressed surprise and some irritation that he would be asked to oversee a single agency -- DOE. I assured Jason that there certainly was no slight intended, that the work of the agency teams is crucial, etc., etc. I gave him some background about the quality and depth of the work that the agency teams already have been doing. But Jason wasn't buying what I was selling. He was focused on the fact that there is and will continue to be a central policy apparatus, and he didn't understand why that isn't where he should be slotting in. So we have an issue to deal with. That's why I am copying Carol and John with this email. I personally think that we should go back to my original suggestion and put Jason on the central policy team. It is a bit odd to have Jason, who has been Barack's primary energy and environmental advisor and the lead for all of the policy groups in the energy and environmental space, to be heading up the agency team for a single agency. I had received word back from Lisa that Heather Zichal -- whom I also had recommended for some overarching role -- is destined for the central policy group. That's the right thing for her, too. Thanks. -- David P.S. I think that it's important that we close on this issue ASAP. It is not good to have Jason brooding about this. David J. Hayes LATHAM & WATKINS LLP 555 Eleventh Street, NW Suite 1000 Washington, DC 20004-1304 Direct Dial: +1.202.637.2204 Fax: +1.202.637.2201 Email: david.hayes@lw.com http://www.lw.com <http://www.lw.com> ******************************************************************************* To comply with IRS regulations, we advise you that any discussion of Federal tax issues in this e-mail was not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used by you, (i) to avoid any penalties imposed under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) to promote, market or recommend to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. For more information please go to http://www.lw.com/docs/irs.pdf ******************************************************************************* This email may contain material that is confidential, privileged and/or attorney work product for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any review, reliance or distribution by others or forwarding without express permission is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and delete all copies. Latham & Watkins LLP