"If You Leak, You're Gone" -- The Man Who Promises to Run the Most Transparent Adminstration Ever Sews the Lips of All Around Him

Barack Obama has promised to preside over the most transparent presidency ever. Those were his words. And 7 days go, his transition chief echoed that sentiment:

Barack Obama promised to run the most transparent White House in history—disclosing donations, shunning lobbyists, and broadcasting important meetings on C-SPAN. Transition captain John Podesta reiterated the point Tuesday when he said Obama's would be "the most open and transparent transition in history."

It would appear, however, that one man's "transparency" is another man's "secrecy". The same transition chief that promised the most transparent administration in history is allegedly now telling anyone within earshot to zip it. This report from The Atlantic:

"If You Leak, You're Gone."

Several Obama transition staffers have put a version of that quotation in transition co-chief John Podesta's mouth.

Many of the major staff appointments so far - Rahm Emanuel as chief of staff, Greg Craig as White House counsel, the fact of the Clinton meeting, along with details about internal thinking on Gitmo and other subjects - have escaped whatever barriers the Obama team has set in place.

Every transition staffer and adviser has signed a non-disclosure agreement, and staff members are regularly warned by their superiors not to talk to the press.

This is not the transparency Obama once knew.