Game Change Authors: We Didn't do Off the Record Interviews
Mark Halperin and John Heilemann, the authors of the 2008 campaign book "Game Change," said on "Washington Unplugged" Tuesday that reports that information provided them in interviews was "off the record," are "not accurate."
"We did no off he record interviews for the book. We went into no interviews agreeing with the subject to do an off the record interview," Halperin said. "So if anyone is saying that they did an off the record interview with us that is not accurate."
Politico reported Tuesday morning that members of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid's team told Reid their interviews with Heileman and Halperin was "off the record" – that is, not able to be reported or attributed. Heileman and Halperin told CBS News' Sharyl Attkisson that in fact none of the interviews, including those involving Reid, were conducted under that presumption.
The authors said their "deep background" sourcing was used in order to solicit the kind of information necessary to correctly tell the story of the historical campaign. Heilemann compared their reportage technique to that of Bob Woodward and presidential historian Richard Ben Kramer.
"Part of the reason that there was not a lot of information of what was in our book or even the existence of our book before it came out this week was because we were very scrupulous and very careful about being quiet about what we were doing, about being quiet about the substance of what we were learning in our interviews," Halperin said.
"As we have said all along and it will be true no matter what anyone says we did not burn any our sources in writing the book or in talking about the book," he continued. "We take that oath and professional responsibility carefully and we have fulfilled it."
Both authors said that they have not heard any complaints. "To date, we have received not a single complaint from anyone who is written about in the book or anyone who is a source in the book," Halperin said.
Watch the full interview above:
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