Obama teases DC elite over BlackBerry access

So who has been given Barack Obama's private email address, allowing them to get through on his 'security enhanced' BlackBerry? The question was addressed at the weekend during the annual Alfalfa Club dinner, an elite group made up of around 200 politicians and distinguished Washingtonians, when the President was asked to name the lucky few.

He said: "I finally agreed to limit the number of people who could email me. It's a very exclusive list. How exclusive? Everyone look at the person sitting on your left. Now look at the person sitting on your right. None of you have my email address."

According to the New York Times, those who can email Obama include the Vice-President, Joe Biden; the Chief of Staff, Rahm Emanuel; senior aides David Axelrod, Robert Gibbs and Valerie Jarrett and a number of old friends and, of course, his wife Michelle. The paper reports that those who might feel they should have it, but don't, include Nancy Pelosi, the House of Representatives Speaker, Mitch McConnell, the Republican Senate Leader, and Defence Secretary Robert Gates.

The secure email list is not to protect the president from spammers but from potential security breaches. To reduce the risk, his address will be changed regularly and security systems will ensure that none of his emails can be forwarded. ·