Photo: Alex Brandon/Associated Press.
Barack Obama isn't president yet, but that didn't stop his campaign from Photo-shopping the official presidential seal. Obama's seal said "Obama for America" and "Vero Possumus," Latin for "Yes we can." The blogosphere was in an uproar, so Obama threw his seal under the bus, as they say:
Barack Obama's communications director said Monday that the presidential seal the campaign unveiled last week at a meeting with Democratic governors won't be seen again.
"That was a one time thing for a one time event," Robert Gibbs told CNN.
Marc Ambinder was told "that Obama recognizes that it was a silly mistake, that the universal reaction at Wacker and Michigan was, 'Boy, was that dumb,' and that they don't think the seal staging will matter to actual voters." Even lefty bloggers like The Democratic Daily's Pamela Leavey think that the seal "was a lame brain idea."
Hot Air's Allahpundit says, "so under the bus it goes, assuming there's any room left under there with Wright, Pfleger, Rezko and who knows who else crowded in." At Michelle Malkin's blog, see-dubya adds, "He's learned to skip the step where he says 'I could no more renounce that seal than I could renounce my (insert family member)' and cut straight to the renouncing." And Ace remarks, "Yes we won't, I guess."
CNN's Political Ticker notes, "Many wondered whether a seal--with Latin phrasing no less--was the best idea for a candidate fighting for the working class vote and trying to fend off allegations of elitism." As Jennifer Rubin says at Contentions, "Somewhere between the reneging on campaign finance reform and the Great Seal of Barack the mainstream media may have caught on. Do you think he might be arrogant, they ask?"
Can Obama move beyond the seal? Well, The McCain Report tells us that "the McCain campaign has made copies and will bring them to all future town hall events. We hope that Senator Obama will feel more comfortable attending if we place the seal on his podium--that he will feel more presidential, and important."
