Big Brotha Barack
By PaganPower on June 19, 2008 at 5:45 PM in Associated Press, Barack Obama, Democratic Party, Dick Cheney, George Bush, Hillary Clinton, Michelle Obama
It started out so innocently. With all the rumors swirling — about fueled by the curious lack of a paper trail and his admission of falsifying information in his biographies — it sort of made sense. Barack Obama needed to do something to combat what he perceived to be smears about his character being spread like wildfire.
Of course it probably never occurred to him to just tell the truth. Or maybe to present documents that any other politician would have readily available. No, Obama decided that he would rather just create another shrine to his mythos and created a website specifically set up to set the record straight.
Most of us were cool with the idea even though we might have snickered a little bit privately. And if that was the end to it perhaps we would have moved on. But little did we know that this was only the beginning of a clearly well thought out strategy to taper the message and the image that Obama projects.
He decided that we weren’t going to be witness to the truth. Instead we would be fed neatly packaged tidbits of information that the campaign would emit when they felt the right time to unveil what they consider the latest truth from the Master.
Many political parties of the past have created their Ministries of Propaganda which is exactly what this really is. Typically they are created by regimes that have no interest in freedom of expression. And I suppose that if we were really paying attention to what is going on right now it would give us a strong indication of the type of regime Obama would like to impose upon the rest of us.
Fortunately some are paying attention. And it would be wise for us all to pay attention to what they say. The International Herald Tribune provides just that insight.
Obama’s campaign tightens control of image and access
The campaign on Monday barred cameras from a large gathering of African-American civic leaders Obama attended. It recently refused to provide names of religious figures with whom Obama met in Chicago and directed some of them to avoid reporters by using a special exit. And on Wednesday, the campaign orchestrated Michelle Obama’s appearance on the friendly set of “The View” and a flattering spread in the pages of Us Weekly.
Barring cameras from meetings? Refusing to provide names of people in meetings? These actions are reminiscent of previous actions by, as it so happens, one of Obama’s relatives. No one other than Dead Shot Dick Cheney. Not exactly the most shining perfect example of a respecter of the democratic process.
Of course Obama always admitted that he was a post partisan working across the aisle kind of guy. But we kind of hoped that he meant he was willing to work with people, not become one of them. So much for the new politics.
Michelle Obama’s part in all of this is stunning. Barack has decided that his Finally Proud wife needs a good going over. You might notice the more elegant clothing, references to her as Michelle O and an appearance on The View to make her appear to be just like you and me. Not only that, she has a speech writer that is creating the impression that she comes from very humble origins. Damned shame she seems to have forgotten them.
Michelle Obama to get subtle makeover
Now her husband’s presidential campaign is giving her image a subtle makeover, with a new speech in the works to emphasize her humble roots and a tough new chief of staff. On Wednesday, Michelle Obama will do a guest turn on “The View,” the daytime talk show on ABC, with an eye toward softening her reputation.
Geez… the lengths these folks go to bamboozle the rest of us is amazing.
But back to Barack!
As I reported yesterday, some of this tightly crafted messaging is backfiring. The women that were banned from appearing with Obama because they wore headscarves surely weren’t very pleased. Being told that the “political climate” did not make it advantageous for Obama to be seen appearing with Muslim women didn’t go over very well.
That’s the problem with propaganda politicians. They are stuck in a carefully crafted image that doesn’t take into account anything real, only the perception of reality. It is an image of cowardice that a politician hides behind. Because face it, anyone with an ounce of leadership and courage would have embraced ANY American that loved this country. Especially someone seeking to become President.
While the strategy has won compliments from political professionals of both parties, who say Barack Obama’s campaign is exhibiting a high level of discipline, it has also created some early turbulence for a candidate who has run on promises of openness and cultivated a grass-roots following and a cottage industry of homemade campaign videos, memorabilia and street murals.
Obama’s campaign is making a transition typical of any newly minted presidential nominee preparing for a general election race. It mirrors the stagecraft once so successfully practiced by the campaigns of President George W. Bush to the envy — and, sometimes, anger — of Democrats.
So Obama is not only emulating his cousin Dick which is somewhat understandable considering they are actual kin. Nope, not satisfied being like one Neocon, Obama took a page right out of W’s campaign and has resorted to pretending to be competent just like Shrub. I wonder where he is hiding the Mission Accomplished sign?
But not everyone is pleased with the “new” Obama. And even more are becoming outraged because the “reasons” for why Obama must maintain his cloak of secrecy and control keep changing. Take for instance photographers.
In spirited discussions with reporters barred from Monday’s meeting with African-American civic leaders, aides said that no cameras were allowed because the participants wanted the meeting to be private, even though it was announced on the daily hotel roster of events. Later, other aides said the lighting was not properly set up for television quality.
Get that? First it was because it was supposed to be a private meeting (even though it was announced publicly). Then it was because the lighting was bad. Conflicting excuses anyone?
As someone that spent a great deal of my youth in the country I can tell you without hesitation that I can smell bullshit a mile away. And folks this IS bullshit. ANY professional photographer can MAKE lighting look just right even in the worst of conditions. They have the equipment. That is why they are called professionals.
And if pissing off photographers wasn’t enough, Obama decided a few weeks ago to piss off the whole press corp. All in the name of protecting his image it seems.
Tensions between Obama’s campaign and the news media broke into full view when aides announced two weeks ago that he was flying to Chicago but then sent his plane — and traveling press corps — there while he stayed in Washington to meet with Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton.
And the press? Well, they weren’t happy at all. And they let Obama know it forcefully.
The bureau chiefs of the major television news networks and The Associated Press wrote Obama’s top aides a stern letter on June 6, saying, “There are many ways in a campaign to control your message and conduct private meetings that do not involve deceiving the press corps.” The letter continued, “Going forward, we know from experience that covering a presidential campaign requires that some representatives of the press corps be with, or near, the senator at all times as part of the ‘security package,’ just as the White House press corps is with the president.”
After 7 1/2 years of hell under George Bush one would think that the Democratic party would at least understand the need for openness and transparency. But I guess if they really understood that they wouldn’t have stolen this election away from Hillary and lined up on the side of the candidate 9 out of 10 thugs approve of, Barack Obama.
Who knows how far Obama will go in crafting this image that he supposedly stands for. But from where I sit what he is offering is something we don’t need. No matter how pretty the bow is that he puts on the package.
, the basis for the Best Motion Picture Nominee (Golden Globes) starring Brad Pitt.
, the novel by John Le Carre, a new motion picture starring Gary Oldman and Colin Firth.
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