Mr. Diversity excludes Muslim appearing people

[MonsterMark]

Muslims barred from picture at Obama event


By BEN SMITH | 6/18/08 11:08 AM EST Updated: 6/18/08 11:53 AM EST

For Obama, the old-fashioned image-making contrasts with his promise to transcend identity politics, and to embrace all elements of America.

Two Muslim women at Barack Obama's rally in Detroit Monday were barred from sitting behind the podium by campaign volunteers seeking to prevent the women's headscarves from appearing in photographs or on television with the candidate.

The campaign has apologized to the women, all Obama supporters who said they felt betrayed by their treatment at the rally.

"This is of course not the policy of the campaign. It is offensive and counter to Obama's commitment to bring Americans together and simply not the kind of campaign we run," said Obama spokesman Bill Burton. "We sincerely apologize for the behavior of these volunteers."

Building a human backdrop to a political candidate, a set of faces to appear on television and in photographs, is always a delicate exercise in demographics and political correctness. Advance staffers typically pick supporters out of a crowd to reflect the candidate's message.

 

[fossten]

Ha. I knew this would happen. It's like in an interview where Oblahma was asked about his race, and he said he was always treated like he was black, so that's how he knew what he was. I remember this when Rush said, "...so renounce it then!"

Oblahma has to walk the tripwire of pandering to the muslims without looking like he's embracing them, because he can't afford to piss off either side, the muslims or the Americans who fear a muslim in the Oval Orifice. He's straddling both sides of the fence and thus displaying his noodle spine for all the USA to see.

He'll use this technique of snubbing, then apologizing quietly. Very shrewd, but also very dishonest, because it's a deliberate tactic.

Makes me sick to my stomach.

 

[Tricky-Dick]

I heard on the radio today that Obama asked his assistants for more "White People" in the shots? I wonder why that is?

 

[TheDude]

Though I do think it was a lousy move, it was a no-win situation for him. If the women were allowed and that picture had been taken, it would have been abused by the anti-obamites as more "proof" that Obama is a Muslim terrorist supporter.

 

[MonsterMark]

If the women were allowed and that picture had been taken, it would have been abused by the anti-obamites as more "proof" that Obama is a Muslim terrorist supporter.

And what is wrong with that. Let people make up their own minds.

Oh, I forgot. He is in disguise.

Yep, this sure is the guy we need to unify the Country!

http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/06/19/america/19campaign.php

Obama's campaign tightens control of image and access
By Jim Rutenberg and Jeff Zeleny Published: June 19, 2008

At a rally for Senator Barack Obama in Detroit on Monday, two Muslim women said they were prohibited from sitting behind the candidate because they were wearing head scarves and campaign volunteers did not want them to appear with him in news photographs or live television coverage.

The Obama campaign said it quickly called the women to apologize after learning of the incident. "It doesn't reflect the orientation of the campaign," said Anita Dunn, a senior adviser to Obama. "I do not believe that mistake will be made again."

But the incident, first reported Wednesday by Politico.com, pointed to pitfalls the campaign faces as it moves into the general election and seeks to maintain control of Obama's image by tightly managing his public appearances.

-snip-

Strategists for Obama, the country's first black nominee (and John Kerry served in Vietnam), have made it clear that they believe they need to take extra steps to control his image and protect against attack. But such efforts at times appear to conflict with the candidate's stated desire to be unusually transparent and open, and they have already occasionally put him at loggerheads with news organizations pushing for greater access to him now that he is the presumptive nominee.

-snip-