ALBUQUERQUE - Barack Obama’s presidential campaign is retiring a presidential seal that made its debut at a Chicago event last week.
“It was a one-time seal for a one-time use,” Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. The seal, which resembled the official presidential seal, had a picture of a bald eagle on it. A phrase inscribed above it read “Vero Possumus,” a Latin expression that roughly translates to the campaign’s slogan, “Yes, we can.”
The seal helped complete a presidential-looking setting as Obama sat at the head of a U-shaped table with Democratic governors in a stately hall of a Chicago museum. In addition to the seal on the podium, blue curtains adorned the backdrop along with a row of flags.
Our earlier blog post on the Obama seal posted on Friday prompted mixed reviews from readers. Some liked the seal and thought the Latin expression was clever. Others thought it conveyed a penchant for image over substance.
Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic.com said there were second thoughts about the blog at Obama’s campaign headquarters.
“The worry for Obama’s image managers is that it gives the press a pretext to call Obama arrogant, an example for them to add to a list of arrogant moments, and a way to distract them from what Obama is saying,” Ambinder wrote in his blog.
Photo credit: Reuters/Carlos Barria (Obama delivers speech)
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“I was going to vote for Obama until I read this article. This is an absolute outrage. It is hard to fathom that a presidential candidate would knowingly stand in front of a blue curtain. And to think that there was a picture of a bald eagle on the podium too. I just get creepy chills thinking about it.”
- Posted by For Real?
To JBDSM - This above post is called sarcasm. Quite funny actually - kudos! And quite what I feel like posting when I read all this. This is such a non-issue. If we really want to talk about making poor public image choices, lets look at Bush’s choices over the last 8 years and wonder why his popularity rating is so low. Can’t be from making choices the public has appreciated. Hmmm….I guess making poor public image choices comes with the territory and some (Bush) are much better at it than others.
- Posted by ekjWe all need to get used to seeing Obama behind the presidential seal, this was just a little sample of what we will be seeing for the next four (hopefully) eight years, as for the arrogance and elitist stamp he has gotten, if you think you have the material to be in charge of 300 million-plus people, you ARE elitist, that goes for Clinton, McCain, Nader, Barr and all the others,
- Posted by Little Common SenseOn another topic, You guys talk about this election as if mud-slinging, cutthroat politics are a new thing, every damn election this back and forth stuff happens, it just so happens that it’s more evident this time because the candidates are racially and demographically opposites, the fact that Hillary and Barack are now getting along after a grueling primary process is something that anybody even remotely familiar with politics should have seen coming. The Hillary supporters who now swear to McCain because their flawed candidate couldn’t run a campaign need to take a long look at themselves and ask, “am I really that selfish?” I personally detest HRC but for the future of this country and THE WORLD, I am grateful for her support, wish I could say the same for her cohorts.
Since when is a person, who is running for PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES not arrogant. Wow, who do we want a mealie mouthed,shy frieghtened little whimp. Seriously, I want an arrogant, take charge, head of the line, and yeah a person smarter than me, hmmm, someone of elite character. Really, are we sheep, Lincoln, Washington, Jefferson, those who founded this little coutry with a ill trained army had the ARROGANCE TO SAY YES WE CAN, AND DID….USA ROCKS
- Posted by AgnesI’m not an Obama supporter (nor a McCain supporter. I think we are honestly screwed this time around), but I am a graphic designer. I, personally, am not offended by the design of the ‘one-time-seal’ (and I’m a conservative!)It could have been worse, the eagle could have had it’s head off. [I think] The rebulicans are trying to use it to point out that they think this guy will socialize the US while the democrates seem to just shrug it all aside and say ‘he’s an agent of change’.
We’re screwed ‘08 - no matter who gets in office
- Posted by MIMILet’s not fool ourselves, I’m reading some of these comments and I find the only ones that are calling Obama’s campaign seal an act of arrogance are those who don’t like him to begin with and are just whining at anything the press spotlights about him because they’re selfish idiots. Yes I called you Obama haters idiots, and when your candidate McCain loses in November, you’re going feel like the bottom of the barrel when Obama gets the real official seal.
- Posted by ClarenceBarak Opossum fully intended to use that seal for more than one use , and it is arrogant. It reveals someone who takes themselves so seriously they cannot see what might be found humorous or offensive by someone else . That would be disastrous in a president. Wait , we already have a president exactly like that…
- Posted by SwannieGet this… I just went to the DNC headquarters. Here are their official numbers of votes for democratic president. 1) Hillary - 17,855,843 (48.04%) and 2) Obama - 17,582,825 (47.31%) What is wrong here???
- Posted by Heather RoseHow different this is from Bush’s wonderful MISSION ACCOMPLISHED banner that at first they said the sailors put up before they finally admitted they’d lied: they put it up themselves for the Bush glory.
And kept families from seeing their returning loved ones for hours while lil Napolean Bush lauded himself and said how wonderful he is.
5 years later he the mission has NOT been accomplished.
And some million Iraqis are dead and there are 4.9 million Iraqi refugees, the most educated of all who are leaving ethnic cleansing and SHARIA LAW that Saddam prevented while killing far far fewer people than Bush’s FEELS GOOD! BRING’ ‘EM (terrorists) ON war crimes.
Bush recently apologized for the BRING ‘EM ON invitation to al Qaeda to kill innocents. Too late. Far far far too late. He should be in Gitmo and waterboarded. AFter all he says waterboarding is not torture.
- Posted by MarciaThe object is the “Seal of the President of the United States”. It should be revered! A person who is seeking to be the leader of this country should have total loyalty and respect for the seals, symbols, flags and most importantly, the constitution of the United States of America. They should pledge allegiance to THIS COUNTRY. I don’t care if they don’t wear a pin, but they better show respect to our flag and adhere to long standing protocol. They should be seeking to get back to the roots of this country. We are on the verge of collapse as a nation. We need someone with the courage and strength to return America to what once was. It can’t be all about gross profits for companies, either. We have been sold out by corporate America for profits. What happens when those other countries raise wages and prices and we are paying even more and have no base of employment here. What happened to loyalty? We need an American with Christian morals and values. We can respect other religions and cultures, but America was founded on Christian virtues and as an English speaking nation. Those are the things that made America great.
- Posted by JaneThe over concern about his image brought about the need to set up little scenes to infer presidential qualities, to distract from the fact that there are few if any actual presidential type actions in his resume.
It’s all fluff folks. Do yourself a favor and admit you may have been wrong about this guy before it’s too late and we all pay the price for your ignorance.
- Posted by karenI don’t believe arrogant is the appropriate term to describe his behavior. He’s not arrogant, he is handled. His people tell him where to stand, what to say, how to dress and which baby to kiss. We as a society know that we do not elect individuals anymore, we elect committees. We elect a group. I’ve been a Democrat since I first registered to vote. I’ve been a proud member of a party that has supported the working class and has given opportunities to the underprivileged. That being said,can I vote for Obama? The answer to that question is no. Is it because he doesn’t wear a flag pin, or doesn’t support our National Anthem, or even that he has a mock Presidential seal at one of his appearances? No, it’s not any one of these things; it’s all of these things, and many more. How can I support a president who first and foremost doesn’t even act proud to be an American? Shouldn’t he be the one singing our National Anthem the loudest or wanting to wear the biggest American flag pin because he is so proud of this country that he wants everyone to know he’s an American? How can I in good conscience vote for a president that actually seems to be ashamed of the country that he is trying to become president of?
- Posted by JuanitaWhy has no one mentioned “1600 for Men” toiletries? I would think that is enough to prove that the presidential seal is not a holy icon. And that’s the real seal, under license. There are countless other government agencies and commercial businesses with similar-but-not-the-same emblems.
- Posted by StewartCome on people, get a grip, does this surprise anyone?
After how many years under the spiritual mentorship of the Reverend Wrong and all that hate garbage, what else can we expect?
You’ll be lucky if he does not change the pledge of allegiance, to something dignified enough for him to feel inspired to place his hand over his heart.
I am a registered voter, are you, your friends, your family? Vote or don’t complain later.
- Posted by AlfHillary were are you??? This man is to snot nosed to be a leader! Running in circles trying to get away from that scarry noise. This country needs a mature leader “HILLARY” -he might be okay for vice.
- Posted by A. Jan WoodsThat’s a change, one of thousand other changes, that he’d made - the US President seal. How awful is that! What’s the crazy thing he will do next? Do you want to have a crazy president? I shall ask.
- Posted by PTWow, this is almost as bad as that political party which has tried to make our nation’s flag into their exclusive symbol.
You know, all those “flag stickers” on truck bumpers (often dirty or covered in mud or road grime, wow, the way the flag was ‘meant to be respected’). Those SUVs that pump money into the Mid-East, to support all of our nation’s friends, you know, the terroris– er, um, I mean the “PRE-democracy nations”, who spend our gasoline money on better and better “uncle Sam” effigies to burn in their streets.
I mean if this is about arrogance, Obama’s childish seal is *far* more destructive than a Mid-east supporting SUV with a mud stained American flag on the bumper. Symbolism is far more important than reality. Isn’t it? Well … isn’t it?!
- Posted by truepatriotI think he ought to get a long cape and a staff. Maybe some of those boots with the curley toes. The ears are fine… but they need points, like that Spock guy.
- Posted by Jim from Clinton, CTI am wondering if Rev. Wright had held his performance several months earlier, if Mr. “O” would be the presumtive democratic candidate at all. I believe he has been arrogant from the beginning. He is vague when our country needs substance. He is a dog and pony show created by the DNC and the biased media.
He doesn’t understand the average working or middle class Americans burdened with issues such as putting ever incresing costs of food on the table for our families, the costs of soaring fuel, health ins, and seniors on small fixed incomes. What about young people holding down several jobs to try and get by. Is this the American dream?
To use a copy of the Presidential seal is beyond using poor sense. Not even once. I heard on CNN that he could be jailed for 6 months for that dislay.
In my opinion, he co-opted Hillary’s platform, flip flops now on issues (what is in store for us later)? This comes back to the primaries and the DNC. My state was one of the last ones to vote.
Why are superdelegates allowed to endorce a candidate prior to all primaries being completed? The popular vote was nearly even. This certainly gives me a lot to think about as to why “O” was chosen. A massive failure from the DNC and much biased media.
I agree with “Reality Check” posted 6/24. For the first time in my life I believe in write in candidates. I understand that our votes would not count unless each candidate files papers in those states that require it.
- Posted by Heather RoseThis incident w/ the Seal has much to w/ the election. America wake up before it is too late!!! If you can not trust a man in smalls matter than you certainly can not trust him in larger matters such as President of our country. No doubt Obama is a front for the Muslims. If this man wants to kill babies born and unborn then what makes you think he will stop there? We are living in a severe culture of death that can not even recognize any form of evil anymore. How sad! God will deliver us up to our passions if we don’t change radically to live the 10 commandments in our lives as well as showing more love towards our neighbors. Pray, pray, pray. mar
- Posted by mar[...] firestorm from both sides of the blogosphere. Now the Obama campaign says that it was “A one time use” [...]
- Posted by Obama and the Baby Seals at My McCain Blog