It didn't take long for the Reuters image that Warner Todd Huston wrote about yesterday to show up in another MSM newspaper. The Obamamessiah image of his photo superimposed on top of an out of focus campaign logo just made its next stop in the UK where it is featured prominently in the Times Online.
The slightly cropped version is identical to the Reuters one that Todd wrote about except that this one isn't credited.
It is one of many that are making the rounds as the press tries to enhance Obama's image through pictures.
The Sydney Morning Herald is celebrating "V-O day" (victory for Obama) in their countdown to June 5th where Clinton will be forced to make a call, again. This article is accompanied by a pose of Obama in a fighter's stance, with the cameraman shooting from the ground to make Barack Obama seem line a towering giant.
On Wednesday, more than that number of superdelegates will declare their hand and, by Thursday, Obama will be able to claim outright victory for the Democratic nomination for president of the United States.
Once it is claimed, it will be impossible, because the numbers are the numbers, for Senator Hillary Clinton to dispute the result, no matter how hard and long she argues about the popular vote, her victories in big states, the key voting blocs she has been winning and her undoubted belief that she is the stronger candidate against Republican Senator John McCain.
So Clinton will face a huge choice on V-O Day: to resign herself to it, to align herself with his campaign, or to deny the reality that has been thrust on her.
Yes, she can decide not to concede, to keep her legions intact, to keep making her case and to pledge to go to the convention for her name to be placed in nomination against Obama's.
She can certainly do this but the only difference it will make is in weakening the candidate who has won and adding newly embittered Obama supporters to her angry loyalists. It is what Ted Kennedy did to Jimmy Carter in 1980 and it had serious consequences for that November's election.
The AP used the same sort of photographers trick in a photo that appeared in the BBC. This time the towering Obama is framed by an America flag and a change banner. I suppose if he refuses to wear the lapel pin the press can find other ways to inject patriotism.
It is clear that the press will do about anything to get their preferred candidate into office. But don't expect it to stop here. They MSM is on a roll as they hold their collective breath waiting for Hillary Clinton to bow out as V-O day nears.
These glamor shots, and many more like them, are just one tool in the media's chest of tricks they use to fill the void that was once referred to as journalism.
Terry Trippany is the editor of Webloggin.




















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For any who missed it
June 2, 2008 - 08:38 ET by motherbeltFor any who missed it yesterday, here are some other examples of Reuters' special "framing" of Obama: here here and here.
Getting in on the act, AP has this and this
I don't know where this one comes from, but it adds to the evidence that there is an unspoken consensus in the media about how he will be portrayed.
Wow MB - those Reuters photos
June 2, 2008 - 08:43 ET by Dee Bunkare so obvious. Obama is no where near the center just so they could keep the word "Believe".
These press people are just crazy nuts with zero professionalism left
Reminds me of the film
June 2, 2008 - 10:16 ET by Dan The Man 2Reminds me of the film "They Live!", if you get a chance you have to watch it. It was probably meant to reflect Regean era but it dovetails nicely into this.
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
Good Comparison Dan - another Good one "A Face in the Crowd"
June 2, 2008 - 10:39 ET by Dee BunkIt's a great movie about how the media can propel a nobody into a political Icon rock star status despite his background as a career criminal.
I saw "A Face in the Crowd"
June 2, 2008 - 12:00 ET by Dan The Man 2I saw "A Face in the Crowd" after being exposed to Mayberry and recognized what a good actor Andy is. Andy is good in that role, very believable. We should start calling Obama "Lonesome Rhodes".
Nuke em til they glow then shoot em in the dark.
Yeah - Dan Lonsesome Rhodes - that was his name!
June 2, 2008 - 23:35 ET by Dee BunkI couldn't remember it. Perfect for Obama. Andy Griffith was great in that role. Quite a difference from Mayberry.
Everyone should see that film. It's exactly what is happening today.
Wow! I checked out your
June 2, 2008 - 11:06 ET by motherbeltWow! I checked out your link...I may have to hunt it down and see it!
Two Great Lines
June 2, 2008 - 22:44 ET by JoelCTI have watched "They Live" a bunch of times. There are two great lines from the movie. One about bubblegum I can't repeat here, and this one, my favorite:
"I'm giving you a choice... Either put on these glasses, or start eating that trash can!"
Ain't My GOD!
June 2, 2008 - 08:36 ET by ChasvsThis race baiting SOB is NOT My GOD!
To Hell with this SOB.
The LAST thing this countr needs is to be led by a half-wit pretender like BHO!
Screw him before he screws the Country!
Michelle my Hell: Whitey tape on Fox today?
June 2, 2008 - 08:46 ET by Jack BauerThe blogosphere is going WILD that the rumored Michelle Obama/Whitey/Nazi Thrinity Church tape is out TODAY... on Fox/Cavuto
If true then it has to have come from the Hillarycrat camp.
Check out a precis of the goss at
www.melaniemorgan.co...
Very interesting Jack
June 2, 2008 - 08:59 ET by Dee BunkThere is no doubt that the Obama's are okay with the kind of stuff that went on there. It's clear that it wasn't just a couple of rare sermons that were offensive.
I am having flashbacks to
June 2, 2008 - 08:54 ET by Cureboy675I am having flashbacks to the laughable Huckabee Christmas ad where the camera swirling around and gave the sign of the cross directly behind him.
That was totally
June 2, 2008 - 08:59 ET by motherbeltThat was totally outrageous, you know, because he's a Republican. And a minister. How dare he!! Separataion, etc.
But Obama can do this....and that's OK...they're not bothered at all.
Barry
June 2, 2008 - 09:25 ET by iveseenitallThose who vote for Barry are being duped by the left. He's an America-hating communist who is a danger to the nation. These pictures are reminiscent of times past in other countries. A false prophet propped up by the American media. Castro comes to mind. I remember watching him ride into Havana while Walter Cronkite sung his praises. This election is a fight for the survival of our nation as we know know it. Sure, we have plenty of problems. But voting for a communist who will put us in danger, take money from our pockets for dubious programs, and attempt to ruin your our freedom is not the way to solve them. Be careful what you wish for.
Who is Barry Sotero?
NEVER,NEVER trust a "liberal"
DON'T
June 2, 2008 - 09:17 ET by cvgbuckeyeDon't read to much into this but these types of depictions are commonly associated with identifications of the anti-christ.
That is all that I'm saying; I'm speaking of the depictions; not the man. I'm not the one making the depictions OR the comparisons; not yet!
BUT, I'll tell you something: There are a lot of prominent theologians whom are watching these developments very closely.
I'm just saying.
Christian
June 2, 2008 - 10:39 ET by iveseenitallObama does not practice Christ's teachings. To attend a "church" which lies and deceives, preaches hate, and takes advantage of the ignorant is not what Christ said to do. Barry did so for 20 years and now has reluctantly left for politcal reasons. Moreover, he was raised a Muslim and attended a Muslim school in his formative years. Think about it.
BTW, "Black Theology" is based in Marxism . Think about that too. Who is this ignorant boy?
Who is Barry Sotero?
NEVER, NEVER trust a "liberal"
I said this yesterday, and its worth repeating.........
June 2, 2008 - 11:26 ET by BEGRUNTI'm truely sick of this man, I get nausiated every time I see him.
Obama is a......PHONY, EMPTY SUIT, CHARLATAN, HOLIER THAN THOU, MOUNTEBANK, A DILETTANTE, AND ABOVE ALL....AN ELITIST, OVEREDUCATED BOOB, WHO NEVER HELD A REAL JOB IN HIS LIFE!!!!!
Did I leave anything out?
"If a man does his best, what else is there"?
General George S. Patton Jr.
ODS? Il y a la merde quel
June 2, 2008 - 11:27 ET by JasonCODS?
Il y a la merde quel remort produit quand il a mange trop stupidite.
JasonC
June 2, 2008 - 11:34 ET by BEGRUNTYep, your right. Oh I forgot......MARXIST, SOCIALIST SCUMBAG........There, now the list is complete. Hey, if you guys can have BDS, then I certainly can have ODS, fair enough?
"If a man does his best, what else is there"?
General George S. Patton Jr.
if you guys can have BDS,
June 2, 2008 - 11:37 ET by JasonCif you guys can have BDS, then I certainly can have ODS, fair enough?
Yep, I guess that was more or less my point.
Il y a la merde quel remort produit quand il a mange trop stupidite.
And it is a valid point Jason - the big difference however
June 3, 2008 - 11:15 ET by Dee Bunkis that BDS is in the media and amongst all your leaders. OBS is in our rank and file.
There will always be people who hate and see peoples motives as evil when they don't agree with their politics, it's the leaders that should rise above it. Obama doesn't. He blames everything on the Republicans even though it's his party doing the name calling and encouraging hateful discourse.
Obama himself is very petty. He implied in an interview the other day that McCain didn't know the difference between Sunni and Shiite even though it was an obvious slip of the tongue that McCain himself corrected before anyone like Obama did. This was in response to McCain's criticism of actual policy he holds (not some distorted mis-statement).
McCain has stayed above the fray so far. He hasn't chastised him for saying 57 states (an obvious mis-statement) He's even gone to the point of sticking up for Obama and telling people not to run ads about his church. I personally think McCain is being too above the fray and will be taken down by their sneaky dirty tactics.
I used to think Obama was a pretty nice guy who's policies I strongly disagreed with. Now I don't think he's nice at all. He's passive aggressive sneaky and calculated. I don't think he's evil and I'd never accuse him of murder or anything like that, but I don't like him. That's not OBS
BDS is in the media and
June 3, 2008 - 15:22 ET by JasonCBDS is in the media and amongst all your leaders. OBS is in our rank and file.
OK...is that better somehow?
My prediction is that if Obama wins the presidency, a likelihood I would probably give 60-40 right now, then most right-of-center people and news outlets will regress to the same manner of ruthless mockery and condescension that has marked Bush's tenure. See the post to which I originally responded; it is a compilation of empty critiques, many of which have become attached to Obama in one way or another (e.g. Empty Suit). If there's one unfortunate consequence of the Left's so-called BDS (I don't really like the term but I understand the idea behind it) it's that it has set a very low standard of political critique and an unfortunate obsession with the politics of personality, e.g. Obama's supposed 'elitism,' an epithet that not only misconstrues the OED definition of that word, but also implies that it ought to be attached to anyone who doesn't embrace blue-collar values.
Obama himself is very petty. He implied in an interview the other day
that McCain didn't know the difference between Sunni and Shiite even
though it was an obvious slip of the tongue that McCain himself
corrected before anyone like Obama did.
Whatever, that's election-season politics. Liberals have the long end of the stick on that one now; after the campaigning tactics and misstatements deployed by Rove, those standards are mighty low as well.
Il y a la merde quel remort produit quand il a mange trop stupidite.
Yes Jason it is much better
June 3, 2008 - 16:34 ET by Dee Bunkbut unfortunately it was very ineffective. The Dems school yard bully tactics worked. Republican celebrities and Leadership didn't stoop their level of name calling hate mongering. It got them nowhere. They were still blamed for being the divisive ones just because the liberals went around screaming and implying that they said things they never did.
Professionals should be above the fray of that kind of stuff and set an example. Sadly, it doesn't work, and hopefully Republicans have learned that lesson. Even if they do learn to attack with the same sleaze, I doubt the press will give them the free pass that they did to the Dems who did it.
We agree that Obama will win and I'd probably even give it a 70-30 chance. I'll be shocked if McCain wins. I can't see it happening. I completely disagree that the Press will attack Obama in the same way. They didn't attack the Clintons in the Same way (Hillary or Bill) and they like Obama so much more.
Of course they will criticize Obama, the Press won't have jobs if they don't. But it will not be anything close to the BDS. When they interview Obama critics, they will come back at them with the other side. They won't be letting people call him a liar, murderer, Hitler, and other things, unchallenged and I bet they will most often refer to him as President Obama not Mr. Obama
You, like all liberals, are implying things about Rove that are never backed up. It's all conjecture. I'm talking about what is coming out of Obama's mouth.
Obama is Elitist. All liberals are to some degree or another because their whole philosophy is based on the fact that some people are too stupid and need to be taken care of and told what to do. But anyway, who cares - none of it really matters. It is what it is and we both agree, Obama will be the next President.
Rove's tactics are well
June 3, 2008 - 17:17 ET by JasonCRove's tactics are well documented. I'm not talking about anything illegal or cloak-and-dagger, just a lowered standard of general decency in campaigning and in the way that one's opponent is portrayed. For instance, I find Cheney's implication (during the 2004 election) that a vote for Kerry is a vote for another terrorist attack on the U.S. to be far more troubling than a poke at McCain's confusion of Sunnis and Shiites. There's nothing illegal or even wrong, really, with implying these things, mind you, but it is a no-holds-barred approach that Rove perfected and that I think we will continue to see throughout the election.
Il y a la merde quel remort produit quand il a mange trop stupidite.
Sorry - I missed that Jason - You'll have to give me a link
June 3, 2008 - 17:43 ET by Dee Bunkfor me to believe that Bush said or implied that a vote for Kerry is a vote for another terrorist attack. Maybe it's just semantics.
There is no doubt that Bush said he'd be better at fighting terror than Kerry and that a terrorists attack would be more likely under him. Kerry and the Dems said the same thing in the opposite. They said Bush was breeding more terrorists and terrorism would be worse under him. Obama says he'll be better at fighting terrorists than McCain and McCain says he'll be better than Obama. Of course they are all going to say that.
Implying that someone like John McCain doesn't know the difference between Sunni and Shiite is a cheap shot. It shows how little substance Obama has to offer on the issue. I haven't seen McCain make that type of cheap shot yet, but Obama is the one who claims to be above that kind of thing.
Just a small smattering: a
June 4, 2008 - 09:56 ET by JasonCJust a small smattering: a few weeks ago, we had Bush (on foreign soil) imply that Obama would be a 'Nazi-appeasing' kind of leader. In 2006, Cheney said that Ned Lamont's victory would be celebrated by "al-qaeda types", and, the one that I was referring to above, Cheney's insinuation that electing a Democrat in 2004 would directly lead to another terrorist attack: http://www.commondre...
I think it's one thing to offer critique of a sitting president's active foreign policy, point out its flaws and inconsistencies, ask why we diverted focus from Afghanistan to Iraq, and so forth. Conversely, it's also fine for the incumbent to ask the challenger, "Well, what would you do differently?" and "Here's why my strategy is superior", etc. To simply claim "If we don't make the 'right choice' we'll get attacked again" is overindulging in the politics of fear. And I'm not claiming that Democrats are innocent of these dirty tricks. But Dee, you seem to continuously insist that Republicans are so much more innocent of dirty campaign strategies, and I think that's just demonstrably absurd.
Obama's Sunni/Shiite jab was over the top, for sure; McCain just stumbled over the names and almost instantly corrected himself. But on that note, and perhaps by way of introducing a new topic, I hope that any debate on Iraq and foreign policy in general isn't going to come down to McCain claiming that Obama, and his foreign policy platform, are inherently demonstrative of his lack of respect for "the troops" and indicative of his (Obama's) lack of military service. It seems to be heading in that direction.
Fortunately for me, though, November is a no-lose proposition. My preferred candidate from each party won their respective primary, and I have been happy with McCain's platform since he spoke out against torture. I haven't decided who to vote for yet, but at least I know it won't be like 2000 or 2004, when I spent the days following the election (or Supreme Court ruling, in the case of the latter) shaking my head at the absurdity of it all.
Il y a la merde quel remort produit quand il a mange trop stupidite.
OK, OK--so the press--
June 2, 2008 - 15:47 ET by misterbillOK, OK--so the press--passed on the Breck girl and now they shine on the Halo--weenie.
I am Barack Obama and I
June 3, 2008 - 08:10 ET by ahusserI am Barack Obama and I approved being shown as the new messiah.