Is it our imagination, or are there a few things going on in Washington that mean the Bush administration shouldn’t be focused on things such as this:
WASHINGTON (Reuters) — The White House is not amused by The Onion, a newspaper that often spoofs the Bush administration, and has asked it to stop using the presidential seal on its Web site.
The seal was still on the Web site www.theonion.com on Tuesday at the spot where President George W. Bush’s weekly radio address is parodied.
With headlines like “Bush To Appoint Someone To Be In Charge Of Country” and “Bush Subconsciously Sizes Up Spain For Invasion,” The Onion is popular with readers looking for a little laughter with their politics.
White House spokesman Trent Duffy said people who work in the executive mansion do have a sense of humor, but not when it comes to breaking regulations.
“When any official sign or seal is being used inappropriately the party is notified,” Duffy said.
“You cannot pick and choose where to enforce that rule. It’s important that the seal or any White House insignia not be used inappropriately,” he said.
Duffy said while he does not personally read The Onion, he admitted knowing others in the White House who do. “Like everyone else, we like a good laugh.”
So THAT explains the Harriet Miers Supreme Court nomination…
Actually, this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone because it’s starting to fit this administration’s emerging thin skin when it comes to criticism.
Satirists such as The Capitol Steps have lampooned administrations for years without major problems. The Capitol Steps were warmly embraced by President Ronald Reagan and the first George Bush. Bill Clinton reportedly kept his distance from them after they took Monicagate and mercilessly ran with it (“I’m Unzipping My Doo Dah” is one of TMV’s favorites along with the Old Man River parody “Old Man Zipper”).
Only Bob Dole reacted sourly (he reportedly hated the spoof of “Maria” titled “Viagra” lampooning his endorsement of the product and he and his wife’s sex life and is said to have once threatened to leave if they sang it in his presence). CLICK HERE and listen to their satire on Harriet Miers, Michael Brown and John Roberts.
But going after The Onion? Will they seriously press this? And what does it say about them? You’ll have to LOOK to find the seal; it’s tiny and is located in the lower-right-hand corner.
The administration’s thin skin was apparent last week when progressive talker Ed Schultz found his deal to appear on Armed Forces Radio network had been abruptly nixed after he dared criticize military bigwigs over a staged Bush chat with the troops two weeks ago.
Still, you’d think that while you’re waiting for possible indictments, reading news stories marking the 2,000th death in Iraq, trying to salvage the Miers nomination, and dealing with the aftermath of yet another hurricane, threatening The Onion for using the Presidential seal would seem both a waste of time and politically counterproductive.
Or is the White House’s demand their idea of a joke?