Althouse: Seal...

June 21, 2008

Seal...

... squeal.

29 comments:

al said...: When you're the messiah - the law doesn't apply.; 6/21/08, 9:49 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Sometimes the law doesn't apply because it actually doesn't apply.; 6/21/08, 9:52 AM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: Illegal or not, it sure is audacious.; 6/21/08, 10:04 AM
Bissage said...: It violates the law of “copycat, copycat, stick your head in butter fat.”

Here's Exhibit "P-1."; 6/21/08, 10:06 AM
rcocean said...: More bodacious than audacious.; 6/21/08, 10:08 AM
Anonymous said...: It's not illegal; and I think to push that line of attack is silly. This symbol is, however, a visual representation of the candidate's/campaign's ARROGANCE. Which makes it very apt--though surely not something that will help Barry get past the problem he has with folks who "perceive" him as arrogant.

Once the campaign gets feedback on this (from people who have not guzzled the Koolaid) I suspect this "seal" will wind up under that bus where all the Obama missteps/problems/mistakes go.

Why accentuate a negative?; 6/21/08, 10:20 AM
al said...: I'm not a lawyer but what I see as applying is this part -

knowingly manufactures, reproduces, sells, or purchases for resale, either separately or appended to any article manufactured or sold, any likeness of the seals of the President or Vice President, or any substantial part thereof

It's his campaign so I think he could be seen as the manufacturer. It is, IMO, a substantial likeness - esp the center section.; 6/21/08, 10:20 AM
greenpoint said...: Prof. Althouse -

Love the new blogger profile photo. I think it's my favorite one to date!; 6/21/08, 10:22 AM
George M. Spencer said...: Hubris...is a term currently used to indicate overweening pride, self-confidence or arrogance, often resulting in fatal retribution. In Ancient Greece, "hubris" referred to actions which, intentionally or not, shamed and humiliated the victim, and frequently the perpetrator as well. It was most evident in the public and private actions of the powerful and rich. The word was also used to describe those who considered themselves more important than the gods themselves.

Hubris, though not specifically defined, was a legal term and was considered a crime in classical Athens. It was also considered the greatest sin of the ancient Greek world....

The meaning was eventually further generalized in its modern English usage to apply to any outrageous act or exhibition of pride or disregard for basic moral laws. Such an act may be referred to as an "act of hubris", or the person committing the act may be said to be hubristic. Ate, Greek for 'ruin, folly, delusion', is the action performed by the hero, usually because of his/her hubris, or great pride, that leads to his/her death or downfall.

Wiki; 6/21/08, 10:23 AM
UWS guy said...: McCain who?; 6/21/08, 10:31 AM
Ruth Anne Adams said...: McCain who?

You know....NOT Obama.; 6/21/08, 10:42 AM
rhhardin said...: The seal is only operative when wearing a flag lapel pin to unlock its powers.; 6/21/08, 10:54 AM
Zachary Sire said...: Well, I guess George and Laura are going to the clink as well.

(hey, it's published on the White House website.

I told Obama this wasn't the right thing to do.; 6/21/08, 11:16 AM
AllenS said...: Great. United States of Obama.; 6/21/08, 11:17 AM
AllenS said...: All 57 of them.; 6/21/08, 11:21 AM
Zachary Sire said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/21/08, 11:22 AM
Zachary Sire said...: While we're at it, let's lock up

Michelle Malkin.

(seriously, can we?); 6/21/08, 11:24 AM
Zachary Sire said...: Michelle Malkin back in October, when she made her own presidential seal:

"Yes, I’m having fun goofing off with the Photoshop spraypaint brush. It’s just one of those days.

Changed red stripes to pink. Code Pink.

Changed blue field on shield to yellow. Self-explanatory.

Removed “United States.” Too imperialistic.

Removed snake from eagle’s mouth. Too aggressive.

Removed arrows from right claw. Too violent.

Altered “E Pluribus Unum” to “Pluribus.” Assimilation is racist!

Added peace sign overlay.

Perfect politically correct makeover."; 6/21/08, 11:26 AM
Ann Althouse said...: al: "I'm not a lawyer but what I see as applying is..."

It's a long sentence, and you have to read all the parts, including the limitation relating to the "purpose" of creating "a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States." No one could possibly think that Obama's new sign — which may be dorky or presumptuous — means that he actually is the President or represents the President.; 6/21/08, 11:56 AM
George M. Spencer said...: The only guy with a bigger ego is Jim Webb. Check out the photo from today's WSJ of him with the double-arm raised boot salute.; 6/21/08, 12:00 PM
Beth said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 6/21/08, 12:01 PM
Beth said...: Removed snake from eagle’s mouth. Too aggressive.

On our seal, that's a banner in the eagle's mouth, reading E Pluribus Unum. Not a snake.

Mexico's Great Seal depicts an eagle with a snake in its mouth.

Malkin is such a f*cking moron. Dumb as a box of rocks.; 6/21/08, 12:02 PM
Beldar said...: As I've explained on my own blog (sorry to link-whore), I don't think Obama's Great Seal of Obama violates the statute, and if it did, the statute, as applied, would be unconstitutional. I think Prof. Althouse would agree that Justice Scalia would agree.

My compliments, though, to Prof. A for sheer pith in this post, in which she makes her own views crystal clear simply through her assignment of subject tags.; 6/21/08, 12:04 PM
Zachary Sire said...: good call Beth. Didn't notice.; 6/21/08, 12:04 PM
Zach said...: It'll turn out an aide was responsible. Those wascally aides!

There's something comically grandiose about designing your own seal, isn't there? You're taking all the little heraldries of the presidential seal and deciding how each one relates to you personally and which ones stay and which ones go. You're not just running for president, you're running for super-president, with all of the good things and none of the bad things.; 6/21/08, 12:35 PM
Simon said...: To my recollection, there was an identical - and identically silly, equally lame - reaction by the other side, citing the same law, when Bush spoke from a podium in the resemblance of the great seal at the 2004 GOP convention.; 6/21/08, 1:06 PM
David said...: Illegal? Nah--not a chance.

But lame and arrogant, yes!

(Can one be lame and arrogant all at once? Yes, he can!)

Imagine the clamor that would have arisen had candidate Bush come up with such a seal? Or Candidate McCain, for that matter.

I see stories that the MSM is starting to scrutinize Obama more closely. Not by the evidence of their ignoring this big honking foray into bad political taste.; 6/21/08, 3:45 PM
1775OGG said...: ZPS & Beth: scratching each other's backs at the same time; kinky eh! On other hand, if you're going to arrest the wonderful Ms Malkin, may we also arrest Al Franken for his terrible non-jokes about raptors?

You two going to love bringing back the "Fairness doctrine" which allows only Socialist Elites like you two on the air.; 6/21/08, 4:33 PM
J. Cricket said...: Oh yes, the harlot photo is perfect!!; 6/21/08, 10:12 PM