The first family and the first dog: Is the American media
acting as the media arm of the American presidency?
Al-Arab al-Yawm,
Jordan
World Must Not
Fall for Obama PR Onslaught
"Traumatized
by their economic collapse, haunted by fears of unemployment and bankruptcy and
horrified by the immensity of the hatred the world feels toward them, Americans
are entitled to cling to their illusions. But the rest of the world's people,
including ourselves, are required to show scrutiny. With all due respect to
Obama’s courage and objectivity, we mustn't succumb to illusion or give in to a
myth."
By Amal al-Sharqi
Translated By Mohammad Yousuf
Fadal
April 21,
2009
Jordan - Al-Arab
al-Yawm - Original Article (Arabic)
It is well known that the American press, in spite of the broad
spectrum of freedom it enjoys, remains directed by political inclinations,
intelligence agencies and special interests. This is clearly reflected in the
coordinated and simultaneous coverage of certain issues that inflame public
opinion to wage war or secure international [U.N.] resolutions condemning other
nations. Perhaps the most prominent recent examples of this type of promotional
campaign were claims that Iraq
had acquired weapons of mass destruction and that there was genocide on Darfur. The first claim was belied by facts on
the ground, while the second was recanted by the International Criminal Court.
[Editor's Note: The author is misinformed about the
International Criminal Court. Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir
was indicted
for genocide and war crimes last March].
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
It's also known that every U.S.
president, prior to running for the office, appoints someone to direct his
campaign. And that this director, along with his team, coordinates with a broad
spectrum of institutions that they call public relations firms to draw up the
most appealing image for the candidate and circulate it far and wide, from the
playgrounds to the halls of the United Nations. If the candidate is elected and
settles into the Oval Office's presidential chair, this PR crew becomes an
official institution with an official name, which formalizes the campaign -
perpetuating and entrenching it for the long term.
What we
have seen since the nomination of President Barack
Obama has been an amplification of this in the form of a Super Campaign
depicting Obama as a savior and change agent who will turn things in America and the world upside down,
transforming the deteriorating situation into a better one. In the context of
this Super Campaign, the press, radio and TV media has spent excessive amounts
of time talking of Obama’s vision, Obama’s promise of change and Obama's novelties.
Talk is encouraged of his promise to reform the loss-making aspects of the
financial sector, the justice he heralds for the starving people of Africa, and his sympathy and
understanding for the people of the Muslim world. News was spread of his
neutrality in regard to the Palestinians and Arabs while his sympathy was
conveyed to Cuba and the Latin American nations.
The campaign includes trying to woo the hearts of women by
talking about Mrs. Obama's elegance and teenagers by discussing her husband's
sportsmanship. Finally, it has extensively covered Obama’s dog, whose walk on
the White House lawn was even covered by the most prestigious newspapers and
satellite channels in the Arab world. We now confront a Super Campaign to
create a Super Legend.
Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
Traumatized by their economic collapse, haunted by fears of
unemployment and bankruptcy and horrified by the immensity of the hatred the
world feels toward them, Americans are entitled to cling to their illusions to
maintain hope through the ordeal. But the rest of the world's people, including
ourselves, are required to show scrutiny and patience before rushing in with
excessive optimism. With all due respect to Obama’s courage and objectivity, we
mustn't succumb to illusion or give in to a myth.
CLICK HERE FOR ARABIC
VERSION
[Posted by WORLDMEETS.US
April 29, 8:45pm]
