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| -Signs, Portents, and the Weather- |
| Obama's Pilfered Prayer Note: A Pre-approved Leak? |
| 2008-07-29 |
| Paper, rapped for outing Obama note, claims campaign pre-approved leak What initially seemed to be a journalistic scoop of dubious moral propriety now seems to be a case of an Israeli paper being played by the Barack Obama campaign. Maariv, the second most popular newspaper in Israel, was roundly criticized for publishing the note Obama left in the Kotel. But now a Maariv spokesperson says that publication of the note was pre-approved for international publication by the Obama campaign, leading to the conclusion that the "private" prayer was intentionally leaked for public consumption. At around 5am last Thursday, Obama arrived at the Kotel, or Western Wall, abutting the holiest site in Judaism, the Temple Mount. Accompanied by the Rabbi in charge of the site, Shmuel Rabinovich, he reportedly heard Psalm 122, which contains a prayer for the peace of Jerusalem, touched the wall briefly and then deposited a note of prayer into a crack between the ancient stones, in keeping with the tradition of visitors to the site. On his way out, he was briefly heckled, with one man calling out that "Jerusalem is not for sale" and "Remember what you see here." Trying to drown out the critics, a few supporters chanted his name. Subsequently, it was reported that a yeshiva student filched the note that Obama placed in the wall and then Maariv published it in the next day's newspaper. For that "scoop" the paper has come under fire. Yediot Aharonot, the country's most popular daily, published an article Friday saying it had also obtained the note but decided not to publish it, to respect Obama's privacy. Other Israeli media outlets initially ignored the story, or picked it up only after the initial publication had triggered a controversy. "Lord - Protect my family and me," reads the note. However, it now appears that Maariv had collaborated with the Obama campaign in getting the "private" prayer, with its "modest" supplicaton to the Lord, out to the public, buffing his Christian credentials and showing his "humility." A Ma'ariv spokesman was quoted in the Jerusalem Post as saying that "Barack Obama's note was approved for publication in the international media even before he put in the Kotel, a short time after he wrote it at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem."] The paper added that is was "pleased" with its "journalistic accomplishment." [Update as to Maariv's statement as published in Haaretz on July 28]: "Obama's note was published in Maariv and other international publications following his authorization to make the content of the note public. Obama submitted a copy of the note to media outlets when he left his hotel in Jerusalem."] If correct, It appears that Obama made Maariv and other media an instrument of his will. The media, of course, was a most willing tool. The campaign might be less pleased with another pronouncement by Maariv: "In any case," the spokesman said, "since Obama is not a Jew, publishing the note does not constitute an infringement on his right to privacy." Apparently, to the paper, Gentile prayer doesn't count. If the Maariv statement about pre-approval of publication of the note is true, it would mean that the Obama campaign had managed the event brilliantly, if deceptively, getting the double benefit of appearing to be victimized by the invasive Israeli press and prayer-thieving Jew while at the same time leaking out his humble Christian plea to the Lord. Revelation of this latest Obama collaboration with the media might detract a bit from the perceived sincerity of the prayer and strike some as an especially cynical use of the Kotel and an obstensibly private prayer to the Deity as a campaign prop. Most politicians suffice with getting a photo-op. Obama may be the first to take a prayer-leak on the Wall. |
| Posted by:Sherry |
| #5 I actually had some suspicion about this release of the content of that piece of paper but dismissed it as paranoia. It sounded too slick. I guess sometimes it isn't paranoia but proper knowledge of politicians, Obama in particular. |
| Posted by: tipover 2008-07-29 14:12 |
| #4 Like I said, "there's no such thing as bad publicity". |
| Posted by: Pappy 2008-07-29 13:20 |
| #3 pardon Israelinsider - which I think is as close to the Dati as INN is, no? |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-07-29 13:17 |
| #2 and yeah,, INN, of all people, really should know that. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-07-29 13:16 |
| #1 " Apparently, to the paper, Gentile prayer doesn't count." Or simply that Gentile prayer AT THE WALL has no special status, unlike Jewish prayer. Cause JEWS were obliged to bring sacrifices to the Temple, and gentiles were not (gentiles were not even allowed entry) and the loss of the Temple is a Jewish loss, and the Wall is holy to JEWS as a fragment of the Temple. |
| Posted by: liberalhawk 2008-07-29 13:16 |