PressEthic

The Onion, a satirical newspaper, has been requested by the White House to remove the Presidential seal from the link to its weekly parody of the Bush’s radio address. An article in the New York Times, demonstrates the ludicrous nature of such a request.

Grant Dixon, associate counsel to the president, wrote that the seal “is not to be used in connection with commercial ventures of products in any way that suggests presidential support or endorsement.”

The Onion’s response was that “it is inconceivable that anyone would think that, by using the seal, The Onion intends to ‘convey…sponsorship or approval’ by the President.” In fact The Onion is using the seal for almost the exact opposite effect.

As the legal case seems spurious and The Onion is yet to kowtow to the request (the seal still remains on their website), you wonder if this was a seriously misguided effort to get one over a publication that delights in ridiculing the administration. Or is it just a case of the White House taking things way too seriously?

Regardless of the White House's motivation, one has to question the wisdom of taking legal steps against a satirical publication over such a trivial matter. All the White House has done is drawn attention to the exploits of The Onion. Furthermore they have given The Onion more fodder. You can’t help feeling the Administration would have been much better off to leave them be.