Protecting the Presidential Seal: The Onion's in Trouble

[cynatnite]

You might have thought that the White House had enough on its plate late last month, what with its search for a new Supreme Court nominee, the continuing war in Iraq and the C.I.A. leak investigation. But it found time to add another item to its agenda - stopping The Onion, the satirical newspaper, from using the presidential seal.

The newspaper regularly produces a parody of President Bush's weekly radio address on its Web site (www.theonion.com/content/node/40121), where it has a picture of President Bush and the official insignia.

"It has come to my attention that The Onion is using the presidential seal on its Web site," Grant M. Dixton, associate counsel to the president, wrote to The Onion on Sept. 28. (At the time, Mr. Dixton's office was also helping Mr. Bush find a Supreme Court nominee; days later his boss, Harriet E. Miers, was nominated.)

Citing the United States Code, Mr. Dixton wrote that the seal "is not to be used in connection with commercial ventures or products in any way that suggests presidential support or endorsement." Exceptions may be made, he noted, but The Onion had never applied for such an exception.

The Onion was amused. "I'm surprised the president deems it wise to spend taxpayer money for his lawyer to write letters to The Onion," Scott Dikkers, editor in chief, wrote to Mr. Dixton. He suggested the money be used instead for tax breaks for satirists.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/24/business/24onion.html?ex=1287806400&en=b40eb239c3b34014&ei=5090&partner=rssuserland&emc=rss

[electropop]

1. I assume the Onion doesn't try to make it look like W is endorsing them.

Besides, doesn't W need his lawyers working full time to keep him out of jail?

[leveymg]

2. We'll take down Iraq, Syria, Iran and then the main enemy, The Onion.

It's in there in Wurmser and Feith's "A Clean Break." In that order.:+

[leveymg]

3. Dupe. delete

[JAbuchan08]

4. Doesn't satire qualify?

I think it would

[unpossibles]

5. good thing they have nothing better to do...

I think that precedent has been set a few times protecting satire, but this is a bit different.

<semi-joke> see: The People of the United States v. ODB </semi-joke>

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

6. I gotchyer seal right here, Mister...

[longship]

7. I thought satire was protected speech.

Apparently, not in Bushland.

[Spinzonner]

8. They should replace it with a seal

with a trick-performing seal