Political theatre at its best in America’s election of a lifetime

ALTHOUGH media coverage of Barack Obama’s recent trips abroad was mostly positive, the sense that he was acting as president-elect grated with some journalists, particularly when they were not granted any access to him during the visits to Afghanistan and Iraq.

They had to rely on camera footage shot by the US military. The message as far as journalists were concerned was clear — Obama’s team would remain in total control of the images that went back to the US. There were also some tetchy encounters on the flight from Amman to Israel, when Obama’s team offered journalists an off-the-record account of the meeting between Obama and King Abdullah of Jordan.

The journalists insisted it be on the record, arguing it was highly presumptuous of Obama to act like he is already in the White House and insist on what is traditionally a prerogative of the president in his dealing with the media.