OH, MY: The Associated Press demands editors stop printing Obama’s staged "propaganda” photos

Anyone in the White House ever heard of Leni Riefenstahl?

I thought not.

The Associated Press continues to express its utter disgust with the Obama White House. Which happens to be the first administration in American history to run its own news operation. Because **** you.

Editors of The Associated Press condemned the White House’s refusal to give photojournalists real access to President Obama, who prefers to circulate press release-style pictures taken by his own paid photographers.

These official photographs are little more than propaganda, according to AP director of photography Santiago Lyon.

The AP has only been permitted to photograph the president alone in the Oval Office on two occasions–both in his first term–and has never been allowed to photograph the president with his staff in the office...

...Previous administrations were less strict about photos, undermining Obama’s frequent claim that he strives to run “the most transparent administration” in history.

Lyon made his remarks at the AP Media Editors national conference in Indianapolis on Wednesday.

AP executive editor Kathleen Carroll echoed Lyon’s concerns.

...Carroll advised newspaper editors who were present to stop using the White House’s preferred photos in their own stories, according to Lail and other attendees.

I commend the AP, and CNN, and CBS News -- to name but a few -- that have finally decided to begin speaking truth to power.


Hat tips: Poor Richard and BadBlue News.