I've read the article sited in the link posted and have not found where the Obama campaign was compelled to re-paint the plane due to trademark issues. It does mention the removal of flag images which are trademarks of North American Airlines, but does not say they were required to remove them. In any event, I think the reason that the new paint job has been controversial is because the Obama signia has repalced where the American Flag was before it was repainted. This is not the first time the Obama campaign has chosen to use their campaign symbols as a replacement for American ones, and many people are offended by it. Count me in as one.
Obama campaign drops seal on podium (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Democratic presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill. speaks during a meeting of Democratic governors, Friday, June 20, 2008, at the Chicago History Museum in Chicago Friday Bill Sammon, The Examiner
2008-06-23 21:11:00.0
WASHINGTON -
After days of media mockery, Barack Obama has decided to stop using a presidential-looking seal that his campaign designed and affixed to his podium on Friday.
Journalists said the seal, which features an eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, smacks of arrogance. John McCain's camp had a field day, calling the seal “laughable, ridiculous, preposterous and revealing - all at the same time.”
The seal was conspicuously missing from Obama's lectern when he spoke to a group of women in Albuquerque on Monday. Not surprising, given how much grief Obama took from a normally laudatory press corps after unveiling the seal at an appearance in Chicago on Friday.
“What a bizarre and dumb idea,” railed NBC political director Chuck Todd. “It really feeds the arrogance narrative.”
The oversized blue seal was emblazoned with the Latin phrase “Vero Possumus,” which roughly translates into “yes, we can.” It also featured a plug for the candidate's website.
“The Audacity of Hype,” cracked ABC's Jake Tapper. “No word on whether they played a remix of 'Hail to the Chief' as Obama walked in.”
Andrew Malcolm of the Los Angeles Times observed that Obama “has decided not to wait for any of the formalities like a presidential election, an inauguration or even a nomination, which he still hasn't actually officially won yet.”
Marc Ambinder of the Atlantic magazine was the first to note that Obama would deep-six the seal.
“I'm told that Obama recognizes that it was a silly mistake,” Ambinder said. “Does the press think Obama is arrogant? Yes.”
Larry Sabato, director of the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, said the episode reinforces this media perception of Obama.
“The press corps adopts a subtext for each candidate,” Sabato told The Examiner. “Daddy Bush was 'a nice guy but out of touch.' Bill Clinton was 'smart but randy.' Bob Dole was 'heroic but too old.' Gore was 'brilliant but a fibber and a bore.' Dubya was 'pleasant but dumb.'”
He added: “Obama's subtext is rapidly becoming 'charismatic but arrogant.'”
The Obama campaign declined to comment.
bsammon@dcexaminer.comExaminer
http://www.examiner.com/a-1455131~Obama_campaign_drops_seal_on_podium.html
