Time to Test Obama's Apology

The Obama campaign had a bit of a stumble when it was revealed that two Muslim women wearing headscarves were denied a spot on the podium in order to keep them out of the TV and still photos of the event. The word from the NY Times is the Obama campaign is tightening up the access to their candidate to prevent the Obamessiah from slipping and creating problems for the campaign:

The campaign on Monday barred cameras from a large gathering of African-American civic leaders Obama attended. It recently refused to provide names of religious figures with whom Obama met in Chicago and directed some of them to avoid reporters by using a special exit. And on Wednesday, the campaign orchestrated Michelle Obama's appearance on the friendly set of "The View" and a flattering spread in the pages of Us Weekly.

One of the challenges that we are confronting very directly is dealing with the rumors and the e-mails, the inaccurate information about Senator Obama and Michelle Obama," Dunn said, "and we're going to deal with that very aggressively through a number of mediums."

While the strategy has won compliments from political professionals of both parties, who say Barack Obama's campaign is exhibiting a high level of discipline, it has also created some early turbulence for a candidate who has run on promises of openness and cultivated a grass-roots following and a cottage industry of homemade campaign videos, memorabilia and street murals.

Obama's campaign is making a transition typical of any newly minted presidential nominee preparing for a general election race. It mirrors the stagecraft once so successfully practiced by the campaigns of President George W. Bush to the envy — and, sometimes, anger — of Democrats.

"This guy is one of two people who can be president of the United States," said Stuart Stevens, a Republican strategist for Bush in his 2000 and 2004 campaigns. "He's not going door-to door-in Iowa anymore, and I think people expect things to be different when you're the nominee."

Well, it's time to test the Obama campaign and their apology to the Muslim women and we'll see how good the apology and his media protectors are. The Muslim community should start sending as many women in headscarves, and even in full Muslim robes, as possible to Obama events and demanding a position on the podium to show that he meant the apology. The reaction to that would be fun to watch. His media advisors would have strokes.