# This is what's wrong with the White House. . . **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 26, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019 "2005-10-26T16:45:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/1 "2005-10-26T16:45:19Z")
[No freaking sense of humor.](http://www.cnn.com/2005/POLITICS/10/26/odd.onion.reut/index.html#ps) Can they stop The Onion? Isn’t parody protected? Can’t they take a joke? My answers are no, yes and obviously not. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 4:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/2 "2005-10-26T16:51:46Z")
If they had no sense of humor, would they have nominated Harriet Meiers? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/3 "2005-10-26T17:12:50Z")
Interesting. Particularly so because the [Irish gunmaker Rigby](http://www.robbreportcollection.com/Articles/Arts-Home-Decor/Furnishings/Collection-Gift-Guide-Presidential-Sweet.asp) once made a shotgun for Dubya’s father which had the Official Seal of the President of the United States engraved on it. You can order one of these guns for yourself if you wish - only $42,000. ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/4 "2005-10-26T17:20:00Z")
The Onion editor’s [letter back to the White House](http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/moe/index.php?ntid=59076): > [@Scott Dikkers](#): > > "Dear Mr. Dixon, > > "I greatly appreciate your comments regarding my Weekly Radio Address parody. But I’m surprised the president deems it wise to spend taxpayer money for his lawyer to write letters to The Onion. > > "If you have a lot of extra money lying around that you don’t know what to do with, here are some better ideas for spending it: > > "1. How about a tax break for satirists? > > "2. With indictments in ‘Plamegate’ forthcoming, perhaps a nice going-away present for Karl Rove, Scooter Libby, Vice President Cheney, or whoever the president may be firing. I recommend a subscription to The Onion. > > "3. It has recently become obvious that there is need for some sort of federal organization to administer the management of emergencies - a hypothetical ‘Federal Emergency Management Administration,’ if you will. You could spend the money on that. > > "4. Harriet Miers could really use a scholarship to some kind of rudimentary judge school. > > “In the event there’s any extra money left over after all these projects, then perhaps the president could justify paying lawyers to protect him from comedians.” ---
**Author:** ![aamco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@aamco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aamco)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/5 "2005-10-26T18:58:26Z")
If the Onion weren’t supporting terrorism by voicing political dissent, there wouldn’t be a problem at all. If you laugh at the President, the terrorists have already won. ---
**Author:** ![CynicalGabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/3e96dc/32.png) [@CynicalGabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CynicalGabe)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/6 "2005-10-26T19:03:17Z")
I don’t think that’s the _only_ thing wrong with the White House… ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/7 "2005-10-26T19:22:18Z")
> [@aamco](#): > > If the Onion weren’t supporting terrorism by voicing political dissent, there wouldn’t be a problem at all. If you laugh at the President, the terrorists have already won. “If we can’t laugh at ourselves, the terrorists have won.” --Vickie the prize woman, on _The Late Show With David Letterman_😛 ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/8 "2005-10-26T19:23:16Z")
> [@5que](#): > > The Onion editor’s [letter back to the White House](http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/moe/index.php?ntid=59076): Further demonstrating that it might not actually be smart to pick a fight with satirists who are obviously far more capable of an intellectual battle than you are… -Joe, disarmed ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/9 "2005-10-26T20:11:14Z")
> [@Grant Dixton](#): > > I write to inform you that use of the Presidential Seal is governed by Section 713 of Title 18, United States Code and Executive Order 11649. In accordance with these authorities, the Presidential Seal is not to be used in connection with commercial ventures or products in any way that suggests presidential support or endorsement. Heaven forbid that anyone should be misled into believing that President Bush endorses the statements “attributed” to him in _The Onion_. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/10 "2005-10-26T20:59:11Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > Heaven forbid that anyone should be misled into believing that President Bush endorses the statements “attributed” to him in _The Onion_. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Isn’t there basically an idea out there that if you have some sort of copyright or trademark, and you don’t enforce it, it will become sort of public-domain? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/11 "2005-10-26T21:03:52Z")
The Presidential Seal IS public domain, isn’t it? Being the property of the people of the United States ‘n’ all that? ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/12 "2005-10-26T21:37:31Z")
> [@Nametag](#): > > The Presidential Seal IS public domain, isn’t it? Being the property of the people of the United States ‘n’ all that? Nope. Use of the official Seal of the President of the United States in commercial ventures is prohibited by [18 U.S.C. § 713](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/search/display.html?terms=seal&url=/uscode/html/uscode18/usc_sec_18_00000713----000-.html) > [@](#): > > (a) Whoever knowingly displays any printed or other likeness of the great seal of the United States, or of the seals of the President or the Vice President of the United States, or the seal of the United States Senate, or the seal of the United States House of Representatives, or the seal of the United States Congress, or any facsimile thereof, in, or in connection with, any advertisement, poster, circular, book, pamphlet, or other publication, public meeting, play, motion picture, telecast, or other production, or on any building, monument, or stationery, for the purpose of conveying, or in a manner reasonably calculated to convey, a false impression of sponsorship or approval by the Government of the United States or by any department, agency, or instrumentality thereof, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than six months, or both. I guess the contention here is the application of “reasonably calculated.” ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/13 "2005-10-26T21:41:33Z")
Speaking of the White House domain, did they ever fix that little glitch with White [House.com](http://House.com) being a prOn site? Oh, doing a little search, I see they have. Too bad. Now _that_ was funny. ---
**Author:** ![wring](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/838e76/32.png) [@wring](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wring)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/14 "2005-10-26T22:03:41Z")
Now, I’m not a scholar of such things, but IIRC, in damn near every TV show/Movie I’ve ever seen where they have a “President” of the US, there’s the seal where one expects it to be. Do we need to re-issue _Superman, Dave, Mars Attacks, An American President_ and issue cease and disist orders to _The West Wing_ and the new one (with Geena Davis as Pres)? ---
**Author:** ![PinkMarabou](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ec9cab/32.png) [@PinkMarabou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PinkMarabou)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/15 "2005-10-26T22:20:21Z")
> [@wring](#): > > Now, I’m not a scholar of such things, but IIRC, in damn near every TV show/Movie I’ve ever seen where they have a “President” of the US, there’s the seal where one expects it to be. Do we need to re-issue _Superman, Dave, Mars Attacks, An American President_ and issue cease and disist orders to _The West Wing_ and the new one (with Geena Davis as Pres)? I was thinking the same thing. I remember a tabloid TV episode explaining how they digitally added the seal to an airplane to resemble Air Force One. I’d be really curious as to what their response to this is. > [@](#): > > 1. It has recently become obvious that there is need for some sort of federal organization to administer the management of emergencies - a hypothetical ‘Federal Emergency Management Administration,’ if you will. You could spend the money on that. Oh this was especially funny! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/16 "2005-10-26T22:47:14Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > Heaven forbid that anyone should be misled into believing that President Bush endorses the statements “attributed” to him in _The Onion_. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Well, consider. Apparently some people believed the Onion’s story about 6 year old Harry Potter inspired Satanist. And these people are Bush’s core constituency. Is it a wonder he’s concerned? Right now they’re preparing for the invasion of Spain. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/17 "2005-10-26T22:52:06Z")
Heck, I’m still thinking the Astros might have been better off if Bush _had_ pitched the first five innings of Game 1. ---
**Author:** ![MysteryFellow63427](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a88e4f/32.png) [@MysteryFellow63427](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MysteryFellow63427)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/18 "2005-10-26T23:05:53Z")
> [@Steve MB](#): > > Heaven forbid that anyone should be misled into believing that President Bush endorses the statements “attributed” to him in _The Onion_. :rolleyes: :rolleyes: A Chinese newspaper with a circulation of 1.25 Million printed an Onion article as news in 2002… [http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,53048,00.html](http://www.wired.com/news/culture/0,1284,53048,00.html) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 26, 2005, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/19 "2005-10-26T23:51:26Z")
I can hardly wait for the headlines in the next edition. I have a feeling it will be one of their better efforts. I see them replacing the onion in the the logo with the holy presidential seal. ---
**Author:** ![Martin\_Hyde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/47e85d/32.png) [@Martin\_Hyde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martin_Hyde)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2005, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019/20 "2005-10-27T00:23:18Z")
I don’t think I can roll my eyes hard enough to convey my feelings here. Do you guys really think the White House did this because they had no sense of humor? That they did it because associate White House counsel Dixton gets up every morning and dreams of ways to piss off whoever he can however he can? The guy’s a lawyer, and he’s a bureaucrat, he’s following procedure. I don’t know what else you expect from a government lawyer. Believe it or not the government and it’s agents actually do take a lot of those little picky regulations seriously, and they do make a good faith effort to enforce them. The law is clear in this issue, and it’s not the first time the issue has come up. And Bush isn’t the only President that does this kind of thing, in fact Bush probably didn’t even know it was going on, this is too small for the President. I’m sure the counsel’s office just caught wind of it, and like any dutiful group of lawyer’s they informed the party involved that, “basically” they were violating the “trademark.” Eventhough the seal isn’t a trademark per se, since it’s actually more protected than trademark and it as well as other government seals are covered under a specific act of congress. All the onion had to do was request permission to use the seal and I’d say there’s actually a good chance they’d get permission as the White House traditionally hasn’t been too picky about it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/this-is-whats-wrong-with-the-white-house/328019.md?page=2)