As Barack Obama's campaign transitions from Democratic frontrunner to nominee, his team is ratcheting down control over the candidate's public image and media access to him. But yesterday's revelation that Obama campaign volunteers prohibited two Muslim women wearing headscarves from sitting behind him at a rally underscores the challenges facing the nation's first black nominee, writes the New York Times.
The Obama campaign recently barred cameras from a major meeting among African-American civic leaders, and kept religious figures Obama met from speaking to the press. Political operatives on both sides are impressed with the discipline, especially as the McCain campaign has faced ridicule for a lax approach. But national media recently voiced disapproval over the campaign's "deceiving the press corps." (More Barack Obama stories.)