Wailing Wall Press Release

There was a shared sense of distaste toward the press and the invasive exam our American Presidential candidates are undergoing among pundits and citizens on both the left and the right these past few days. Senator Obama, in a visit to the Wailing Wall, adorned in traditional skull cap and with measured solemnity, placed his message to his God into the crevices of the great stone relic, his personal expression of his faith. His prayer, private and solemn.

Such is the tradition at the wall. The site is sacred, a real as well as spiritual rock, an edifice upon which millions of small voices have cried out for help, for solace, for guidance, or for peace. When Senator Obama's prayer, therefore, was stolen and published in an Israeli paper, it was an affront to all those voices. The theft of a soul's missive was a sacrilege. The press has gone too far, we have all gone too far. It made a compelling topic for the news, the blogs, the water-cooler.

Only, it seems the tale is not what it may first have seemed. According to The New Republic (via RedState.com's Erick Erickson), Senator Obama's campaign released the note to the press in the first place. The prayer, you see, was orchestrated.

From the article:

Barack Obama's note was approved for publication in the international media even before he put in the Kotel [Western Wall], a short time after he wrote it at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem.

The note itself was not controversial of course. In fact it reflected quite favorably on the Senator. Naturally. TNR's The Plank wonders if anything is sacred anymore. RedState's Erickson points out that the Obama campaign has not really denied they leaked the prayer in advance, only that it wasn't "approved" for publication. A flat denial would be hard to believe anyway.

Recently, Senator Obama opted not to visit the wounded troops convalescing at Landstuhl when faced with the prospect of doing so without his press entourage and campaign trappings. No photo op, no tour stop. The troops should take comfort, though. Jewish tradition says a prayer at the Western Wall is like a prayer before the "Throne of Glory." It seems that Heaven gets no favors over Landstuhl. Senator Obama's prayer went through channels, and made a press stop on the way to the Throne.