Malia spring breaks in Mexico (1 Viewer)

[zed2283]

Link 1

Who Keeps 404ing Stories about Malia Obama’s Spring Break Trip to Mexico?

This is very curious. Stories about first daughter Malia Obama’s spring break trip to Mexico with 25 Secret Service detailed to protect her and her friends keep returning 404 errors or redirects.

Here’s Huffington Post’s link to its story about the spring break. Click on it and see where it goes: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/19/malia-obama-mexico-spring-break_n_1364063.html

Yahoo! ran a story about it. But it has since been run off. http://news.yahoo.com/obamas-daughter-spends-springbreak-mexico-145031176.html.

That Yahoo! link is redirecting to a story about something entirely unrelated.

Essence had the story. Emphasis on the past tense. http://www.essence.com/2012/03/19/malia-obama-travels-to-mexico-for-spring-break/

Even the UK Telegraph story is now off the grid. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/barackobama/9152796/Malia-Obama-guarded-by-25-Secret-Service-agents-on-spring-break-in-Mexico.html. That’s the version that Drudge was linking to.

Drudge linked to a different version, at the International Business Times, and now that story is down the 404 hole: http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/316249/20120319/malia-obama-mexico-spring-break-travel-warning.htm

The spring break trip really happened. This blog post about it hasn’t gone 404 (yet), and has several pics of Malia with her friends.

What is going on here? Is the White House trying to scrub the Internet of all stories about the first daughter’s spring break trip to Mexico?

Update: The Daily Caller now has its own post up about the disappearing story.

Link 2

AFP story on Obama daughter’s Mexico trip scrubbed from Internet

An AFP report that President Barack Obama’s 13-year-old daughter, Malia, is spending spring break in Oaxaca, Mexico appears to have been completely scrubbed from the Internet news sites that first reported it. Pictures have appeared in Mexican magazine Quién.com allegedly showing Malia visiting Oaxaca.

AFP, the French news agency, first reported around mid-day Monday that Malia Obama was vacationing in Mexico with 12 friends under the protection of 25 Secret Service agents and a number of local police officers. (RELATED: More in Politics)

The International Business Times reported that “the group arrived in Oaxaca on Saturday and reportedly visited the architectural site of Mitla.”

The Department of Public Safety, a Texas law enforcement agency, issued a warning on Tuesday against students celebrating their spring breaks in violence-torn Mexico. The Huffington Post reported that in February, the United States State Department “recommended that Americans avoid travel to all or parts of 14 or 31 Mexican states. It’s the widest travel advisory issued by the U.S. since Mexico stepped up its drug war in 2006.”

Since the story was first reported, it appears to have been scrubbed from a number of news outlets. The Huffington Post, International Business Times, The Australian, The Telegraph and Global Grind have all removed the article. AFP, which initially reported the story, now links to an unrelated story on “Sengalese superstar Youssou Ndour.”

 

[Exit 1]

I don't see what they did there.

 

[36th Chamber]

Wonder if this thread will make it?

 

[Apple Jack]

I CARE!!!!!

 

[Jackstraw]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

 

[Slapdash]

The government is censoring information? No me digas!

 

[zed2283]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

The question I have is, was this a school or church sponsored trip that Malia was allowed to go on, thus requiring the protection of the Secret Service? Or was this a taxpayer funded spring break "sleep over" for Malia and 12 of her friends?The fact that it's being wiped off the internet in the English-speaking world nudges me towards the latter.

 

[Please See Mine]

Somebody's been doing some serious reading today . . .

 

[Apple Jack]

THIS IS IMPORTANT WHAT IS MUSLIM BARRRY HIDING YOU ARE SHEEP WITH HEAD IN SAND ALL PART OF SOCIALISM AGENDA FROM THIS NON_AMERICAN GO FILL OUT A BRAKET HAHAHAHAHAHA

 

[GroveDiesel]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

Probably would do a better job of protecting them if he didn't send them to countries that the State Department has on the do not travel list.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

THIS IS IMPORTANT WHAT IS MUSLIM BARRRY HIDING YOU ARE SHEEP WITH HEAD IN SAND ALL PART OF SOCIALISM AGENDA FROM THIS NON_AMERICAN GO FILL OUT A BRAKET HAHAHAHAHAHA

lol

 

[Jackstraw]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

The question I have is, was this a school or church sponsored trip that Malia was allowed to go on, thus requiring the protection of the Secret Service? Or was this a taxpayer funded spring break "sleep over" for Malia and 12 of her friends?The fact that it's being wiped off the internet in the English-speaking world nudges me towards the latter.

Or a third option is a petty political attack. UNPOSSIBLE!Crank up the faux outrage machine! Unleash the hounds!

 

[Jackstraw]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

Probably would do a better job of protecting them if he didn't send them to countries that the State Department has on the do not travel list.

I have a feeling he's got it covered yo.

 

[beaux]

Sidwell School's spring break is March 23 through April 2...

http://www.sidwell.edu/calendars/month.aspx?StartDate=3%2F1%2F2012&ModuleID=328%3A374%3A376%3A368%3A459&ClassID=&pageaction=ViewPublicBlock

Obama’s own State Dept has updated and expanded the Mexico Travel advisory (on 2/8/12) to restrict government employees and their families from travel...

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5665.html

If there is a travel advisory to Mexico, why would Obama let his child go there?

 

[zed2283]

Somebody's been doing some serious reading today . . .

And it's all being captured in the government databanks. If I disappear from the FFA one day, you'll know what happened.

 

[GroveDiesel]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

Probably would do a better job of protecting them if he didn't send them to countries that the State Department has on the do not travel list.

I have a feeling he's got it covered yo.

There are tons of foreign countries that are perfectly safe. Why he would choose to send his daughter to a country that our own State Department discourages travel to is not only strange, but sends a conflicting message to the public. Or maybe just a message that the same rules just don't apply to him and his family. And I would assume that the amount of security required to go to a country on the do not travel list would be more than required on a trip to Florida or California.Ultimately it's not really a big deal, but it does show a lack of judgement and/or arrogance.

 

[Joe Summer]

Obama’s own State Dept has updated and expanded the Mexico Travel advisory (on 2/8/12) to restrict government employees and their families from travel...http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5665.htmlIf there is a travel advisory to Mexico, why would Obama let his child go there?

Because it's just an "advisory", not a restriction.

 

[Slapdash]

The government is censoring information? No me digas!

I was only slightly sarcastic.....this type of stuff should matter to people.

 

[beaux]

Obama’s own State Dept has updated and expanded the Mexico Travel advisory (on 2/8/12) to restrict government employees and their families from travel...http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_5665.htmlIf there is a travel advisory to Mexico, why would Obama let his child go there?

Because it's just an "advisory", not a restriction.

Well I guess we all can't travel to Mexico with 25 secret service agents at our hip...

 

[Apple Jack]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

Probably would do a better job of protecting them if he didn't send them to countries that the State Department has on the do not travel list.

I have a feeling he's got it covered yo.

There are tons of foreign countries that are perfectly safe. Why he would choose to send his daughter to a country that our own State Department discourages travel to is not only strange, but sends a conflicting message to the public. Or maybe just a message that the same rules just don't apply to him and his family. And I would assume that the amount of security required to go to a country on the do not travel list would be more than required on a trip to Florida or California.Ultimately it's not really a big deal, but it does show a lack of judgement and/or arrogance.

It's a big country and there are areas that are dangerous and areas that are relatively safe. The advisory is in response to the areas that are dangerous. It doesn't mean that everywhere in Mexico is unsafe. And the secret service is usually pretty good about keeping their protectees protected. Ultimately, who cares?

 

[NCCommish]

The government is censoring information? No me digas!

I was only slightly sarcastic.....this type of stuff should matter to people.

This is really just a continuation of the Obama's keeping their kids out of the news. And it seems to me that this is actually about security. Last thing you really want is some narco type with the daughter of the Presidents schedule.

 

[Steve Tasker]

Hopefully they hire Sinbad to play the part of the Secret Service officer in First Kid 2.

 

[Slapdash]

The government is censoring information? No me digas!

I was only slightly sarcastic.....this type of stuff should matter to people.

This is really just a continuation of the Obama's keeping their kids out of the news. And it seems to me that this is actually about security. Last thing you really want is some narco type with the daughter of the Presidents schedule.

I don't think they should be able to take down news for any reason really.

 

[pittstownkiller]

The government is censoring information? No me digas!

I was only slightly sarcastic.....this type of stuff should matter to people.

This is really just a continuation of the Obama's keeping their kids out of the news. And it seems to me that this is actually about security. Last thing you really want is some narco type with the daughter of the Presidents schedule.

I don't think they should be able to take down news for any reason really.

I am certainly uncomfortable about it.

 

[Brock Middlebrook]

Breaking news. President protects his family!

 

[NCCommish]

The government is censoring information? No me digas!

I was only slightly sarcastic.....this type of stuff should matter to people.

This is really just a continuation of the Obama's keeping their kids out of the news. And it seems to me that this is actually about security. Last thing you really want is some narco type with the daughter of the Presidents schedule.

I don't think they should be able to take down news for any reason really.

Well I'm not big on one size fits every situation. In general I am all for the free flow of information and the disinfectant of the light of day. When we talk about the business of government I am going to be for letting it all hang out and generally against any news scrubbing. In specific cases I can be convinced of the need for securing that info. In this case I'm OK with a news blackout.

 

[Apple Jack]

Has anybody come forward and said that they were forced to remove a story?

 

[NCCommish]

Has anybody come forward and said that they were forced to remove a story?

It's pretty clear this is driven by the admin. I am sure they asked nice but I am also sure everyone understood what not helping could mean. Like a loss of access.

 

[Zegras11]

Link still up

 

[Apple Jack]

Has anybody come forward and said that they were forced to remove a story?

It's pretty clear this is driven by the admin. I am sure they asked nice but I am also sure everyone understood what not helping could mean. Like a loss of access.

Right. But if nobody has claimed they were forced to remove a story, what is the issue here? I'll bet they're already out of there, fwiw.

 

[Zegras11]

Yep, they asked them to take them down

Freedom of the press rules!!

 

[Apple Jack]

"Asked." Until it's "forced them to take down" there is nothing to see here. Washington has been "asking" the press to withhold stories for as long as there has been a Washington.

 

[Slapdash]

"Asked." Until it's "forced them to take down" there is nothing to see here. Washington has been "asking" the press to withhold stories for as long as there has been a Washington.

When the White House "asks", they aren't really asking.

 

[NCCommish]

"Asked." Until it's "forced them to take down" there is nothing to see here. Washington has been "asking" the press to withhold stories for as long as there has been a Washington.

When the White House "asks", they aren't really asking.

Yeah I would agree with that.

 

[E Street Brat]

Spring break in mexico, for a 13 year old?

 

[Apple Jack]

Spring break in mexico, for a 13 year old?

It's a school trip. Sidwell Friends is a fancy private school, and as somebody who also went to a fancy DC area private school, I can tell you that it's normal. Our school had trips to Europe and Mexico, not to mention a junior year study abroad program. We're not talking about her going to Cancun with a bunch of skanks.

 

[GroveDiesel]

"Asked." Until it's "forced them to take down" there is nothing to see here. Washington has been "asking" the press to withhold stories for as long as there has been a Washington.

When the White House "asks", they aren't really asking.

Yeah I would agree with that.

Of course they are. The news agencies know that there's little chance that the government could FORCE them to take down the stories. But they know that they'll lose preferential access that the White House allows. So they choose to do the bidding of the White House in order to continue to have the privilege to run the stories the White House wants them to run. It's not worth fighting over a story like this, but it does show that the idea of the press being the ones that hold the government accountable and being an independent crusading entity is a farce. They make token gestures at being that every once in a while, but largely they serve the almighty dollar and whatever political interests they align themselves with.

 

[zed2283]

Spring break in mexico, for a 13 year old?

It's a school trip. Sidwell Friends is a fancy private school, and as somebody who also went to a fancy DC area private school, I can tell you that it's normal. Our school had trips to Europe and Mexico, not to mention a junior year study abroad program. We're not talking about her going to Cancun with a bunch of skanks.

If it's a school trip, then I have much less problem with it.Still don't like everyone being asked to pull the story, even though I understand the "privacy" concerns.

 

[Apple Jack]

"Asked." Until it's "forced them to take down" there is nothing to see here. Washington has been "asking" the press to withhold stories for as long as there has been a Washington.

When the White House "asks", they aren't really asking.

Yeah I would agree with that.

Of course they are. The news agencies know that there's little chance that the government could FORCE them to take down the stories. But they know that they'll lose preferential access that the White House allows. So they choose to do the bidding of the White House in order to continue to have the privilege to run the stories the White House wants them to run. It's not worth fighting over a story like this, but it does show that the idea of the press being the ones that hold the government accountable and being an independent crusading entity is a farce. They make token gestures at being that every once in a while, but largely they serve the almighty dollar and whatever political interests they align themselves with.

No, it just means the press, like everybody else, pick and choose their battles. Potentially putting the 13 year old daughter of the President at risk is not worth losing (or gaining) access to the President and obtaining getting leaks down the road.

 

[NCCommish]

"Asked." Until it's "forced them to take down" there is nothing to see here. Washington has been "asking" the press to withhold stories for as long as there has been a Washington.

When the White House "asks", they aren't really asking.

Yeah I would agree with that.

Of course they are. The news agencies know that there's little chance that the government could FORCE them to take down the stories. But they know that they'll lose preferential access that the White House allows. So they choose to do the bidding of the White House in order to continue to have the privilege to run the stories the White House wants them to run. It's not worth fighting over a story like this, but it does show that the idea of the press being the ones that hold the government accountable and being an independent crusading entity is a farce. They make token gestures at being that every once in a while, but largely they serve the almighty dollar and whatever political interests they align themselves with.

When I ask you to do something with the implied threat of loss of your livelyhood if you don't, I'm not really asking.

 

[Captain Quinoa]

The government is censoring information? No me digas!

I was only slightly sarcastic.....this type of stuff should matter to people.

This is really just a continuation of the Obama's keeping their kids out of the news. And it seems to me that this is actually about security. Last thing you really want is some narco type with the daughter of the Presidents schedule.

I don't think they should be able to take down news for any reason really.

Well I'm not big on one size fits every situation. In general I am all for the free flow of information and the disinfectant of the light of day. When we talk about the business of government I am going to be for letting it all hang out and generally against any news scrubbing. In specific cases I can be convinced of the need for securing that info. In this case I'm OK with a news blackout.

why it gotta be a blackout? why not a whiteout?

 

[Joe Summer]

Still don't like everyone being asked to pull the story, even though I understand the "privacy" concerns.

How would it work in your ideal world?

 

[roadkill1292]

Still don't like everyone being asked to pull the story, even though I understand the "privacy" concerns.

How would it work in your ideal world?

I'll jump in and say that the news outlets should have the good graces to back the #### off without being asked.

 

[Buck Bradcanon]

as somebody who also went to a fancy DC area private school, I can tell you that it's normal. Our school had trips to Europe and Mexico, not to mention a junior year study abroad program.

Well excuuuuuuse me Mr. Fancypants.

 

[zed2283]

Still don't like everyone being asked to pull the story, even though I understand the "privacy" concerns.

How would it work in your ideal world?

I don't think there is enough character space in this window.But just to start things off there would be a college playoff system.

 

[otello]

Earthquake in Acapulco. 7.9, per msnbc.

 

[JaxBill]

How far is Oaxaca from Acapulco?

7.9-Magnitude Earthquake Reported Near Acapulco in Mexico

 

[Apple Jack]

How far is Oaxaca from Acapulco?

7.9-Magnitude Earthquake Reported Near Acapulco in Mexico

Far enough.

 

[Wrighteous Ray]

We're not talking about her going to Cancun with a bunch of skanks.

Where's the thread with the skanks?

 

[Yankee23Fan]

We all want "better" people to run for office, but then we do this to their families. This is one of the reasons why some "better" people don't run for office. Why put your family through it?