Michelle Not Getting Ring After Leak to Media

. Tuesday, December 2

Follow along with me and I'll walk you through a chain of events. This morning, a friend of mind explodes in a fit of rage as she's watching Fox News on TV. In a short, flippant story she sees, Obama was reported to be buying his wife a $30,000 ring for helping him win the presidency. My friend is enraged that Obama would blatantly flaunt his abundant wealth in the face of a great many people facing foreclosure, loss of jobs, worry about feeding kids with a ring priced for more than the average yearly wage in Arkansas. She said the only thing the news anchors said was, "well, it's not a surprise now." She's not the only enraged person commenting on the Internet as many others had the same reaction to this frivolous gift from a man who called himself "one of us" to win the election.

Sifting through AP, Reuters, AFP, NPR and Christian Science Monitor, I find nothing about this story. In the meantime, on another call with my friend, I have her look at Fox News too. Lo and behold, though they aired the story this morning, there is nothing on their news site about it. Digging a bit deeper, it turns out that the London Daily Mail broke the story, which was picked up by the Drudge Report, which is also aired on Fox News. (I did not verify Drudge Report or Fox News myself.)

At 6:42 p.m., the Daily Mail Online released a story in retraction after the AP released a Fact Check that said an Obama spokesman denied it, the jeweler denied it and it was all because of the Drudge Report that the story hit the waves.

Tommy Christopher, from AOL News, did his own fact check. He contacted the Obama Press Office and was told, "The story is not true, there is no $30,000.00 ring." And, when he contacted the jeweler Bosco Giovanni, his spokesman replied back with this:
I regret to inform you that because of reports so wrong and clearly different from the reality of our statements, we decided to not issue statement on this matter.

Unfortunately, we were negatively affected by read on national and foreign media news stories that have no basement[sic], and in excess of the objective reality.

I inform you that we have no intention to disseminate more information about this story.
What?

In the 'retraction' story the Daily Mail ran, it said Mr Giovanni himself told them that "Our agent in the United States was asked by Mr Barack Obama about the ring because he wants it as a thank you gift for his wife Michelle for her support the last two years."

The ring in question is called The Harmony Ring that is made from black gold (rhodium) and chipped diamonds. Ordering one now would mean a rush on the production of such a ring, but the jeweler would have it ready by Jan. 20 for Obama to present to his wife on Inauguration Day.

What strikes me about all this is that there is no denial that Obama contacted the jeweler's US agent. There is no mention of whether an order for the ring was placed. Now, having the story break in London first and mysteriously absent from US news sources has me wondering, especially since Fox News took the jump and aired it this morning then made it disappear by this afternoon.

It appears as though someone, something wants Obama protected from the media in a bad way. Even before taking office, he's gone way beyond a cigar and wet spot that got the last Democrat president impeached, and many times over. I say, follow the money trail. Besides, that's one fugly ring.

6 comments:

Paul Eilers said...

Since I read The Drudge Report, I too saw this story.

Obama is "one of us", though he is a millionaire and has never held a job in the private sector.

I have no problem with him buying his wife this ring. However, Obama and his handlers need to stop with the hypocritical phonism and the sheep need to stop drinking the kool aid.

Unknown said...

No matter the item in question, how the apparent manipulation of the media now shines through more than anything else is what has me concerned. The media is *supposed* to be the government watchdog, and this country needs the media to operate in that capacity now more than ever. The "gatekeepers" overstepped their bounds with this fiasco.

As far as the ring goes, if Mrs O wants to wear that hideous looking clunker, she's welcome to it. But, that's just my opinion.

Thanks for stopping by, Paul!

Wendy said...

Another thought is just because he inquires about something doesn't mean he's going to purchase it. He could have found out about the price tag and backpedaled quickly. Seriously, how else can you shop for a ring? The keyword here being "shop" which is not the same as "buy".

Tommy Christopher said...

The Mail story you read wasn't a retraction, just an update to the original story with Dan Pfeiffer's denial added.

Laura said...

$30,000 for a ring? Goodness gracious. Yeah, he's one of us alright. I like your new template by the way. Nice!

Unknown said...

*Wendy - You're right, under 'normal' circumstances. But, this particular jeweler is so posh that going to him is like walking into a salon - you don't shop hairdressers, you walk in the door and it's a done deal.

*Tommy - Thanks for the clarification!

*Laura - I was born on the 'wrong side of the tracks' - he sure ain't one of us! :P Thanks for the back pat on the template! I sure do like this one too.