MORE ON THAT MALIA-IN-MEXICO AIRBRUSHING EVENT:

Presidential administrations have long been protective of the first family’s minor children, and reporters in Washington have mostly observed the taboo on stories or photographs of them outside official and semi-official events. The ban on such coverage has existed through many administrations by informal agreement with the White House Correspondents’ Association, which represents the interests of journalists who cover the president.

Emphasis added by me, but thanks to the WaPo for the refreshing honesty. Meanwhile, I’ll just repeat that the Bush twins weren’t treated nearly so respectfully. The talk about decency, courtesy, and having kids of one’s own didn’t get the Palin kids much protection, either.

And I think that if we had a Republican in the White House, there’d be at least a little concern about the propriety of “scrubbing” stories from the Internet at the White House’s request.

UPDATE: Reader Matt Crandall writes: “What really bugs me is that the MSM never showed such decorum and willingness to airbrush when it came to things that might actually save lives. Like keeping mum on national security secrets during war-time, for example.” Indeed. But class loyalty trumps all for these people, and they see Obama as one of their own.

And reader Jeff Johnson snarks: “If Obama is so worried about Malia’s safety while she’s in Mexico maybe he shouldn’t have sold all of those weapons to the Mexican Drug Lords.” Good point!