No More Obama Endorsements

Algonquin was hoping to include a quote from President Obama on the book jacket of Hard Work: A Life On and Off the Court, a memoir by University of North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams. The quote, which lauded Williams’s coaching abilities, was part of a statement made by the President during a campaign stop last year. Algonquin removed the quote from the design of the book jacket after its legal team concluded that “sitting presidents cannot make commercial endorsements.” The White House press office confirmed the conclusion: “As a general matter, the White House does not authorize the use of the President’s likeness or words for commercial purposes.” Hard Work is scheduled for publication in November.