Carter-Meshaal photo blackout

The Carter-Meshaal photo blackout continues to baffle.

This post-meeting photo of Carter's limo was the only one I could find...it was taken by a Hussein Malla and credited to the Associated Press.

So clearly there were photographers in the area...but oddly, no photos of a four hour Carter-Meshaal meeting...or of a handshake.

It would have been a Hamas dream to have such a photo, so it is likely that Carter himself nixed the photographers. Did Jimmy Carter worry that such a photo would bring shame to him, or his political party? Did he think McCain would use it in the general election? Did someone ask him to nix the photographers?

Bruce

The AP uses the following caption for the above photo:

A member of Hamas security stands guards in front the vehicle of the former U.S president Jimmy Carter, partially seen behind the driver, as he leaves after his meeting with Hamas political leader Khaled Mashaal, at his office in Damascus, Syria, Friday April 18, 2008.

Carter defied U.S. and Israeli warnings and met Friday with the exiled leader of Hamas and the militant group's deputy chief, two men Washington labels as global terrorists and Israel accuses of masterminding suicide bombings and kidnappings.

Carter's 4-hour meeting with Mashaal was the first public contact between a prominent American figure and Hamas officials since the Rev. Jesse Jackson met with Mashaal in Syria in 2006.
(AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

Below is a photo from the Jesse Jackson-Meshaal meeting in 2006...although it looks suspicious, Reverend Jackson is probably not picking his nose: