Will we see lèse majesté if journalists stop fawning over Obama?

What would happen if American journalists started being critical of Obama instead of bowing at his feet? Will lèse majesté come into play as it has in other countries?

Lèse majesté is an offence against the dignity of a monarch or other head of state. It differs from outright censorship in that it is often presented as libel, or as a personal offense against a head of State, rather than as a pure free speech issue.

It is often used to silence those who express an “inconvenient truth” against a head of state.

Regular citizens as well as reporters can be prosecuted for this crime.

To avoid the stigma of censorship, some governments have chosen to prosecute reporters under lèse majesté rather than under press reporting laws.

Could it happen here? Don’t bet against it!