White House contender Barack Obama will no longer be using a campaign seal that critics called an arrogant imitation of the US president's official emblem, according to reports today.

The seal was first seen on Friday at a meeting between Obama and Democratic state governors, causing tongues to wag owing to its close resemblance to the eagle logo displayed on the lectern whenever the president speaks in public.

The Obama seal had the same bald eagle clutching arrows and an olive branch, denoting war and peace, but inserted the words "Vero possumus" - a loose Latin translation of the Democrat's campaign slogan "Yes, we can."

One Obama aide told Fox News that the widely panned seal was intended as a one-off for Friday's event. But Atlantic.com reported that the candidate himself felt the image had been a "silly mistake."

An Obama spokesman could not be reached for comment.

The seal was greeted with universal derision by US media, and the campaign of Republican candidate John McCain called it "laughable, ridiculous, preposterous and revealing all at the same time."

AFP