As Kristinn Taylor wrote last week at Big Government:
Richard Nixon had advertising executive H.R. Haldeman; Ronald Reagan had image master Mike Deaver; Barack Obama has public relations guru David Axelrod.
All three men understood the power of visuals in communicating the strengths of the presidents they served on the campaign trail and in the office of the presidency.
I don’t know where David Axelrod has been since President Obama began his ten-day Christmas vacation in Hawaii, but it is safe to say he is goofing off as much as his boss.
Apparently Francis Ford Coppola is subbing for Axelrod this week. Found via Hot Air (who’s having a caption contest) and Instapundit, the White House actually published this photo on their Flickr page, as Ed Morrissey notes. My first thought glancing at it, is that it makes it appear as though the nation is being governed by the cast of The Godfather — and that possibly, Joe Biden’s about to sleep with the fishes:
“Can you get me off the hook, Barry…For old time’s sake?”
“Can’t do it, Joe.”
Update: Ann Althouse explores the semiotics of the above photo and notes, “People who like Obama are blinded to the way other people see him”:
“Damn, Obama looks like James Bond in this picture.”
Says a commenter at the White House Flickr site. Is that what you see? Keep in mind that this is a picture the WH selected and had to have thought flattered the President and furthered his interests.
People who like Obama are blinded to the way other people see him. This picture strongly says cool to people who love him, but it doesn’t read that way to others… including the many, many people who don’t even want a cool President.
Photo via Instapundit, who has a closeup of the facial expression. The main thing I see when I look at that face is: He’s tired.
What’s he thinking now? Oh, my God, I’m only one-quarter through this thing. And they’re going to expect me to campaign again too? Bleh!
Prediction (longshot): Obama will not run for reelection. How can he do it? He can be all…
… I should not permit the Presidency to become involved in the partisan divisions that are developing… With America’s sons in the fields far away, with America’s future under challenge right here at home, with our hopes and the world’s hopes for peace in the balance every day, I do not believe that I should devote an hour or a day of my time to any personal partisan causes or to any duties other than the awesome duties of this office — the Presidency of your country. Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.
It can happen. It’s happened. The man is tired and it’s a way to get above it all. And that’s the other thing I see in that face: He’s tired and he’s floating above it all.
The Bond comparison is interesting; it dovetails somewhat into Karl Rove’s early public take on Obama, from mid-2008:
“Even if you never met him, you know this guy,” Rove said, per Christianne Klein. “He’s the guy at the country club with the beautiful date, holding a martini and a cigarette that stands against the wall and makes snide comments about everyone who passes by.”
Between the bitter clingers line in 2008 and the tea bagging slur last year, he’s certainly lived up to the last half of that equation.
Update (1/5/10): Welcome Instapundit and Fox Nation readers!
What I heard today while visiting my mother in a nursing home tops them all.
A man visiting another woman stated Obama was made president by God so he could straghten out this country.
And to think we wasted our time voting when it was pre-ordained.
First, his expression drips disdain for the object of his stare. This is comforting, in that it suggests Obama at least recognizes his VPTOUS is a buffoon. But, of course, it’s very discomfiting in that it confirms that Obama has disdain not only for Biden, but for the office of VPOTUS. His major criteria in choice of a VP seems to have been: find someone so inept and ridiculous that people will never, ever, ever think it would be better if the POTUS were replaced by the VPOTUS.
But, second, I agree that Obama looks tired. And no wonder — this is the first real job he’s ever held where he couldn’t turn over the real work to others while sitting back and reaping credit and glory from his adoring public. When you think about it, this is the first job he’s ever had that actually involved real, unavoidable accountability for him. He can’t handle the pressure, and the MSM’s chants of “Behold,a god, not a man” are finally becoming ineffectual.
“I don’t care if you ARE my Vice President, my dance card is FULL!”
“Fredo, you’re my older brother and I love ya. But don’t ever take sides with anyone against the family again, ever.” with that Obama kissed Joe on the forehead and sends him on a ” fishing trip”.
I think conservatives are very profound. No important issue escapes them. This is the most important photo ever and shows that Obama will never run again and the GOP will hold all 100 Senate Seats and all 435 House members will be very very conservative Republicans who pledge their allegiance to Glenn Beck.
Obama’s reign of terror is coming to an end and you conservatives are really smart.
For example, did you know “semiotics” is something that even Derrida was interested in? That makes Professor Althouse not just an againg bimbo wannaba Obama Hater, but also quite a smart gal.
And everyone knows Professor Reynolds is not just an Independent and probably a Liberal who has had his Popeye Moment, but also a smart feller, a real smart feller. Especially trapped in his bathtub and elevators.
Long Live The Intellectual Giants of The Right!!!
Obama: Boo!!!
GOP: Hoo Ray!!!
“Oh no. Him again.”
I don’t see the fatigue in President Obama’s expression; only the distain.
tomcj, your screed would have more impact if you were to use a spell checker (“againg bimbo wannaba”). Or lay off the bong a bit.
@tomcj,
Is that your lame attempt at humor or lame attempt at demonstrating your intellectual superiority? In either case you’ve certainly demonstrated you cannot achieve lame. Even more interesting is that idiots like you stupidly assume that a crappy photo posted by the Office of the President on the White House Flickr page is more than what it is. It is not like you and yours have been devoting any attention to the repeated failures of your messiah. It is not like you and yours have been devoting any attention to the rampant corruption in your precedent’s administration. It is not like you and yours have been devoting any attention to your precedent’s failures in fighting terrorism. All your precedent has done so far is talk and idiots like you stupidly believe that equates to action. Which only proves that you’re the cowardly thieves we have been claiming you are all along.
I do not think that Mr. Obama ever really thought the position through. I believe he wanted the perks of the Presidency. He wanted the big jet and the helos, the armor plated limo and all those people at his beck and call. But I do not think he ever thought of the sixteen and twenty hour days, the dozens of decisions every day, the grinding monotony of dozens and dozens of briefs to read and never a chance to just go off by himself and just relax.
This is Mr. Obama’s very first job where he is expected to show results and not just a couple times a week, either. Day after day, seven days a week and people actually can die if he gets it wrong.
This image is a terrific piece of work for whoever shot it: the lighting, the composition, the inherent drama of the shot…Nice going, whoever you are.
However the picture does not reflect positively on the subjects depicted.
Selecting Biden as hisVp was the first time that Obama gave us the finger. For anyone to have pretended, as the media and certain democrats did, that Biden brought anything of value to the ticket was clearly nothing but a mask for the upraised middle digit Obama was displaying to one and all.
Obama looks like a member of The Nation Of Islam, but with a fatter and more crooked bowtie.
Obama’s got a festering problem on the left as well. Living with liberals it has come to my attention they are no happy with the sellout of the public option in favor of the insurance companies.
I’ll be interested to see if this gets to be a problem.
“Aren’t those guys ever going to finish dessert so I can go home?”
Obama’s got a festering problem on the left as well. Living with liberals it has come to my attention they are not happy with the sellout of the public option in favor of the insurance companies.
I’ll be interested to see if this gets to be a problem.
Obama and Joe look like the Chicago mob because Obama is controlled by the Chicago mob. Pictures don’t lie.
Criminy, the waitstaff at that restaurant is getting a little long in the tooth, no?
Obama will run again – and desperately. I predict that – be it after one term or two – he will be history’s MOST unhappy ex-President. (Actually, I predict total mental melt down – and that at a level which can not be concealed even by his most devoted media.)
what i see is the smug ‘superiority’ of the classic narcissist. he looks down his nose to everyone and his crossed-arms indicate that nobody, including his vp, can tell him anything that can pierce his self-contained wonderfulness.
however, it’s amusing to note that, even after his moving and, of course, historic denouncement of the cheap and false patriotism of doing so, that he has a flag pinned to his tuxedo.
I agree with el polacko. And I also wonder if Michelle is raving about how we keep raising the bar for her poor widdle Bawwy.
The amazing part – Obama is shorter than Biden, but he still looks down on him.
An interesting explanation is that Obama is either high or drunk on this picture…
Anyway, I am liking Obama more and more – he is essentially fullfilling my prediction – he is fundamentally changing this country, from center-right to extreme right. Read my predictions from November 2008:
http://hyphenatedamericans.blogspot.com/2008/11/i-can-live-with-obama_02.html
“You know, sir, now that you’ve let me see you up close, I was right: you are the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking guy!”
More like Pussy Galore.
I see a guy who smoked a little ‘too much weed’, and doesn’t give a sh*t. His crossed arms demonstrate in my opinion, he’s pretty pissed, that his ‘halo’ is gone, and all it’s left is this charlatan for all to see.
“12. Peter:This is Mr. Obama’s very first job where he is expected to show results and not just a couple times a week, either. Day after day, seven days a week and people actually can die if he gets it wrong.”
Truer words were never spoken…2009 was the deadliest year for Americans in Afghanistan, and with the deaths of four servicemen in a roadside bomb today, and eight dead CIA men over the weekend, 2010 will be even deadlier. Meanwhile back at the party President Cool needs some ice in his drink.
“Maybe if I pretend to be asleep, he will just go away.”
Jeez, you’re right Mr. President, I keep forgetting! It’s the Nobel Peace Prize, not the NotBush Appease Prize.
Joe Biden is saying that we have to pay more attention to the military in Afgan that are trying hard to not get killed while you take your sweet time sending replacements! (And we already know Obama thinks our military just air raids villages and kills civilians for fun!) This guy is the biggest embarrassment to our country in our history!