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February 2, 2011

Egypt Uprising: Reuters’ Saint Obama

By Michael Shaw

With the President pressing Mubarak to begin “an orderly transition” from power, is this Reuters photo illustrating a Reuters article actually calling out Obama for sanctimony? With all hell breaking out in Tahrir Square today, the Administration being cautious not to make any immediate demands, and the U.S. not shelling out $2 bil a year to a corrupt autocrat for nothing, what else could be the motive in framing Obama as either saint or savior?

…One thumb up for a great halo shot, though.

(h/t: marc and jason)

(photo: Reuters/Larry Downing caption: President Barack Obama pauses as he speaks to the media following televised remarks made by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in the Grand Foyer of the White House in Washington, February 1, 2011. From: U.S. seeks change, not asking Mubarak to go now | Reuters.)

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  • Vvoter

    Does a photog who finds him/herself aligned with the President’s cranium and an elevated seal actually proceed snapping pictures while thinking of ways to (in this case) frame the prez as sanctimonious?

    No matter; it’s the impression that has saliency. And if the immediate impression here gets imprinted by the halo imagery, then the ancillary impression is marked by a portrait of chagrin, vexation, displeasure, defeat? – attitudes we typically disassociate from saintly resolve.

    A steaming pile of geopolitical sh*t has fallen into Obama’s lap, and this photograph does very little to conceal what can rightly be acknowledged as an appropriate reaction to that pile. I almost feel bad for the guy.

  • john

    The halo shot has been done before with that round campaign symbol he used in 2008.

  • http://www.serr8d.blogspot.com serr8d

    It’d been better if BHO were not looking so glum. We expect our saints and saviors to seem uplifted and somewhat hopeful. He looks like he’s depressed.

    Time for a vacation.

    • thumz’n bot’eyez

      ‘…unconshuspilot2grouncontrol..’

  • http://witter.com/mwaage Margaret Waage

    I thought this image and similar(s) on AP funny actually. Serendipitous actually but if you didn’t feel particularly pro Obama it could be a problem!

  • David

    What happened to “sooner rather than later” and “right now.” Obama has made a fool of himself. He keeps trying to determine which way popular sentiment is going and then makes his proclamation only to see the sentiment change. He has no moral compass only a political one.

  • omen

    all hell is breaking loose and this is the image that captured you?

  • woid

    My first reaction, before looking again: somebody photoshopped an afro on Obama.

  • mermer

    Many people who are successful in these new paradigms that can be adapted to find the fastest, or the new ones come to realize that.

  • Kartal evden eve nakliyat

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