This is what it looks like when the president consults with his speechwriters.
For some reason, the White House decided to release this gripping photo today, after spending the whole week leaking the gist of the speech.
The only strategy I can imagine for the advance speech-leaking and this iconic image of groupthink seems to me to be to convince even America's most earnest, civic-minded mopes that it's okay to watch the Cubs game tonight instead.
Does anybody have a better theory?
Comments (8)
Just ONCE I would like to see a SINGLE PHOTO in which this man looks like someone who is capable of leading the free world. Instead every picture I see of him makes him look like that weird dweeb from high school who everybody kept away from.
This was by the White House photog - shouldn't he of all people be trying to make the guy look good, or at the very least presidential?
Posted by Kristen | September 13, 2007 7:16 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 19:16
I prefer this photo:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6993211.stm
in which the late sheik condescends to hold out his hand for shaking, while President Bush looks like he just saw a fishing buddy across the room.
Kristen: My theory is that their theory is that the common man doesn't trust the "presidential" look. Best to look like any common doofus.
Posted by Diane | September 13, 2007 7:25 PM
Posted on September 13, 2007 19:25
Let's not overlook the obvious:
Perhaps they are trying to CLEARLY demonstrate that others wrote the speech for him to increase Dubya's ethos. After all, some posit this president hasn't had a complete, original (let alone complex) thought.
OR, it could be a futile attempt... um... to hintimate... um... that the Commander-in-Chief Guy... has practiced...and might make it... um... through a complete sentence without... stumbling... um... or making up any new words!
Posted by Vincent | September 14, 2007 3:39 PM
Posted on September 14, 2007 15:39
The guy second from the right looks like "Mr. Turkey Neck" from the FedEx commercial.
Posted by Robert J Holland, ABC | September 14, 2007 4:14 PM
Posted on September 14, 2007 16:14
Yes, there are just four white guys, but the flowers sure are colorful. You know me, I'm always looking on the bright side.
Posted by Eileen | September 15, 2007 12:38 PM
Posted on September 15, 2007 12:38
And what lusty, memorable, earthy, soulful phrase do the Four White Dudes come up with to anchor the speech?
"Return on Success."
Goosebump City.
Posted by David Murray | September 16, 2007 8:54 AM
Posted on September 16, 2007 08:54
Did you read the Atlantic piece on Gershon?
Posted by Rebecca | September 18, 2007 8:06 AM
Posted on September 18, 2007 08:06
Yes. And I wrote a column about it for Speechwriter's Newsletter. The headline was something like, "Speechwriters: SHUT UP."
I'm the editor of Speechwriter's Newsletter and I'M not interested in this inside-baseball crap between writers!
Posted by David Murray | September 20, 2007 5:54 PM
Posted on September 20, 2007 17:54