Photo (Less) Hog

For most of the Presidency of Barack Obama, a common complaint from his critics has been that he takes to many photo ops.  He is always using any chance to get a photo op.

On it’s face, this is a pretty stupid criticism.  All Presidents show up for photo ops.  Even 9/11 was a photo op for Bush (note the number of heroic shots of Bush posing with rescue workers).  It is kind of something presidents do.  To condemn one for taking photo ops makes you look like an idiot.

But the real humor is to be found in the response to last week’s march in France.  About forty world leaders appeared and walked arm in arm.  But where was President Barack Obama?!  Outrage!  He missed a photo op…it makes us look bad.  Yes.  Our world leader with a spotty freedom of speech record failed to march arm in arm with other leaders with equally spotty freedom of speech records.  Travesty.

Would it have made us “look good”?  Maybe.  It is not like the President was silent on the issue.  You would think he had ignored it based on the faux outrage over “America not being there”.

So, <sarcasm> SHAME ON OUR PHOTO OP LOVING PRESIDENT FOR NOT SHOWING UP FOR A SELF AGGRANDIZING PHOTO OP MOMENT!!!!</sarcasm>