No words. Just dig on it...

[MrScorpio]

[secondwind]

1. President Cool

[brer cat]

3. +1. nt

[sheshe2]

2. Thanks MrScorpio!

[bearssoapbox]

4. Okay

[DebJ]

5. Looks like his right hand is holding an invisible cigarette, LOL. n/t

[Logical]

21. gross nt

[lillypaddle]

6. Cool!

kick

[asjr]

7. At first glance I thought his arm

was in a sling.

[Sanity Claws]

8. Is he practicing a speech?

That's my guess.

Does anyone know?

[frylock]

10. GQ

[polichick]

33. That's what came to mind for me too.

[steve2470]

11. great pic, thanks ! nt

[warrior1]

12. So handsome

Thanks MrScorpio.

[kelliekat44]

13. Stop, i think you are inciting more hate...nt

[freshwest]

14. He's got style! Love it, thanks. n/t

[Avalux]

15. I am looking forward to what he does after he leaves office...

I have a feeling he will be able to do more then. BTW, I'm going to OFA training on Saturday to learn how to become a community organizer.

[Martin Eden]

16. Cult of Personality?

I mean, seriously, why would you find that photograph impressive in any way?

There are multitudes of attractive, suave-looking people. Which says nothing about the important qualities of a president.

Sincerely, I don't understand threads like this.

I voted for Obama twice and would support him again against any Republican and many Democrats, so I'm not saying this as an Obama basher.

[MrScorpio]

19. Interesting question

Actually, I posted the pic strictly for its aesthetic value. I thought that the composition of both the subject and the surroundings were notable enough to share. It seems, from the reaction, the pic is being appreciated for that alone.

But I wonder, if I had posted this pic:



or even this one:



Would there be any presumption that I'm trying to express cults of personality for either Bill Clinton or for JFK in any way?

And I'm not asking you this as an anti-Obama basher, but as someone who can appreciate a pic for its artistic value.

[Martin Eden]

25. OK, I understand your reason for posting the pic

Personally I don't think it has much aesthetic value, but that sort of thing is very subjective. The pic has no real political context, other than the room he's in. Would a similar pic of an anonymous man have equal aesthetic value?

Regarding the 2 pics you posted in response, I would assume the reason is you (or someone you know) is with Bill Clinton. The JFK pic would need some context to provide meaning for a stand-alone post, such as a story with the other man in the pic.

[MrScorpio]

26. Well, let's say that point would have been that I just thought these were two just cool pics...

Of either Prez and that's why I would have posted them. Still, I'm wondering, had I done that, whether or not there would be any presumption that I'm trying to promote a cult of personality about them.

And as to the pic of President Obama, clearly the pic has political context, by the mere fact that he's the President of the US, in the White House, and in the midst of his duties. I'm presuming that the picture itself was taken by was WH staff photographer, of whom as you know, takes pictures of the President while he's in the White House in the midst of his duties on a daily basis. But is the mere fact that he's alone somehow excluding any political context from the photo, in your opinion? Or is it that any aesthetic quality of the pic somehow subverts its political value?

What intrigues me about your point here is that you're saying that the pic really has no real political context, but somehow it can be used as an instrument to promote a cult of personality about the President. Aren't those contradictory positions on your part?

Lastly, I do agree with you that aesthetic value is subjective. However, had he been an ordinary guy, striking a similar pose, I wouldn't have posted it here. I figure that you already know that.

But for some reason here, there's either some problem with me posting a nice pic of the Prez that I liked, or that I'm promoting some kind of ulterior fan boy motive.

But can't a nice pic of the Prez simply be a nice pic of the Prez?

[Martin Eden]

31. Sure, a nice pic can be nothing more than a nice pic.

But I still think there's an element of fan boy to it.

To answer the question in your 3rd paragraph, the pic lacks political context beyond the obvious fact the subject is POTUS. It is also obvious that a "cult of personality" is associated with the notoriety of a person who is head of state or has some other claim to fame. My point about political context is a lack of context beyond those obvious points.

Oh well, no big deal. I just don't see the point of gushing over the president unless it was for some kind of accomplishment.

[Glimmer of Hope]

17. Effortlessly cool.

[Liberal_in_LA]

18. nice pic

[Rex]

20. Very comfortable. So much better than Nervous George running around with a live hand grenade.

Erp.

[Whisp]

28. Those feral, dead eyes...

ugh!

[Logical]

22. Better than any alternative. n-t

[Control-Z]

23. Nice. Very nice.

Our president must make the photographers' job easy. So naturally photogenic and, not to mention, cool!

Imagine. Your job assignment is to photograph President Obama. Or your assignment could be to photograph McCain, Bush (any of them), Santorum, Gingrich, Paul (either one), Walker, Ryan, Cruz...

[Number23]

24. Gorgeous room, excellent attire, perfect stance

Too cool for GD, that's for sure.

[Whisp]

27. wow. :)

What a handsome and cool guy. People make fun of me 'adoring' him and some people call him a piece of shit, but man, this guy has it. You'd be a damn fool not to see it.

[llmart]

29. It's called charisma.

I remember how people talked about President Clinton and how he had such charisma - that every time he walked into a room, you could just feel it. Well, I actually think President Obama has more charisma than Clinton did, and yes, I agree that Clinton had it, but Obama has more.

The entire Obama family has class and charisma and they all seem to be very balanced in their lives in spite of all that goes on around them. This is the sort of person I want as my President, not some beady eyed, sophomoric idiot like Bush was or his broomstick-up-her-butt, Laura, or the drunken twins.

[egduj]

30. He does look the part.

[Iggo]

32. Damn, he's smooth. (n/t)