Obama Photo Album Subtly Digs GOP, Says They Asked For His Autograph

The Obama White House has put out a slideshow of 23 pictures documenting the process by which the President and Congress forged a voting coalition in support of the economic stimulus package.

And yet, looking through the album, one gets the sense that the White House photographer responsible for the package -- Peter Souza -- was trying to make a political point as much as serve as an official documentarian.

There are at least six photos in which the president is conferring either by conference, conversation or phone, with Republican officials over the past few weeks. One has the president talking in private with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell -- who passed up few opportunities to criticize the stimulus -- at the exclusive Alfalfa Club dinner in late January.

"Though [it] was a social affair," the caption reads, "the President took time out to talk with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell."

Another has Obama talking with Florida Governor Charlie Crist, a stimulus supporter, with the caption: "Gov. Charlie Crist (R-FL), one of many Republican governors who support the economic recovery package, introduces the President at a town hall in Ft. Myers, FL."

The sharpest message of the bunch, however, comes with a photo of Obama being approached by Republican lawmakers after a meeting where he pitched the economic recovery package.

"House Republicans surround the President after the meeting," the caption read. "Many of them were seeking his autograph. Every House Republican eventually voted against the bill."

(In other words: there was one piece of paper they were happy to see him sign.)

The images of bipartisan outreach don't end there. In addition to the six pictures of Obama with or talking to GOP figures, there is one of him celebrating the Super Bowl with a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers, two of him with state delegations on board Air Force One, and one of him talking to a group of centrist Blue Dog Democrats. In all, the public is treated to images of a post-partisan, gracious president who was rebuffed by the lawmakers upon whom he showered his time and niceties.

An administration official says that Souza -- who also worked for Ronald Reagan -- was responsible for the captions.

See all the photos and captions depicting Obama's Republican outreach:

• • • • • • •

Jan 27, 2009: On Capitol Hill, the President listens to a question from a member of the House Republican caucus. After the meeting, he gave some brief remarks. (All photos and captions by White House photographer Pete Souza)

Comments

[ebanks84]

The republicans are not used to crying so much and it really makes them like the worse crybabies of all times. They are slobbering at the mouth because of this bill and fit to be tied. Well, just get over it guys! Our days has finally come and it is time for us to come together for a change. We know you don't want to but eventually, you're going to have to. No republican is an island and cannot live in this country alone.

Hello!

[winstonian24]

I find it terrifying that every last post on this website is so intolerant and hateful. I had (emphasize HAD) a liberal friend who could not separate in her head her hate and bitterness of Republicans from her anger at her friends, many of which were conservative. I had to remind her that Republicans were actual human beings with souls and families and emotions. They are not mindless droids sent here to destroy liberal views.

Her idiotic rants and offensive drivel usually came in the forms of mass emails . After a while I told her never to bother contacting me again. It wasn't because she was Liberal, it was because she was so incessantly hateful and angry that any person with common sense knew hanging around her was a drag. (Kind of like the majority of you guys.)

So here's the question to all of you: would it be humanly possible for you to have a civil disagreement with someone who doesn't share your views, or does it always have to spriral into two or three word mouth vomit that any five year old could come up with?

So far, this is what I've established:

1. Republicans are always evil.
2. Republicans always hate America.
3. Republicans are always morons.
4. Repubicans never have America's interests at heart.

My father said don't use the words "never" or "always" because if you use those words you will probably not be making an accurate statement.

Just some food for thought.

[ColumbusMike]

I started to give you a flip response, but you asked a sincere question, so i'll try to give you a sincere answer.

I think the way you are feeling is the way Democrats have been feeling for many, many years. For a long time, talk radio has encouraged conservatives to speak of Democrats in disparaging terms. They call us socialists and commies; they say we hate America; they call us godless, perverted, and immoral; they say we are weak and cowardly; and on and on. They intentionally disrespect us by calling our party the "Democrat" party instead of its name, the Democratic party.

My conservative neighbors come over for dinner and refer to us as "d*mn liberals" while sitting at my table, eating my food. It's so ingrained in them, they don't even realize they've done anything offensive. And frankly, we're pretty sick of it.

So while our President is calling for us to get past all that divisiveness, it's hard. I think a lot of Democrats feel like they need to let Republicans know how it feels, before they are able to move on. My advice is tell them you've got the message.

[joycehelene]

Time to get new dinner friends I would say, I doubt if they will ever get it, why waste good food on people like that.

[ebanks84]

It doesn't feel good does it? Well, now you know how a democrat feels for being labeled a "liberal" like it's the worse disease in history.

It had to take something this outrageous to get republicans to wake up and smell the coffee. They have been so used to degrading the dems that they lost all of their sound judgment in doing so. Nothing they say now makes any sense at all other than being a "dig" on Obama. I feel sorry for you guys because it's hard to think logically when you're under somebody's foot all the time. This is just one way to forge an understanding between the two parties. And as you can see, it is still hard to accept someone else's way of thinking when you feel your way is the only way. You still have a ways to go to fully understand what is needed for all of us to come together. Keep working on it.

[VicksieDo]

LOL, they ask for his autograph after making a big deal about his celebrity status, that's soooo Repug! LOL

[MoeB]

Once again, it's as if the GOP is not aware of this little thing called technology. We have TV camera's, voice recorders, and digital camera's...these things can be used as verification that PROVES outreach did happen. Everytime I hear a GOP member scream "where's the bipartisanship?!!", I instantly remember back to a Sunday talk show segment during the GE where McCain flatly denied something, got called out on it, denied it again, then the host played the videotape of him saying it.

Nice to see that more americans are noticing that bald-faced lying is not a respectable political tactic.

[camper65]

Looks more as if he's threatening, to me. Or lecturing them on the merits of Marxism.

[bogues]

He looks Presidential to me.

[robXdion]

"Mommy, I'm scaaaaaaared!!!"

[tedmore123]

Oh, the Marxism where everyone pays taxes to pay for commonly used highways, bridges, electrical grid infrastructure, weapons, soldiers and materiel for the wars going on in Afganistan and Iraq....oh that is just SO Marxist isn't it.

[huffyjive]

wow, such wit, such outrageous wit. you really got him, you really did, wow.

[asia09]

We should read the stimulus package before we vote on it, would that be ok, LIBERALS?!

[evaesthetic]

Go ahead. I believe it's been up online for a while now.

[QuietAmerican]

You're a step behind everyone else. To catch up, go to: recovery.gov

[bogues]

Read it then, who's stopping you. The Republicans tried to pull a fast one by claiming they had not had time to read the bill before voting on it. They had nearly 3 weeks to read it. The changes that were made to the bill amounted to about 5% of the total bill. They only had to read those changes that were made. If they had not read the rest of it in the last 3 weeks, they have only themselves to blame. When was the last time the Republican party made available to the public, what they have been up to for the last eight years.

[Val49]

bogues, they probably have not read it because they don't know how to read, thats why we are all MESSED up now, what make them think after 8 years of there CRAP people would want them to fix ANYTHING, You've done ENOUGH.

[ullyses]

A few days ago aboard Air Force 1, the President was asked by a reporter about bipartisianship where the Republicans were concerned. He replied that although he is an eternal optimist, he is nobody's sap. That was refreshing to hear. During the campaign he would often say that when elected he would change the tone in Washington. That's exactly what he is attempting to do. We're in unchartered territory here. The economy, two wars, etc. etc. Even if McCain had won he, too, would have inherited a mess although in his case he belong to the party that helped it along. Be that as it may, Mr. Obama really is the right man for the job. His intelligence, his temperament, his willingness to reach out to the opposition but as he said he is nobody's sap. He will bend but he won't break. Let's all keep our President in our prayers. We didn't get in this mess overnight and we won't get out overnight. Will he stumble? Yes. Will he fall? Yes. Will he learn from those spills? Yes.Is he the right person for the job? Absolutely Yes!!!

[garymc8]

Wasn't the 108th congress, bush's last year of a locked up Judiciary, Leg. and executive, called the DO NOTHING CONGRESS? If memory serves me they came to work less than ANY congress before them. Kind of like bush on vacation 42% of the time he was in office.

[JStilabo]

How could anything get done when the GOP were blocking all legislative efforts? It's easy to say it was a Do Nothing Congress considering the GOP were holding the American people hostage, since they weren't the majority party anymore. Similar to what they are doing these days.

[StillweRise]

IF THEY WANT O's AUTOGRAPH, TELL THEM TO GET IT OFF OF A COPY OF THE BILL THEY ALL REJECTED !

[kas70]

Oh, snap!

[mcole]

lol

[Val49]

StillweRise, LOL, you got that right.

[MoeB]

ROTFLMAO!!

[ArtMaggot]

Republican National Crybabies

http://www.artmaggot.blogspot.com

[feltdizz]

Reaching out to the GOP is like reaching out at the zoo.. it always ends up being a bad idea.

They are not ready yet.

[deeppeace]

I like your imagery!

[ConservativeTim]

That is an analogy.........not imagery

[Swatantra]

I really like our new President in action.
He is so engaging and he really listens well..
Eventually, he will win the respect of the hardest Republicans, because they ultimately
must listen to their constituents upon whose votes they need to stay in office.
If they stand in the way of getting help to local communities, they'll be gone.

It really is true that all politics are local.

[Liberalforsure]

Where was the rethuglican opposition, obstructionism and outrage when they overwhelmingly supported bush and passed the corporate welfare/bailout ???????

[DocWylie]

It would appear the Republicans are racing down Whig road.

[Swatantra]

Great comment.

[Liberalforsure]

Obama tried to be inclusive yet the rethuglicans screwed him. They don't care about this country or the middle class or the environment, they have proven again and again they care about the rich only!