Reading The Pictures: Laura Doing A Little Projection With White House Christmas Card?
It seems Laura Bush is feeling pretty wounded these days about Dubya's legacy -- according, at least, to two current monumental gestures.
On Monday, we had the photo-op of the couple in front of an enormous AIDS ribbon hung in the South Portico, virtually screaming to the world how Bush -- if he did little else of positive note -- did contribute to the global fight against AIDS. (That was one day after Laura, in almost the same spot, posed in front of the Bush's mega-sized Christmas tree.)
The just-released White House Christmas card is the latest Bush public offering to consider with scale in mind.
Beyond the melancholic coloring and the sunset signifying the final days of the Bush reign, you have the pure muscularity of the two White House pillars, echoed by the pointedly phallic feature of the Washington Memorial (offset, perhaps, in the sense of 43 moving aside). Besides the undying identification with power, it's hard not to see the monument as an extension of "W" himself. ...We know that because the bumbler never let us forget it, taking every opportunity to pose in front of the White House photo of "the other George," (1, 2, 3) who he identified with mostly by (first-) namesake.
What also drives home Laura's ego injury, however, is the inside card's biblical quote. It comes from the book of Matthew and reads:
Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works,
and glorify our Father which is in heaven.
We need not go so far as assume that George or Laura have a God complex to understand how Mrs. Bush is doing a bit of projection here. It sounds like Laura's hope is that, through God's light, men see the First Lady's and her husband's (supposedly) good works and throw a little glory their way.
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(image: Hallmark Corp.)
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don't worry Laura. there will always be the 20-percenters who agree that Dubya is a GodMan
With all due respect to HuffPo, its writers, editors and fellow readers...
And with solidarity in contempt for this administration, its minions, agents and supporters...
This article is quite a nit-pickin' stretch-
Now, Dog knows I've stretched a few metaphors and found the dirty images hidden in Grant Woods' "American Gothic" myself...
But the WM is a phallic symbol no matter who's in the Lincoln bedroom, and a snowy scene looks COLD no matter where on earth it happens to be, scripture is CONSTANTLY being interpreted ALL kinds of conflicting ways, and Laura couldn't have known back then what G would do, good and/or bad. Don't blame Her for HIS incessant screw ups.
But still, HuffPo is better than wonderful to have around. Let's wish it a long and active life.
Merry DogDays.
ditto
Good works? Let's see, anybody have any ideas about what the Bushes' good works would be? I'll need to think about that. Most kids in most public schools suffer the worst public education in more than fifty years. VA hospitals are full of wounded warriors. The economy is in the commode. All GWB's "good works." Sorry Laura, the Bush legacy is too sad for words.
bingo!
sad? Filthy more like.
As usual, the Bush dynasty, out of touch, and has a different view of their little world than reality demonstrates.
How perfect; a hideous Christmas card marking the end of a hideous presidency. Certainly, the pictured landscape is as cold and bleak as Bush's impact on the state of our nation, after 8 long years of "compassionate conservativism" and the Haliburton handouts and the Iraq war and all. (I'm guessing Laura, bless her heart, is banking on God not being a compassionate conservative when it comes time for judgement!?! That prospect gives an entirely new meaning to the phrase "mission accomplished," doesn't it?)
"Let your light so shine before men,
that they may see your good works,
and glorify our Father which is in heaven."
I'd like to see the light shine on those criminals through maybe some good works by the Dems instead of burying all the crimes under the rug, once again. Jail time for those criminals would glorify the Father, etc...
Laura, you exceeded expectations. I wish I could say the same of your husband.
It is a beautiful picture, but it screams lonely & barren. I can almost feel the icy wind blowing in! Plus this elevated aspect does accurately mirror the impression I have of this administration - of believing they are above it all. It has the vantage point of a monarch or emporer looking down over his kingdom - yep, it is wildly appropriate for this president!
So am I paying for these cards, too?
yea, great, good bye and good luck.
Who will get these cards?
Sure won't be the average Joe citizen who despises Dubya!
So, if in fact, Laura is trying to get the recipients of the cards to rethink their opinion of Dubya and her, she is just preaching to the choir.
In 2001 I received a holiday card from the WH. The only reason I could think of was because I was registered as an Ind from an underpopulated state. I was so horrified at receiving it that I threw it into our wood stove, watched it burn and re-registered as a Dem ASAP.
Too little, too late.
Laura could be saying she's not getting enough of what she needs from George.
Interestingly enough, the ground looks covered in flood waters -- sorta like New Orleans did after Katrina. I know, 'cause I was there.
I thought so too!
How depressing all the way around. And what a cold cold card for a warm holiday season. Nothing the Bush family does seems to turn out the way they expected anymore.
How many more days is it? Hurry O and Joe, we need you!
The article's analysis of the image is good, but the analysis of the text is a reach.
I think this whole 'analysis' is a reach - I don't read any more into it than that she liked the picture. Although if I were to credit this type of analysis, I would give more weight to the discussion of the text .
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