Reading The Pictures: Obama-Putin Not in Love!

Apparently prompted by the eager Condi Rice (see paragraph 22), Dubya convinced himself before they had even met that Putin would become a best friend for life.

Of course, the quote from the first engagement at the Slovenian Summit in June of '01 at the Brdo Castle in Slovenia is famous by now:

"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue. "I was able to get a sense of his soul. "

It was in that very first meeting Bush decided Putin had to come down to the ranch, leading to an intimate three day visit which included that famous pickup truck ride.

But that was then and this is now. This week, we saw a return to a more unremarkable get-acquainted process marked by the mundane realities of healthy distance; feeling other people other out; and, yes, skepticism for gamesmanship and power-tripping. Perhaps that's why, as the NYT reported, Obama slipped not once, but twice, in referring to Putin, the enduring heavy in Russia, as (still) the country's President.

The image above -- one of dozens and dozens, I might add, that captures Bush and Putin (only too happy to indulge Bush's fantasy) in an intimate grip -- is the parting photo from that first Slovenia summit. The second image, as Obama engages the hard-nosed Putin, captures Barack at Putin's dacha outside Moscow doing what Bush never did, which was start by breaking the ice.

For more visual politics, follow BAGnewsNotes on Twitter).

(image 1: George Herbert/A.P. IMAGE 2: Novo-Ogarevo, July 7, 2009. ALEXEY DRUZHININ/AFP/Getty Images. linked pickup image: Crawford, Texas, Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2001. Either AP Photo/Doug Mills or REUTERS/Win McNamee.)

Follow Michael Shaw on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bagnewsnotes

Comments

[sixyfivepercentwater]

It's refreshing to see some good old-fashioned statesmanship for a change.

(Wonder what's in that cup Putin's holding? Acid or his own urine?)

[chlai88]

Bush is the willing mistress of Putin in the wedding photo. Putin is too sly for Bush. Obama knows love with Putin is not gonna work, leverage and power is the only language Putin understands. Trading missile defense in East Europe for Russia's pressure on Iran's nuclear ambitions is the kind of unsentimental calculations Putin likes to indulge in.

[Ellyllon]

That wedding picture on the top is really sweet!

[The Albany Kid]

No international "bromance" for Sarah Palin to keep an eye on from her front porch? Bummer!

[thebigbike]

Obama - Putin, Not in love...." sounds like a better foundation for a mature and useful way to conduct relations between the two nations than "I was able to get a sense of his soul" National leaders represent national intersts and Putin understood that far more than Dubya.

[smacain]

Why should we engage Putin like Bush did in 2001? Back then, Putin was seen through rose-colored glasses for bringing economic prosperity back to Russia. Now we know he's responsible for assassinating journalists who are critical of his administration. Hard to shake a man's hand and smile when you know what that smile is hiding.

[wanked]

Putin, like the rest of the world , is sick of US self serving bullshit. We are not everybodys' friend. If we were we would not need a military machine the is bigger than the rest of the world's militaries COMBINED.

[gaja]

True, we are not everybody's friend - but Putin is also not a delicate flower or "best buds" as Bush apparently hoped he would be... I'm glad Obama has not looked at the situation with rose-colored glasses and is instead "on guard" as he should be...

[AngryCitizen]

lol, wanked, where did you pull that figure out of?? Like I need to ask. You are dead wrong.