Monday, February 4, 2013

Image Problem

obama, obama jokes, photoshop, gun control, skeet, shooting, stilton jarlsberg, hope n' change, hope and change, conservative

To prove that Barack Obama isn't a pansy-ass gun-hating nimrod who lied about once holding a gun in his soft, feminine hands, the Whitehouse released a photo which appears to show that he is a pansy-ass gun-hating nimrod who lies about virtually everything but who may have actually fired a gun. Once.

But the Whitehouse press release turned out to be a significant misfire owing to harsh legal language attached to the picture: "This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials."

In other words, nobody is supposed to mock Barry "Full Load" Soetoro by photoshopping him to look like more of an idiot than usual. And predictably, the Internet went nuts - with virtually every conservative website posting their own versions of Obama's shotgun fantasy picture. 

All of which is good fun...but troubling questions remain. For starters, if the photograph was taken by an official Whitehouse photographer (as opposed to some stranger allowed to hang around the president with guns present), isn't it safe to assume that those photographs are being paid for by taxpayers and are therefore in the public domain?

And isn't it more than a little hypocritical for Barry to declare that his image is off limits for political commentary, considering his own campaign cronies manipulated images of Mitt Romney to make him look like some kind of carcinogenic Antichrist?

And why should the photograph be made freely available for hiney-licking "news organizations" but not for the rabble? When did our rights of expression become less than those of MSNBC?

In any event, we expect Joe Biden will soon be made head of another fact-finding commission, tasked with finding ways to reduce our nation's grim plague of Photoshop-related tragedies.

Actually, we can think of a certain birth certificate which might be a good place for him to start.




39 comments:

Velcro said...

I think I like Bark better than his stand-in in the first two frames.

Grafton Cheddar said...

Well, the whole thing made up for an otherwise dreary Saturday. I'll bet Big Guy STILL has a bruise on that shoulder.

And "Big Load"... Barry's, or Reggie's???

TrickyRicky said...

The first thing I thought is "man oh man those skeet fly low at Camp David". Wasn't there a photo of him trying to throw a football downfield while looking way up in the air? The only truly representative shot I have ever seen was of him riding a bicycle in mom jeans and a ridiculous helmet. I'm sure that the training wheels were photoshopped out.

Dobro Player said...

"This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials." I would think this prohibits any mainstream media from using the image, since they fall under the definition of "political materials" rather than a "news organization". Does this also mean that the Justice Department will now start sending SWAT teams to the homes of people who violate the legal terms of the image? Don't mock Dear Leader, or you will be re-educated.

Cat Whisperer said...

How dare you defy the fatwa regarding depictions of the Prophet Obama!

Grafton Cheddar said...

@Dobro --- Guantanamo awaits!!!

CenTexTim said...

Just to stir the pot a little (of course, with obama, 'stir the pot' has an entirely different meaning ... but I digress) there are now reports that question at least the timing of the 'barry plays with guns' photo.

Seems that on Aug. 4, 2012, the date the photo was allegedly taken, obama played a round of golf in D.C., then went to Camp David for a “birthday meal he was expected to share with wife, Michelle.”

I guess he could have squeezed in a quick round of skeet. Lord knows if I was forced to endure a meal with michelle I'd want to shoot something.

Go here and here for more info.

Jim Hlavac said...

It is the duty of a citizen to make fun of the president ... we're the boss, he's the employee. Frankly, the whole Congress should be photoshopped into whiny ferrets and the press into lapdogs. I can wait, however, for the photoshop of the emperor with no clothes on.

As I noted elsewhere, the image seems photoshopped from the get go -- a nice crisp clear image of the president just feet away from the blurry Monet-impressionism of the forest. Can't happen -- if you asked me, he used a green screen -- for it's either all fuzzy, or all sharp. You can't get both in one photo without tweaking i.

Irene Peduto said...

SJ - loved the cartoon & commentary and, of course, the posts from some of the smartest people in the USA! The content, as usual, is always bad for the rest of us....

rickn8or said...

Wouldn't a good White House Photographer have the shot from the other side so as to capture a face that is undeniably Barry?

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Velcro- So do I.

@Grafton Cheddar- Based on the opinions of people who know more than I do about shooting, Barry's shoulder would indeed have been hurting for a long time. Not, of course, that I'd take any pleasure in that.

And as far as the "load" joke, that's exactly what I was thinking about.

@TrickyRicky- Obviously, the Camp David skeet try to fly under the radar, but are no match for Barry's "Marxmanship." (full credit - I stole that joke from someone else).

Seriously, I'm guessing that the photo was posed (all of the angles seem like they were composed by a photographer's eye) and that Barry wasn't shooting at diddly squat.

@Dobro Player- Once upon a time, there might have been a clear delineation between "news organizations" and "citizen journalists," but not anymore. And you make a good point that the line between journalism and politics (and entertainment, for that matter) has been erased.

But I wonder how many bloggers would simply fold in the face of a threatened lawsuit from the government? How many could even afford to fight a court battle against a huge, amorphous foe which doesn't worry about legal fees?

Trust me, I treat this question as far more than a hypothetical.

@Cat Whisperer- Ouch! Excellent comparison!

@Grafton Cheddar- Fortunately for all of us, there have been some lovely refurbishments to Guantanamo after Barry promised to close it. Be sure to pack sunscreen!

@CenTexTim- I'm pretty suspicious of the photo. At the very least, I'm sure it was posed and he wasn't shooting at diddly squat. Your links build a pretty convincing case for not believing what we're being told, too.

@Jim Hlavac- I suppose a good photographer might be able to get the blurred depth of field with the right camera settings...but would those settings also be able to deliver such a fast shutter speed that there is no motion blur on the gun (or president) despite the fact that the gun has discharged? I don't think greenscreen mischief is out of the question.

@Irene Peduto- Well, you can't have everything (wry grin).

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@rickn80r- From the lighting, it seems like if the photographer was on the other side, Barry would have been backlit and it wouldn't look too good. From this angle, he's very well lit...and doesn't look too good.

American Cowboy said...

Only one question.

"This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials."

Between this asinine statement and the one equally repulsive made recently that the United States Constitution should be scrapped as the framers are long dead and "What does it matter" what they thought over two hundred years ago, I wonder why are there still people who cannot see what has happened to the once great USA?
I bet it won't be long until they want to rename the United States into something different.

It's No Gouda said...

Given that scurrilous "cartoons" and such have been a part of our political process since BEFORE the Declaration of Independence, ol' Barry & Co. have a lot of nerve trying to control the process.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@American Cowboy- Renaming the United States only makes sense considering all of the effort the Left puts into making sure that we're not united anymore.

@It's No Gouda- Moreover, no cartoonist has yet succeeded in making Obama look unpresidential more than the man himself has.

Grafton Cheddar said...

Stilton said, "Be sure to pack sunscreen!"

And one should not forget the rectal diaphragms (oh, wait a minute, maybe they will be included in the package deal, thanks of course to our gal Sandra Fluke).

Dick said...

OH! This is really good. The cartoon is excellent but the article is even better. Really good work. My wife and I had a great time with this.

WMD said...

@Stilt@Irene Peduto, Are you sure it isn't RYE grin?
Anyway, it has long been my belief that since the start of his campaign in '06 or '07 (whatever) king hussein has NEVER told the truth about anything. Ever.
So why even bother to critique the photo? I don't need to see it to know it's a phony.
Stilt, I'm glad you're keeping up the good work although I know you'd rather be doing something else.

We do appreciate your efforts.

Thanks.

Colby said...

I would think pulling the trigger on a shotgun with it that high on the shoulder is going to cause much unwelcome pain, but I am certainly no gun expert... like the lefty shooter pictured obviously is. And, I never knew before that HRH Barry was left handed in addition to be underhanded. I guess it's only fitting.

Again, I am no gun expert, but the magazine on that semi-automatic shotgun looks suspiciously long; like it may hold more than 7 rounds?

@Stilton,
I very much appreciate it that you didn't go over the top with the photoshopping. Very nice job of keeping it real and civilized, but I still think you should have included the monkeys flying out of his butt, hell freezing over, and pigs flying about in the background.

John the Econ said...

I'm sorry prezbo: My tax dollars (or more likely, deficit dollars borrowed in my name) was used to create your little PR fantasy. So as far as I am concerned, I own it, like every other American citizen and will do with it what I will, which is pretty much unlimited.

Seriously, could you imagine the furor that would be dominating the news cycle for the next week had it been a GOP administration that released a photo with such a toothless disclaimer?

But seriously: This does expose a serious blind spot within this administration; the whole absurd idea that citizens the least bit concerned with the 2nd Amendment in flyover country would take this narrative directed directly at them the least bit seriously. The first rule of effective propaganda and counterintelligence is "know your enemy". Poorly conceived propaganda of this nature always backfires, and clearly exposes the isolated, insular, and thoroughly ignorant nature of Obama and his intellectual peers.

Pete(Detroit) said...

Colby, I thought it was an Over / Under double barrel, but I may well be wrong.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Dick- Glad you enjoyed it!

@WMD- Frankly, I wouldn't believe Barry if he told me the sky was blue. If a liar occasionally tells a truth, it doesn't mean he's not a liar anymore.

And truth be told, I only commented on the gun photo situation because it gave me a chance to have a little goofy fun with that third panel today.

@Colby- Barry is a Leftie, in all senses. I remember when he was first elected that "news" shows were making the point that lefthanded people are statistically smarter or something.

As far as leaving out the monkeys flying out of Barry's butt (and other adornaments), I've always felt that discretion is the better part of laziness.

@John the Econ- You're right. No gun enthusiasts are going to be impressed by that photo...although I'd dearly like to see the one taken a millisecond later, which would look like the ass over elbows picture I posted here a few days ago.

@Pete(Detroit)- Barry hasn't handled an Over/Under double barrel since his last visit to Man's Country in Chicago. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Pete(Detroit) said...

Stilt, I've seen a 'two in one' pic like you're describing, but never w/ a guy catching... I must say -
EWWWWWW!!!! Brain BLEACH!!!! Stat! Please!!!!
There may "not be anything wrong w/ that" but man, that is Just Plain WRONG!
In MY Arrogant Opinion - your mileage may vary...

((-'pb

Colby said...

@Pete,
I believe you are correct, sir. It appears to be an over/under. Oh well, I enjoyed the moment, and at my age, I'll take whatever I can get!

In unrelated trivia... I was completely and totally impressed (uh-huh) by Beyonce's performance during the game last night. Her ego is almost as large as her ass, and if you saw 30 seconds of it, you'd seen it all. And my folks used to say rock and roll was too repetitive. I am sick to death of people that are so full of themselves who preach at the rest of us for being insensitive right wingers.

CenTexTim said...

@Colby - As Pete(Detroit) pointed out, it's an over/under.

However, I think I detect a bayonet lug on it...

Grizzly said...

I can't help but guess that the plea not to use the photo in "political materials" was a knee-jerk reaction to the recent lovely video put out by I-forget-who which applies some new footage to Obama's atrocious speech regarding the Newtown massacre to make an uplifting anti-abortion promo.

BTW, "nimrod" means a skilled hunter or sportsman (you can look it up). It is an insult to all of us true nimrods to refer to Barry as one of us, even if he were a pansy-ass gun-hating one (kind of contradictory, the gun-hating bit). I would have preferred the term "klutz".

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Pete(Detroit)- Okay, if Barry is involved, there actually is something wrong with that.

@Colby- I'll confess that I didn't see the Superbowl halftime show. I'm sort of weary of "entertainment" which looks like it would be more at home on the stage of a men's club.

@CenTexTim- I believe that Barry refers to a bayonet lug as a "strap on."

@Grizzly- I think I used "nimrod" because I heard Bugs Bunny use it about 50 years ago. But I appreciate your correction. Obviously the word which I meant to use was "dipshit."

CenTexTim said...

"@CenTexTim- I believe that Barry refers to a bayonet lug as a "strap on.""

Oh, Stilton, does that make it an assault weapon?

Sorry...

Pete(Detroit) said...

Grizzly, Stilt -
Urban Dictionary interestingly enough credits that specific Bugs Bunny episode for the transition of the 'popular' meaning of "Nimrod" transitioning from "Warrior king, founder of Babylon" to "Numb rod" or useless idiot wannabe...

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=nimrod

Earl Allison said...

Isn't it pretty much illegal for the White House to have made those demands? Aren't Federal photos such as this, by their very nature, funded by the people and therefore public?

Not that I expect King Putt to care about the word of Law, but isn't that the case?

Colby said...

Perhaps an over/under is the perfect shotgun for Barry. He's overrated and underqualified.

@Stilton,
In my defense, I only watched about a minute of halftime before realizing it would be a great time to brush and floss my eyes. But I did hear that Mitt Romney made the lights go out.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@CenTexTim- I believe you're correct. Also, this explains Barry's "Drill Here, Drill Now" trampstamp.

@Pete(Detroit)- I can't overstate the importance of Warner Brothers cartoons in the development of my sense of humor and vocabulary. But I still haven't found a definition for Updock.

@Earl Allison- That's certainly been MY understanding (for instance, I believe NASA photos go immediately into the public domain). But laws are funny things, especially when the Department of Justice has become totally corrupted.

@Colby- I think you've figured it out.

And truth be told, I watched almost none of the Superbowl. It is a cultural event which too often celebrates the elements of the culture which most depress me. I watched a Dick Van Dyke marathon instead.

Comanche Voter said...

"Big Load" refers to Queen Moochelles backside.

Pete(Detroit) said...

Stilt, I think "Updock" is the nautical equivalent of "upstage" - basically you park your yacht (preferably bigger, more powerful, flashier) closer up the dock than other people, therby hogging all the babes.

Stilton Jarlsberg said...

@Commanche Voter- All I know is that she beeps when she backs up.

@Pete(Detroit)- Makes sense to me!

Queso Grande, The Christie Critic said...

1. Is the range located in a parling lot? Too much asphalt behind him IMHO. You want nice soft grass n dirt so if'n you fall, your butt don't crack.
2. This being Camp David, I will presume the existence of a trap house down range. I do not see a SS agent standing there trying to hand toss skeet. That my friends is a learned routine, not a casual pursuit.
Kin I see the house? I'ma betting the back side facing the line is kinda shot up with that angle of elevation on the gun.
3. Nice outfit.

SJ, as ever love the 'toons, but I almost hate seing a dog treated that way. Just ain't fair to the dog......

sc said...

Stilt, great job! Bark has never looked better.

JustaJeepGuy said...

I was going to say that i wondered if Barack Hussein even knows that the game of "skeet" is fairly formalized, what with high and low houses and left and right shots and stuff. I seriously doubt that anyone who claims Barack is an avid shooter knows it. Besides, does he even know that the Second Amendment doesn't have anything to do with shooting skeet?

Grizzly said...

Next thing, we will hear loud criticisms of the president from PETA and the environmentalists, claiming that skeet are an endangered species and shooting them is inhumane.

Save the skeet!!