# Obama give Putin 'death stare' at G20 summit **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 5, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121 "2013-09-05T22:22:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deltasigma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e5b9ba/32.png) [@deltasigma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deltasigma)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/1 "2013-09-05T22:22:39Z")
[Oh my](http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-putin-photo-meeting-g20-summit-2013-9). Picture at link. > [@](#): > > Via [CNBC’s Eamon Javers](https://twitter.com/EamonJavers/status/375606341592571904), this is President Barack Obama giving Russian President Vladimir Putin a significantly intense death stare upon their meeting at the G20 summit in St. Petersburg, Russia. > > The Obama-Putin interactions have been far and away the most anticipated of the summit, amid a recent thaw in U.S.-Russian relations. The two leaders have [clashed over NSA leak source Edward Snowden](http://www.businessinsider.com/edward-snowden-putin-russia-extradition-obama-white-house-2013-6) and, most recently and prominently, over the situation in Syria. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/2 "2013-09-05T22:26:31Z")
- I had no idea Obama was a giant - Looks like the sun is in his eyes - His death stare evidently needs some work ---
**Author:** ![terentii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/terentii/32/212_2.png) [@terentii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/terentii)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/3 "2013-09-05T22:39:17Z")
That’s not a death stare. THIS is a death stare! [![](http://www.thepunekar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/sheldon.jpg) ](http://www.thepunekar.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/06/sheldon.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Atomic\_Alex](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atomic_alex/32/175_2.png) [@Atomic\_Alex](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atomic_Alex)\ **Post date:** [September 5, 2013, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/4 "2013-09-05T22:39:46Z")
He looks kind of like The Mekon. Thats a really odd picture. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/5 "2013-09-06T02:47:49Z")
And, the writer seems to have misused the word “thaw.” Surely a word with the very opposite meaning was intended. Complete journalistic fail. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/6 "2013-09-06T04:54:03Z")
Seriously, what’s the deal with that pic? It looks like someone with a Putinish back-of-the-head is standing in front of a giant TV screen with footage of Obama playing. ---
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/7 "2013-09-06T04:59:29Z")
Looking at that picture I find the word “FAKE” coming to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/8 "2013-09-06T11:50:54Z")
That’s not a Death Stare. [This is a Death Stare.](http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/sep/04/francois-hollande-photo-news-agencies#) ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/9 "2013-09-06T12:59:12Z")
No wonder Obama isn’t getting anything done with Putin. There’s just no focus there at all. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/10 "2013-09-06T13:08:43Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > And, the writer seems to have misused the word “thaw.” Surely a word with the very opposite meaning was intended. > > Complete journalistic fail. They’re not even attempting journalism here. It’s just clickbait, and the phrase “significantly intense death stare” barely even qualifies as English. And just in case you thought about treating it seriously, they even have video of Obama greeting Putin so you can see there’s no staring. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/11 "2013-09-06T13:09:26Z")
I watched the video (below the story) where the two of them shook hands, and it just looks like Obama’s squinting. No death stare, and believe me, I would’ve loved to have seen an actual death stare. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/12 "2013-09-06T13:12:27Z")
That wasn’t a death stare. It wasn’t even a stare that would make you catch a cold. Or even raise one goosebump. Looks like he had the sun in his face, that’s all. Not that Putin doesn’t deserve death stares, but Obama isn’t the one to give it to him. ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/13 "2013-09-06T15:13:39Z")
Yeah, it looks like, for whatever reason, Obama’s head was doctored to make it appear bigger. Maybe the idea was to “zoom in” so you an see Obama’s facial expression better, but instead, it made him look a little freakish. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/14 "2013-09-06T15:37:03Z")
Vladimir Putin would probably laugh in your face if you gave him a death stare. He doesn’t stike me as the kind of guy who intimidates easily. Or at all. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/15 "2013-09-06T15:46:59Z")
Putin would have ripped off his shirt and started flexing if he’d really gotton the death stare. Clearly this was something else entirely. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/16 "2013-09-06T20:29:09Z")
If we could see Putin’s expression, I have a feeling we’d know who really won that stare-off. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/17 "2013-09-06T21:01:17Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Putin would have ripped off his shirt and started flexing if he’d really gotton the death stare. Clearly this was something else entirely. That’s how Putin hunts bears–tears off his shirt, hands the bear the rifle and starts flexing. The bear then understands what it must do. I am given to understand Palin does something similar when she’s hunting mooses. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/18 "2013-09-06T21:03:17Z")
> [@The Great Sun Jester](#): > > That’s how Putin hunts bears–tears off his shirt, hands the bear the rifle and starts flexing. The bear then understands what it must do. I assume you mean the bear shoots itself to avoid the pain and humiliation of fighting Putin and losing. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/19 "2013-09-06T21:47:04Z")
Ok it wasn’t exactly _Comedy Hall of Fame_ material, but did it really deserve dissection? Yeesh. Why ya gotta be so mean? ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [September 6, 2013, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/obama-give-putin-death-stare-at-g20-summit/668121/20 "2013-09-06T23:12:04Z")
Did he died? Not Obama, Putin?