Several questions, revolving around the practice of putting up photographs of the Pres and Veep in the entrance of the various Federal buildings:
When did this become general practice ? [I suppose it was portraits earlier…] What happens to the old photographs ?
Presumably, they’re taken by some official photography office in the White House. Who chooses the final print ? [The current vice-presidential photo sports what can only be described as an odd, unbecoming smirk.]
No ideas ?
I can’t answer your Qs (… though I’ll bet that the Prez himself picks his official photograph …) but the folks at NARA might be helpful. Here, have a link and knock yourself out:
Try the Research Room link, then the presidential links.
I think Vice President Cheney’s “smirk” is his permanent facial expression.
Every time I saw Clinton’s official portrait, I couldn’t help but giggle uncontrolably, mainly because of COnan O’Brien’s use of that same shot in his silly “lip cut-out” skits.
Ronald Reagan is the first president I remember seeing framed in every government office. Maybe that is because I am too young to remember Carter that much. But I do know Reagan introduced a lot of formality of the presidency.
Personally I think its too reminiscent of tin horn dictatorships, where the leader’s portrait becomes omnipresent. I mean we all know who the president of the United States is is don’t we?
Or maybe not…