# The situation-room photo **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 4, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742 "2011-05-04T20:25:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/81 "2011-05-08T03:11:32Z")
Before I start, this is only about the photo, not what was really going on, which none of us know about. > [@Lakai](#): > > I did not notice the stark contrast between Obama and everyone else before. Everyone has the same look of apprehension on their faces - except Obama. It’s a good thing he’s the one making all the decisions. He looks afraid to me, just like the rest. > [@bucketybuck](#): > > But to me this position doesnt say “shrinking violet”, more that he is self-confident enough, and secure enough in himself to step back and let his staff do their jobs. No posturing, he has made the calls now he is letting the rest of the team go to work. I would imagine his staff appreciate that. Of course there’s no posturing there. He saved that for his speech, where he used “I” or other first person singular references 15 times. > [@](#): > > “Tonight, I can report . . . And so shortly after taking office, I directed Leon Panetta . . . I was briefed on a possible lead to bin Laden . . . I met repeatedly with my national security team . . . I determined that we had enough intelligence to take action. . . . Today, at my direction . . . I’ve made clear . . . Over the years, I’ve repeatedly made clear . . . Tonight, I called President Zardari . . . and my team has also spoken. . .These efforts weigh on me every time I, as Commander-in-Chief . . . Finally, let me say to the families . . . I know that it has, at times, frayed. . . .” I’m sure his staff appreciated that. Contrast that with Bush’s speech about the capture of Saddam where he used “I” only 4 times and in a completely different context: > [@](#): > > I have a message for the Iraqi people: You will not have to fear the rule of Saddam Hussein ever again… > > Today, on behalf of the nation, I thank the members of our Armed Forces and I congratulate 'em… > > I also have a message for all Americans: The capture of Saddam Hussein does not mean the end of violence in Iraq… Our security is assured by our perseverance and by our sure belief in the success of liberty. And the United States of America will not relent until this war is won. Sorry, his facial expression and hunched-over position don’t say anything about intensity or confidence to me. It’s saying, “I’m apprehensive and very unsure” which is not unreasonable. IMO saying he was focused or something else is just spin. And as noted, Hillary said she was probably covering a cough, so there’s one data point of how people have read something into the photo that wasn’t there. ---
**Author:** ![Rilchiam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/2bfe46/32.png) [@Rilchiam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rilchiam)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/82 "2011-05-08T03:16:20Z")
> [@Annie](#): > > Or Hilary’s binder: TOP SECRET CODE WORD NORFO (looks like ‘Norfolk’ with the last 2 letters fuzzed out a bit). Maybe there’s a shot of the wireless router with the password written on a piece of tape somewhere 🆒 NOFORN. Not for Release to Foreign Nationals. Third photo in **Ruby** ’s link. ---
**Author:** ![voltaire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voltaire/32/313_2.png) [@voltaire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voltaire)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/83 "2011-05-08T03:34:47Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > Here’s a better perspective on it: [Obama’s cape](http://www.baynews9.com/static/news2011/obama-situation-room-0501_rdax_676x451.jpg). It looks like he’s wearing a trench-coat and he just opened it up to flash everybody. Some people are pretending not to notice, but others seem transfixed. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 5:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/84 "2011-05-08T05:53:30Z")
> [@j66](#): > > Isn’t the perspective in that photo off? Isn’t the depth compressed? How so? Looks fine to me. It’s a photo taken with a 35mm lens at f/3.5 on a full-frame camera. Nothing looks out of the ordinary to me about the perspective. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/85 "2011-05-08T12:26:35Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > in the other branches, can you leave the ribbons off? Uniform regulations from all branches of the service specify when you do and don’t wear ribbons or medals. Uniform of the day is always prescribed, and whether you’re the newest recruit or the most senior officer, you dress accordingly. In general, medals are worn only in the most formal of occasions. Neither ribbons nor medals are worn on working uniforms. I seem to recall that there are times when you don’t have to wear every single ribbon if you don’t want to, but I’ve been off active duty for almost 30 years, and I know uniforms have changed in that time. In any event, the various devices on uniforms aren’t just accessories or bits of flair - they have significance and there are regulations covering when and how they are worn. The uniforms themselves are also required most of the time when on duty. It’s not an affectation - it’s part of being in the service. ---
**Author:** ![Ruby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/13edae/32.png) [@Ruby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruby)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/86 "2011-05-08T14:04:52Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > \Sorry, his facial expression and hunched-over position don’t say anything about intensity or confidence to me. It’s saying, “I’m apprehensive and very unsure” which is not unreasonable. IMO saying he was focused or something else is just spin. And as noted, Hillary said she was probably covering a cough, so there’s one data point of how people have read something into the photo that wasn’t there. Politics aside, I agree with this. His hunched over, small frame stuck back in the corner doesn’t say, “I’m strong and in charge here.” ---
**Author:** ![Capitaine\_Zombie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e95f7d/32.png) [@Capitaine\_Zombie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capitaine_Zombie)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/87 "2011-05-08T18:05:00Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > Politics aside, I agree with this. His hunched over, small frame stuck back in the corner doesn’t say, “I’m strong and in charge here.” Projecting an image of weakness and low resolve is the first thing they teach you in ninja schools. Remember that Obama was trained in Asia in his youth, just like Batman. ---
**Author:** ![Invisible\_Chimp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f05b48/32.png) [@Invisible\_Chimp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Invisible_Chimp)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/88 "2011-05-09T18:47:27Z")
Someone (not me) made this awesome picture slightly [awesomer](http://i.imgur.com/VWuwQ.jpg). Did somebody something about a cape? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/89 "2011-05-09T19:12:12Z")
> [@Invisible\_Chimp](#): > > Someone (not me) made this awesome picture slightly [awesomer](http://i.imgur.com/VWuwQ.jpg). Did somebody something about a cape? Something about Joe Biden as The Flash is cracking me the fuck up… ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/90 "2011-05-09T20:29:12Z")
Speaking of Photoshop. Apparently[Hillary Clinton is considered so sexy by Hasidics](http://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_thecutline/20110509/ts_yblog_thecutline/wheres-hillary-hasidic-paper-breaks-the-rules-by-editing-her-out-of-white-house-photo) that they removed her from the photo to prevent incitement to commit various violations of the vice act. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/91 "2011-05-09T20:48:40Z")
> [@Jolly\_Roger](#): > > (Believe me, its no fun putting 'em on, though. I’m going through that right now, as my uniforms…including my class a’s and dress blues…were destroyed in the tornado in Fayettevill 3 weeks ago…and I’ve got to get new ones and put 'em together again…[and theres a certain order they have to be in](http://www.armyawards.com/awards.shtml).) I’m sure it’s hell getting your dress uniform jacket cleaned–especially for high-ranking generals. I wouldn’t take those ribbons off any more than I absolutely had to. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/92 "2011-05-09T21:00:24Z")
> [@Ruby](#): > > Politics aside, I agree with this. His hunched over, small frame stuck back in the corner doesn’t say, “I’m strong and in charge here.” No, it says, [“All of you know who I am.”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a6zu8D05ECY) ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/93 "2011-05-09T21:18:58Z")
Hillary’s cup has the Presidential seal on it, so we know who was _really_ in charge! ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/94 "2011-05-09T21:58:29Z")
Jeez. General Webb’s ribbons make for a bullet resistant shirts. Just for fun, the ribbons on the one star General (Webb), seated center, from our left to right, top to bottom: (I can’t make out the bronze tokens in the ribbons. Some will be for additional awards of the same medal.) Row 1 Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Row 2 Defense Meritorious Service Meritorious Service Medal Air Medal Row 3 Aerial Achievement Medal Joint Service Commendation Medal Air Force Commendation Medal Row 4 Joint Service Achievement Medal Air Force Combat Action Medal Air Force Gallant Unit Citation Row 5 Joint Meritorious Unit Award Air Force Organizational Excellence Award Combat Readiness Medal Row 6 Air Force Recognition Ribbon (?) National Defense Service Medal Southwest Asia Service Medal Afghanistan Campaign Medal Row 7 Iraq Campaign Medal \*\*\* Dunno \*\*\* \*\*\* Dunno \*\*\* Armed Forces Service Medal Row 8 Humanitarian Service Medal Air Force Overseas Long Tour Service Ribbon Air Force Longevity Service Award Air Force Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon Row 9 Air Force Training Ribbon \*\*\* Dunno \*\*\* Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia) Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait) Can someone fact-check my work, and provide the medals I missed? ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/95 "2011-05-09T22:38:19Z")
_Without knowing the background of the photograph_, I’d say, General Webb was giving the President a PowerPoint presentation in the White House, important WH officials (Biden, Carney, Clinton, Gates) are sitting at the conference table, lesser WH officials are standing in the conference room door entrance trying to find out what’s happening, and the President is in the corner - apart-between-beyond, isolated, yet, at the same time, very much present in the room. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/96 "2011-05-09T23:39:50Z")
> [@j66](#): > > Isn’t the perspective in that photo off? Isn’t the depth compressed? As **pulykamell** mentioned, the camera info attached to the photo says a 35mm lens on a full frame digital camera. Some people say that a 35mm gives a field of view similar to normal human eye sight. Other people call it a mild wide angle lens. Lenses can’t be accurately compared to human sight because we only have a tiny central area of visual acuity, surrounded by a hemisphere of fuzz (that’s still useful for detecting motion or obstacles around us ). That’s all a peripheral though: the white haired guys on the left and right do seem a bit distorted. > [@Infovore](#): > > Is it just me, or \*do \*parts of that photo have kind of a 'Shopped look to them? Particularly the folks standing behind the guy in the blue tie. They don’t quite look like they fit in with the rest of the photo–it’s like they’re different degrees of sharp and blurry, even when they’re roughly the same distance from the camera. It’s probably contrast making some people look sharper. The guy with thick hair (in front of the woman) has a light giving his head deep shadows and bright highlights. It makes him look sharper than the three guys to his right whose face are in vague shade. Actually though, the full size photo shows a subtle pattern on the blue shirt of the guy with folded arms. He’s sharp enough, but is poorly lit. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/97 "2011-05-09T23:49:09Z")
> [@Mops](#): > > That’s because the picture was 'shopped before release. [This](http://www.spiegel.de/images/image-210618-galleryV9-mqtk.jpg) is the original photograph. ? I just got a page with a 1 pixel by 1 pixel image. Or is that a function of my having scripts turned off by default? > [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Of course there’s no posturing there. He saved that for his speech, where he used “I” or other first person singular references 15 times.I’m sure his staff appreciated that. > > Contrast that with Bush’s speech about the capture of Saddam where he used “I” only 4 times and in a completely different context: Double ? ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/98 "2011-05-09T23:56:37Z")
> [@Lakai](#): > > The White House photographer is always there taking pictures. I would be surprised if anyone is ever conscious of him, especially since the White House has full control over what he can release. > I did not notice the stark contrast between Obama and everyone else before. Everyone has the same look of apprehension on their faces - except Obama. It’s a good thing he’s the one making all the decisions. Odd, the first time I saw that pic I thought Obama looked scared shitless and tense as hell. Of course, given the situation tense is understandable. Note, I think Obama made a damned good decision and respect the hell out of him for it. Slee ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/99 "2011-05-10T00:01:02Z")
> [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > Of course there’s no posturing there. He saved that for his speech, where he used “I” or other first person singular references 15 times. “President Obama, you’re going to stay for detention and diagram every sentence in your speech!” “Aww…” ---
**Author:** ![mlees](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba8739/32.png) [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742/100 "2011-05-10T01:42:53Z")
> [@Kozmik](#): > > _Without knowing the background of the photograph_, I’d say, General Webb was giving the President a PowerPoint presentation in the White House, important WH officials (Biden, Carney, Clinton, Gates) are sitting at the conference table, lesser WH officials are standing in the conference room door entrance trying to find out what’s happening, and the President is in the corner - apart-between-beyond, isolated, yet, at the same time, very much present in the room. Why give the Vice President a seat at the table, and access to a lap top, but not the President? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-situation-room-photo/580742.md?page=6)