Situation Room (photograph)
The Situation Room is a photograph taken by White House photographer Pete Souza on May 1, 2011. The picture shows President Barack Obama with his national security team in the White House Situation Room receiving live updates of Operation Neptune's Spear which led to the killing of Osama bin Laden. The photograph received much publicity after the news of bin Laden's death was announced. CNN called it a "photo for the ages" and drew comparisons to other famous images of U. S. presidents such as Dewey Defeats Truman. Former White House photographer Eric Draper said that the photo captured "a defining moment in history very well."[1] The photograph has also been the subject of comment by historians and body language experts.
There is currently no official name for the photograph, but it is labeled as P050111PS-0210 on the official White House page on Flickr.[2]
The picture
The photograph was taken during the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound as Obama and his National Security team watched the event in real time by a camera attached to the helmet of one of the team members. As such the image has been most noted for its intensity. Hillary Clinton, pictured in the photograph, described the moment as "the most intense 38 minutes of my life."[3] The Daily Mail reported that Obama was able to watch the exact moment that bin Laden was killed, but this was later denied by other news agencies.[citation needed]
The following people are pictured from left to right: (seated) Vice President Joe Biden, President Barack Obama, Brigadier General Marshall B. “Brad” Webb, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates; (standing) Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon, Chief of Staff Bill Daley, National Security Advisor to the Vice President Tony Blinken, Director for Counterterrorism Audrey Tomason, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John Brennan, Director of National Intelligence James Clapper.
Hillary Clinton in the photograph holds her right hand over her mouth in apparent anxiety over the outcome of the raid. She later said that she was suffering from a spring allergy and was likely suppressing a cough.[4]
Analysis
Some historians have commented on the historical significance of the photograph, particularly its depiction of the crossing of gender and racial boundaries. Lehigh University political science professor Saladin Ambar said that the picture suggests "a new American landscape that we're still crossing into." He continued "When Obama was elected, there were some people who thought that we had crossed a racial threshold. What his presidency is revealing is that there are many crossings."[3]
The photograph has also been noted to depict a change in presidential leadership style. Historian Clarence Lusane said that past presidents have felt a need to project "machisimo" and "swagger." Meredith College sociology professor Lori Brown said it is significant however, that Obama is not in the center of the room or in the tallest chair. Political analyst Cheryl Contee said "Obama's willingness to be photographed without the typical Oval Office swagger gives birth to a new type of swagger." She said that the image shows Obama's leadership style as a collaborator.[3]
References
- ^ Silverleib, Alan (3 May 2011). "Obama on Sunday: A photo for the ages?". CNN. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ^ P050111PS-0210 on Flickr
- ^ a b c Blake, John (5 May 2011). "What 'Situation Room Photo' reveals about us". CNN. Retrieved 8 May 2011.
- ^ "Clinton: Allergy led to my Situation Room photo". MSNBC. 5 May 2011. Archived from the original on 8 May 2011. Retrieved 8 May 2011.