President Obama is not impressed.

[kpete]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/8191317327/in/photostream

[Glimmer of Hope]

1. Let the photo shopping begin!

[kirby]

71. That is prohibited...

This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House.

[Siwsan]

2. Ok, I'm impressed with McKayla owning and having FUN with her momentary 'attitude' lapse

Honestly, how many young women would have turned into a stroppy mess, with all of this publicity about such a, well, unflattering photo. She must be made of strong, self assured stuff. Sometimes our inner-selves just escape, I guess.

[Scuba]

7. Interesting. I never thought of it as unflattering, but more of an ...

... "I don't suffer fools easily" moment. I found the expression admirable. Maybe that's just me.

[Siwsan]

8. Yea - it's all personal perception

I saw every snotty cheerleader or 'mean girl' I've ever known (and, no, not all cheerleaders were snotty) who never handled anyone who the perceived as one-upping them, with anything approaching grace. But the reality of this young woman just illustrates my embarrassing shortcoming and old prejudice. I definitely own that.

[Scuba]

9. LOL Great response. We all have known and unknown prejudices.

[Michigan Alum]

67. I was a real idiot when I didn't win in swimming. I ripped up a 3rd place ribbon and flushed it down

the toilet when I was about her age. So I have learned never to criticize someone for being upset when they don't win.

[seabeyond]

21. i could respect that picture. i saw strength in that picture in her disappointment with her

performance.

i didnt like how people were all over her. what? they prefer she cry with disappointment? i thought she stoic.

but, i love this picture.

[Indpndnt]

36. I think part of it was that some didn't know exactly why she had that reaction.

They thought she was mad that the judges scored others higher than her. Those of us who watched it knew she had landed on her backside and was furious at herself for the missed opportunities. The way she stepped up and owned the meme created around her reaction, though, was impressive.

[winstars]

60. And look who is at the White House and who isn't... She totally is going with it and seems...

to be on her way to greater heights, pun intended...

[awoke_in_2003]

74. +1. nt

[Beowulf42]

72. Ditto

I agree. A human moment from a poised, talented, natural human being. So much better than the plastic faces we have plastered all over our media. Pissed is passed. Let it show. Perturbed is perturbed. Go with it.

[Quantess]

35. She's cute. She easily gets away with making a funny face

and still looks great.

[TahitiNut]

63. The WHOLE TEAM had fun with it (including HER) towrds the end of the London Olympics.

McKayla openly acknowledged that she'd been making this face since she was a pre-teen ... and never regarded it as anything other than 'tude. The rest of the team poked fun at her and she took it good-naturedly. They even posed for a photo with everyone on the team striking the 'tude pose.

[awoke_in_2003]

73. Yep...

maybe she needs a new title, like the First Smirker

[Skittles]

78. unflattering?

she looks gorgeous and tough! My kind of gal!

[rateyes]

3. Love it!

How cool is that?

[obamanut2012]

4. Props to her for totally embracing the meme she created

That makes it even funnier!

[Are_grits_groceries]

5. LOL!

It was great that Maroney owned it because she earned a lot of fans with her self-deprecation.
And it's great that PBO played along!

[Botany]

6. thye both got "some major chops"

[DinahMoeHum]

10. Heh heh. It's gonna be her marketing gimmick.

Hope she runs with it to the $$$ because the shelf-life of a Olympic-class female gymnast is really short. Go On Girl!!

[Priceless]

11. Coolest President ever!!!

I don't even know who would be second? Clinton, FDR. . .hmmmmm

[seabeyond]

24. welcome to du.

he is pretty cool.

[hrmjustin]

33. Welcome to DU!

[Quantess]

45. FDR was cool back in "his day" I suppose.

Back in MY DAY, I was the bee's knees, the cat's pajamas... but these whippersnappers nowadays don't even know how to cut a rug.

[awoke_in_2003]

75. And they won't...

Get off my damn lawn

[calimary]

57. Welcome to DU, Priceless!

Glad you're here! President Obama is definitely #1 in Cool. For another four years!

[blur256]

12. Love this!

What other president would do this?

[calimary]

58. Welcome to DU, blur256!

Great to have you with us! President Obama has such a great sense of humor. He's so genuine with people! Let's make sure to have his back, and let him know it, during his second term. Gotta keep the assholes away, or at least, at bay.

[AsahinaKimi]

77. I had that same exact thought..

What other President would do this or be this way. His love for kids, and teenagers. Could you see any other President doing this? I can't.. He will truly be up there with one of the greats...in my book.

[RVN VET]

13. I guess I missed the whole issue, but this photo shows her to be a classy kid,

assured and not above deprecation. As well as cute as cute can be.

POTUS? Not so much cute; but he's one hell of a guy to pose with her in a gag shot like this one. I love the expressions on the faces of the 2 folks in the background.

(Yikes! I just tried to imagine a "president" Romney doing the same. It made me dizzy and I almost vomited in my mouth.)

(Totally unrelated: I just heard Chris Hayes refer to Romney's miserable comments on his, ahem, recent fanny kicking, as "craven." Perfect description of the remarks and the man.)

[Barack_America]

20. .

I always suspected the face was an attempt to ward off tears.

She's been a great sport about it.

And Obama. He's just so impressive. A President who lives in real time. Mitt Romney has no idea what a meme is, and certainly has never seen the "not impressed" pictures. I guarantee you.

[lexw]

39. I agree: that was her way of fighting off tears.

[rury]

41. In the eye of the beholder

"POTUS? Not so much cute; but he's one hell of a guy to pose with her in a gag shot like this one. I love the expressions on the faces of the 2 folks in the background."

I disagree.....POTUS is handsome as can be!!!!!

[tridim]

14. President meme-killer. Just awesome!

I posted it on my FB and quickly weeded out two idiot Faux "friends".

I've posted Obama pics before, but this one really pissed them off for some reason.

[bluemarkers]

17. lol, because

he's not a robot!!!

and for some reason, they seem to think rmoney would be in office at this moment, not in Jan... gawd my rwnj friends are so stupid!

[Cracklin Charlie]

15. Very cute! n/t

[ProudProgressiveNow]

16. Great pic!

[seabeyond]

18. this was a serious girl, disappointed with performance, and vilified. good for both that they did

this.

i really love and appreciate it.

[Hugin]

19. A classic. n/t

[Plaid Adder]

22. All right, that's pretty cool.

Also, Romney, if you're still wondering why you lost:

Do you get it? Because if not, that could be why.

Seriously. Do you know what a 'meme' is, Mitt? Do you check your own email, or does your secretary print it out for you? I've often wondered.

The Plaid Adder

[Diclotican]

23. kpete

kpete

United States of America should be grateful to have HIM as your president.. You could do so much worse in all... He have a style, and a grace fullness around him, and is also rather down to earth compared to the other fool who I like.. He have a high office, but it not to high up, to fool around little if the need arise.. And this meme says it all

Thank you all, the over 60 millions who voted in Obama two weeks ago...

Diclotican

[cilla4progress]

30. Great to be living in

THESE TIMES!!!!!!!!!!!!

[myrna minx]

25. OK - this made me LOL.

[Walk away]

26. 2nd term Obama is going to be a Great President and a lot of fun!

I think we will get a chance to meet the real man in a way the first term and the evil Right just didn't allow.

[silverweb]

43. Agreed.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]With no worries about future elections, "Prezzy B" can really be himself. Also, Dems have come out of the gate roaring and have his back.

It's still going to be a tough haul in ways, but I'm so looking forward to the next 4 years!

[Walk away]

48. Let's hope we can all keep going in the same direction for a change..

I am going to make a real effort to stay positive. Not easy for a Dem! We like our ups and downs.

[Politicub]

51. We have to take the house and increase our share of the senate in 2014

So all branches of government have a dem majority for at least two years. Then start repairing the damage done to America by conservatives.

[paleotn]

27. I see a great athlete and a great President....

I agree completely, Botany....major chops! I loved the expression during the Olympics and love the parody with the Prez. If sexist / racist, reactionary pigs can't handle a strong, self assured, extremely talented woman athlete or African-American president, they can kiss my southern white male arse! You go McKayla! You to, President Obama! Just one more reason to love my President!

[calimary]

59. Welcome to DU, paleotn!

Happy to have you here! Our President is a warm, approachable, relatable human being. Let's make sure we ALL have his back for the next four years.

[SunSeeker]

28. K&R

[CatWoman]

29. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[bearssoapbox]

31. Look at his eyes

They show that there is a person in there and he looks like he could bust out laughing at any time. It's great to have a genuine, caring person as President. It's a far cry from the puppet(bush the lesser) and his puppeteers(cheney, rove, etc.) when they were the country.
I can't picture dog-on-roof Mittens in that pose or the people around him being as relaxed as the ones in the background of this picture.

[madrchsod]

32. that`s one of the reasons he`s the president....

and that other guy is`t

[HopeHoops]

34. "Orange man Boner. You have GOT to be shitting me."

[AsahinaKimi]

37. LOL!

I love it...

[Up2Late]

38. LOL!

[Tigress DEM]

40. Hey kid they laugh at me all the time. Laugh with them and it loses it's sting. nt

[tokenlib]

42. McKayla coaches the President on responding to Boehner...n/t

[Whovian]

44. Glad this went back to the front page

I was looking for it before posting it again as I just found it on my FB page. I absolutely love it!

[cherish44]

46. I love the semi-smile on the president's face

Glad he can have fun and lighten up despite all the pressure he's under.

[AtheistCrusader]

50. Exactly.

And in fact, that will make it hard for anyone to use it as a image-macro in a negative way.

Just that hint of a smile.. I think it's mostly in his eyes.

[Beartracks]

47. That. Is. Awesome.

===========

[politicaljack78]

49. What an awesome photo !

Do we have a smiley to match that??? That would be so cool.

[lovemydog]

66. It would!

Hilarious.

[Beartracks]

52. This is now the main photo on McKayla's Wikipedia page.

Well, a crop of it, anyway.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McKayla_Maroney

=================

[silverweb]

53. i can see Michelle and the girls cracking up now.

[font color="navy" face="Verdana"]Something tells me he's doing to get some family ribbing about this photo.

[MADem]

54. I love this picture~~!!!!

When I saw the pic of the young athlete and the "not impressed" meme started taking off, my "take" on her POV was that she was "not impressed" with her OWN performance--not that she was mad at judges or other competitors.

Ya gotta hold yourself to a high standard!

[Odin2005]

55. I laughed my ass off when I saw this on FB!

[DeSwiss]

56. You won the GOLD girl!!!

- No matter what one cock-eyed judge says!

K&R

[winstars]

62. Great post to remind us what this kid did and maybe why she was "not impressed"...

[ChoppinBroccoli]

61. MY President Is So Damn Cool

Can you imagine a stuffed shirt like Rmoney or Boner posing for a photo like this?

[trumad]

64. She's really quite pretty

?1962

[Tx4obama]

65. All SIX of them at the White House

[lovemydog]

70. What a great photo.

I hope all these girls grow up strong proud and happy. They've provided so much joy & inspirations. I watched a lot of the summer olympics and they were my favorite part. The discipline and training, combined with performing under pressure, makes it fascinating. Plus, you can't beat gymnastics for artistry and drama.

[njlibguy_19656mm]

68. haha, I love his expression

Classic. Good on him

[Rex]

69. What we have here folks is a POTUS

with a sense of humor! So refreshing after the 8 years of the murderous robot-in-office (Darth Cheney).

[Gemini Cat]

76. This is great!

[tclambert]

79. "Boehner's budget ideas? . . . McKayla and Barack are not impressed."

It's just begging for captions.

[Atomic Forehead]

80. ...too good not to post a 'shopped meme...

[Atomic Forehead]

81. ...here's another one...