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Pete's photo of Obama's shoes
Bob Nichols, Photographer
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Tipton | IN | USA | Posted: 12:24 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2009/06/09/world/worldwatch/entry5076128.shtml
Some Israelis Insulted By Obama Picture
Israeli TV newscasters Tuesday night interpreted a photo taken Monday in the Oval Office of President Obama talking on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an "insult" to Israel.
They saw the incident as somewhat akin to an incident last year, when the Iraqi reporter threw a shoe at President Bush in Baghdad.
It is considered an insult in the Arab world to show the sole of your shoe to someone. It is not a Jewish custom necessarily, but Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years to be insulted too. |
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Matthew Cavanah, Student/Intern, Photographer
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Columbia | MO | US | Posted: 12:35 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> I instantly thought back to this image from the campaign. http://poyi.org/66/13/index.php
This seems to be something of a habit of Obama's (including wearing worn out shoes).
My only real reaction to this though is that if the photo hadn't been taken/published, Israel wouldn't be any the wiser. |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 12:36 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> ....Some........ Israelis Insulted By Obama Picture
Which means some weren't. In any culture there will always be a group of fools who can't seem to help themselves. I'll stand with those that can see beyond his ankles and the REAL problems that need to be addressed in the Middle East. |
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Matthew Sauk, Photographer
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Sandy | UT | United States | Posted: 12:40 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> what else is new, someone not liking what we do...
So the guy likes to relax and that is how he does it. So now he has to watch his posture when he is talking on the phone to someone half way around the world? lol |
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Curtis Clegg, Photographer
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Wally Nell, Photographer
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CAIRO | EG | EGYPT | Posted: 2:32 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> Eric, the showing of the soles of shoes/feet, is a huge issue in the Middle Eastern culture. It is easy for us as Westerners to laugh at this, but for these people, these are real issues. It is our culture to be free about many things, and in the same way it is within their culture to not be free about some things.
Shooting here in the Middle East almost always poses potential problems within the culture. I have a friend here, a veteran from AFP, who photographed Mubarak with another head of state from somewhere, and the other head of state had his legs crossed with the shoe facing Mubarak. The picture was placed on the wire by AFP and this friend of mine got banned from photographing Mubarak again. Only recently did he regain his presidential credential again.
They are very real issues. |
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Richard Denham, Photographer
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Toronto/Buffalo/Niagara | On | Canada | Posted: 2:48 PM on 06.10.09 |
| ->> Ahh, kind of like how our (Canada) Governor general Michaelle Jean ate a seal heart. It's our culture, it was done in our country, so deal with it. If the photo was taken in the Middle east then yes, I could see an issue, but it was not. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 3:23 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> I'm sure if the Obama administration had it to do over again, this picture would not have been released. Unless Pete had connected the dots from the shoe throwing incident with Bush, he would have no way to know that the image could get a reaction.
Frankly, in reading the article, the only ones who seemed to have a issue were the newscasters. However, it's clear from Wally's timely and insightful post that this has the potential to be a issue, and when it comes to the Middle East, one has to tip toe like they are walking on egg shells.
I'm glad I don't have George Mitchell's job as a special envoy to the Middle East. |
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Eric Canha, Photographer
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Brockton | MA | United States | Posted: 3:25 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> Wally with all due respect to you and the Arab world. The photo was taken on US soil in the OVAL OFFICE. The fact that Netanyahu is on the phone and that Obama's shoes aren't firmly planted on the floor is beyond reaching. This is SO far beyond protocol.
To take offense that the President of the US (or the leader of ANY county) isn't sitting in a culturally sensitive fashion FOR A PHONE CALL is absurd. Are we to expect that when Hillary gets on the phone with members of the Arab nations that she is wearing some kind of headdress out of respect? If while you or I are on the phone with a client and we ahemmmmm let the breeze blow, have we offended the person 5 or 5000 miles away (assuming it wasn't heard)? Thank goodness that he wasn't up in the residence sending an email in his boxers, we'd be running at defcon 3.
I am well aware of cultural differences. I am a first generation American. |
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Alan Look, Photographer
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Bloomington | IL | United States | Posted: 3:53 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> Yep, the old wise saying is "when in Rome do as the Roman's do". Everyone needs to have a little more respect for each others cultures and try to find intent. Nitpicking is just getting old.
Good thing BO wasn't on a John Deere tractor with no shirt on mowing the White House lawn. That would probably start another skirmish!
My other favorite saying today - Lighten up Lucy!
I'll respect their culture when in their country. They can respect mine when they are here. |
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David Harpe, Photographer
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Louisville | KY | USA | Posted: 3:54 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> I don't know if I'd call the reaction "absurd". World politics are screwy. It's easy to get things wrong.
When you're the President of the United States, you need to have smart people around you to prevent this kind of thing from happening. Obama can't know all of this, neither can Pete. But the cadre of staffers hanging around in the wings with Ivy-league pedigrees and years of political experience should. That's why they are there.
It's not the first time we've had an embarassing image/media related issue crop up with Obama. Seems like that part of his staff needs a house cleaning. |
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Bradly J. Boner, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Jackson | WY | USA | Posted: 4:26 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> I agree with Eric that's it's silly to think the president meant any disrespect to Middle Easterners by put his feet up on his desk.
I think, if anything, Pete Souza and the White House photography staff will be more aware of these cultural issues in deciding which photos to release for certain situations. |
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Wally Nell, Photographer
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CAIRO | EG | EGYPT | Posted: 5:09 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> Eric, I personally think it is a great image. And yes, theoretically what you say is true. However in the practical world, other cultures are out there who have different values to ours. Again, I am not criticizing the image, or Pete's judgment in making this image. I am not criticizing the fact that the image ran; I am only pointing out that there are other cultural values we need to take into consideration as well before we call them 'fools'.
I agree that President Obama did not consciously mean any disrespect by the action of his feet on the desk; however when people see things, it passes through a cultural filter in their mind. We do the same in the West. And yes, in a way people are responsible for themselves as to how they interpret actions of others.
Again, it is not a criticism, it is to provide a reference point for the fact that some cultures take offense at certain things we may think silly. And since it is cultural, we had better not be getting on our high horse and calling them 'fools', just because they are different. |
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Michael Moriatis, Photographer
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Santa Barbara | CA | USA | Posted: 5:38 PM on 06.10.09 |
| ->> To those who are offended. LIGHTEN UP. |
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Robert Benson, Photographer
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San Diego | CA | USA | Posted: 5:54 PM on 06.10.09 |
| ->> More importantly, why is Souza's name spelled incorrectly in the byline in that link? |
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Michael Granse, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 7:47 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> If President Obama ever gets the "3:00am phone call" that everyone talks about during presidential campaigns, he will probably take this call in his pajamas. No president, Democrat or Republican, is going to put that call on "hold" in order to consult with wardrobe, hair, makeup, and protocol experts.
The Israelis have real concerns and shoes on a desk in a photograph of a phone conversation will pale in comparison to hard questions about sovereignty, security, alliances, and the complex interaction between the three. |
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Mark Perlstein, Photo Editor, Photographer
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Plano | TX | USA | Posted: 8:26 PM on 06.10.09 |
| ->> I agree, everyone should lighten up. But if you look at the national polls on this, 37 % are offended. Pete is a terrific photographer, but he and the chief photo editor at the White House messed up big time by sending out this photo. It is his job to NOT make news. |
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Mike Janes, Photographer
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Attica | NY | USA | Posted: 8:48 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> So a majority of 63% are not offended then. I don't get where this is news in all honesty because no matter what someone does there's another person in the world that is going to be offended by it. Pete and the White House did not mess up big time releasing this image, it's the President in his natural relaxed state. Pete took a great image and in no way tried to "make news" as I'm sure he did not ask the President to put his feet on the desk while talking on the phone to get the soles of his shoes and intentionally offend anyone. It's just the President in his natural state and Pete captured it.
This is just more fluff news to take away from real issues IMO. |
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Bradly J. Boner, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Jackson | WY | USA | Posted: 9:13 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> @ Mike J...
Hmmmmm... so does it take a majority for something to make news? What if 48 percent were offended? Is it still not news worthy?
Thirty-seven percent is still quite a bit. I certainly think it's worth a story. But I disagree with Mark P. that Souza "messed up big time." I think they'll do some damage control, learn from this, and move on, which is exactly what they should do. |
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Michael Fischer, Photographer
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Spencer | Ia | USA | Posted: 10:43 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> Whoa folks...take it easy here.
If you read the article in the link, it says "newscasters" made a issue of it.
Here's the paragraph in question:
Israeli TV newscasters Tuesday night interpreted a photo taken Monday in the Oval Office of President Obama talking on the phone with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an "insult" to Israel.
If you read further down in this BLOG, it's reported that Israeli diplomats were basically told to sit down and shut up,that the US was going to change things.
Gentlemen and ladies, we don't know what happened or didn't happen. But this is a BLOG, and I'd be really careful before I buy into this story.
I'm Jewish, but I'm no expert. I doubt that Israelis have the same customs as Arab countries. Common sense tells you that this isn't true.
Benjamin Netanyahu is no dummy, either. This is his second time around as Prime Minister. He knows the ropes and he knows how to play the media. Anyone hear a peep out of him about how the administration is treating him?
Based on the fact he's quiet, based on the fact this report came off a blog and based on the fact I've never heard anyone saying Arab customs are being adapted by Israelis, I would take this entire report with one giant grain of salt.
In other words, I think it's total BS.
Enough said. |
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Jim Colburn, Photo Editor, Photographer
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McAllen | TX | USA | Posted: 11:01 PM on 06.10.09 |
->> "It is considered an insult in the Arab world to show the sole of your shoe to someone. It is not a Jewish custom necessarily, but Israel feels enough a part of the Middle East after 60 years to be insulted too."
It's a bunch of BS from a few right-wing Israeli nut-jobs trying to stir up some s**t against Obama. |
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Mike Janes, Photographer
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Attica | NY | USA | Posted: 2:42 AM on 06.11.09 |
->> Bradly - I was not saying it had to be a majority to make news, those were two separate points in the same paragraph. Everything now makes the news, they have to fill 24 hours on networks so if someone of fame does anything it's "breaking news". To me, however, this is not news because it is not of great importance like so many other things in the world are. Key words there are "to me", it might be to others and that's fine but not for me personally.
It's a double standard as well when you think about it, how many Americans are offended by something in the Muslim world, or Asian, or European, etc? The point is no matter what someone does others will be offended by it somewhere. I had a list of examples but it would of probably offended someone :)
All the White House can do is issue a statement that it was never intended as it was taken by that 37% and that in Obamas culture this is not looked on as an insult and normal. He reached out the Muslim world to try and show we can live together in acceptance of each other, but it's a two way street. |
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Michael Granse, Photographer
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Urbana | IL | USA | Posted: 3:08 AM on 06.11.09 |
->> The large windows behind the desk in the Oval Office face toward the South, which places the bottoms of Obama's feet facing the North West.
Thus, unless Benjamin Netanyahu took this phone call in CANADA there is probably no need for anyone to be offended. |
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Kent Nishimura, Student/Intern
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Honolulu | HI | USA | Posted: 4:28 AM on 06.11.09 |
| ->> im curious to see what pete says about all of this... |
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Chuck Liddy, Photographer
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Durham | NC | USA | Posted: 6:43 AM on 06.11.09 |
| ->> Pete's probably shaking his head with a wry smile on his face going, "Wow, those guys at Sportsshooter will start a thread on anything". 8) |
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Kevin Leas, Photographer, Assistant
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Mike Brice, Photographer
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Toledo | OH | USA | Posted: 3:53 PM on 06.11.09 |
| ->> Well if they don't like the photo, they could always protest and refuse the millions in aid money we give them every year. |
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