Black and White

Everybody's talking about race and gender in politics these days, but I want to talk a little bit about image and identity in another sense: dress.

Now, I know people do sometimes wear white ties, but let's be honest, it's not that common. So, am I the only one that finds this picture below just a little bit weird? (and yes, I realize the tie is not totally white, but still consider the general whiteness of the portrait)



What kinds of images and ideas does this very clean white picture evoke in you?

Perhaps at best it fosters of sense of redemption and hope for a better future where the wrongs of the present will be made right? Perhaps. Yet I couldn't help several other images also flashing through my mind, such as...

"Geez! Does this guy have a Messiah- or God-complex or what?"



or "Hmm. Is that really the way to show you're the man for the job?"



or finally, "Wow! It's Mr. Clean!"



I'm assuming enough people must like it though, since it also dons the top of his campaign website and his Facebook profile page. Regardless, it gives me the creepies, and far more so than your typical cheesy campaign photo, of which there are plenty to go around. Bill Clinton's "fairy tale" accusation may have been over the top, but I think it's hard to deny this picture having a surreal, "fairy tale" feel to it. That's just my two cents though.

That being said, this post is merely meant to raise a few questions in humorous fashion about the way Obama may or may not be perceived by his supporters (personally, I think that intentional "messiah" symbolism is highly probable), those who support someone else, and those who remain undecided about the candidates (I fall into this latter category). Therefore, please don't take it to mean anything more than that (i.e., it is not meant to be a criticism of his overall campaign and stances on issues).