Posted on 09/27/2009 3:47:38 PM PDT by machogirl
Photo of Obama and Spain's First Children Causes a Stir September 25, 2009 04:53 PM ET | Paul Bedard, Alex Kingsbury | Permanent Link | Print
By Alex Kingsbury, Washington Whispers
Spanish Prime Minister José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero was in for a rude shock if he thought the same privacy conventions that shield the children of public figures in his home country would extend to the United States. Zapatero brought his wife and two daughters along on his trip to New York for the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly, and on Wednesday he and his family posed for a photograph with President Obama at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The photo caused a huge stir in Spain because the public had never before seen an image of its leader's children, ages 13 and 16, who appeared in the photograph sporting slightly gothic attire.
The photo, credited in the Spanish press to White House photog Lawrence Jackson, was posted on the State Department Flickr site, according to sources. Conservative news outlets in Spain prominently featured the photograph of the Socialist leader's family—with the faces slightly pixilated to comply with the country's aforementioned privacy laws concerning minors—in their papers and on their websites. The conservative El Mundo newspaper put the photograph on Page A1. The liberal El Pais, meanwhile, ran a detailed explainer about why it was not publishing the offending image.
After a request by the Spanish government, the White House removed the photograph from the State Department website. But it was too late. Many Spanish in-boxes today were flooded with a series of E-mails with the photograph—obviously altered—depicting the two teens as members of the Addams Family, the band KISS , and J. R. R. Tolkien's troll-like Orcs.
Agreed. They're hunched over like trolls, and the black sacks they're wearing makes their posture look all the more hideous.
She always makes she that she stands out in a crowd.
In that picture it’s not too hard to look nice. (as a comparison)
“They are wearing what they want. I’m still pondering if that’s a good thing for them?”
I have a somewhat laissez-faire attitude about what adolescents choose to do with their clothing and haircuts. If they are basically kids with good values, and they want to look like jerks, that’s ok by me. And, if wearing hideous goth outfits is the worst thing these kids do, mazel tov. They should grow out of it soon enough.
I have a son who during those years had very long hair which he dyed, serially, every color of the rainbow. Some other mothers wondered how I could possibly allow that. My response at the time was: hair grows out. He got that out of his system and it’s now very close cropped.
My son never got into drugs or fast women, or any of the other activities so attractive and readily available to today’s youth. His teen rebellion was played out with a hideous hairdo. We got off easy.
Thanks for the ping, LucyT.
Incredible.
Almost makes ya feel sorry for ‘em...
What a world.
Tatt
Brad Dourif is awesome.
He’s in lots of flicks too.
A lot of times he’s the best part of an otherwise crappy movie.
Actually, in reference to the daughters - it definitely puts their wardrobe decisions into perspective.
Warm smile.
Tatt
Bump for perspective ; }
God bless,
Tatt
Oh wow! Wasn’t that the actress who portrayed Livia from “I. Claudius”?! Sian Phillips I think, is her name, uncertain look...
Tatt
They don’t show the brooms these people flew in on.
Yes, that is Sian Phillips, in the David Lynch version of Dune.
Looked more like a Star Wars outfit to me.
too bad...this is embarrassing for Espana.
poor Franco...good thing he missed this.
(yes..still dead)
Awesome!
Love that “intellectual looking” (not) ABC paper.
Thank you! She was amazing in I Claudius, and that is saying something, in a production that showcased so many amazing actors. Watching the “behind the scenes” look, with the fellow who portrayed Tiberius was STUNNING.
Thanks again,
Tatt
There are quite a lot of “gothies” going to the local high schools. They go to the mall dressed like that also. I just think that for a Presidential function, those clothes weren’t proper.
Call me a fuddy duddy. I give my kids enough room so they think their independent. ;P
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