Rick Perry vs. Barack Obama — not worth 1,000 words [that side-by-side really struck a nerve]

Washington Post ^ | August 25, 2011 | Alexandra Petri

[Cincinatus' Wife]

....The image of Rick Perry and Barack Obama that has been circulating is worth 300, at most. The above “side-by-side comparison,” tweeted by David Limbaugh, has torn through the Internets of late. It’s supposed to be a “side-by-side comparison.” True, Obama is not actually 22. He’s 20. From a 20-year-old’s perspective, this is a tremendous and unbridgeable gap, but to everyone else it’s a case of potato, potato. But let’s take this as a comparison.

What can we learn upon analyzing this photo?

Perry accessorizes with airplanes.

Obama accessorizes with very, very ill-advised hats.

Perry gets a cool fighter suit. Obama gets a hipster button-down.

Perry is looking heroically off into the distance through aviator sunglasses as though auditioning for a less homoerotic Top Gun.

Obama is smoking.

And “Boys will be boys….” of all the slightly offensive captions.

There is an antiquated notion that the camera does not lie, or that the camera captures your soul, or that the camera adds 10 pounds, or that – well, something to do with the camera. There is some notion about cameras. I’m sorry, let me start over.

[snip]

To me, this is a less a profile in character than it is a handy side-by-side primer on how to look good and how to look awful in a picture.

Standing next to an airplane in aviator gear? Cool. Smoking in a stupid hat? Uncool. The only way Barack Obama would look worse would be if he were wearing a fanny-pack, if he were denying an old woman health care, or if someone had drawn....

Nobody looks uncool when standing next to an airplane and looking as though he has a handle on what to what to do when he gets inside it.....

[caww]

when I read “secure” I read “closed.”

Then you need to pass that on to Perry for he doesn't speak or read it that way at all. You cannot seccure a door of passage until it is shut.....simple.

[trumandogz]

I’m sorry that we disagree.

You and Rick Perry advocate In-State Tuition for Illegal Aliens.

I oppose.

You and Rick Perry advocate giving millions tax payer dollars to a European Socialist to build a race track.

I oppose.

You and Rick Perry advocate the testing of high school students for steroids.

I oppose.

You and Rick Perry advocate mandated seat belt use for adults in the back seat of cars.

I oppose.

You and Rick Perry advocate banning tanning salons from providing service to teenagers.

I oppose.

[trumandogz]

Only the first $25 million of Texas Tax Payer dollars to be given to a European Socialist?

Do you advocate that first $25 million of Tax Payer Dollars to be used for the F1 track?

If it is such a great idea, why aren’t private dollars being invested with that European Socialist?

[trumandogz]

Is it your view that Rick Perry did not sign a bill that granted In-State Tuition to Illegal Aliens?

[wolfcreek]

I hate the idea. I don’t want all those snoody EuroRats around here.

I was just correcting you so you didn’t look misinformed.

[narses]

Again answeing your question...

Really? When?

....there are other candidates besides the two you listed.

But that doesn't answer the very specific question I asked.

[lonestar]

You are putting words into my mouth!

I oppose!

[lonestar]

Do you live in TX?

Who are you supporting?

[trumandogz]

Yes.

Gov. Palin