There is something unsettling about this photo. One of the wonderful aspects of our democracy has been the acceptance of the election results by most citizens, and the comity displayed, even if only superficially, by the combatants after the results.
In this photo, however, I could not escape the sense that this was Obama rubbing it in. It’s in the Oval Office (perhaps the first time Romney was in it), with Romney having a tight-lipped “smile” and the President casually shaking hands with one hand in a pocket. I guess it is better than a picture of Romney with food hanging out of his mouth at their lunch, but is this truly the best that could be done by the White House photographer? Or, was this perhaps the most awkward post-election meeting ever?
Tom Noonan 