Obama: ‘I’m Not Interested In Photo Ops’ Is Now A Twitter Hashtag
During a press conference on Wednesday, President Obama defended his decision not to visit the border while touring Texas. Instead, he reportedly spent his free time attending fundraisers. Twitter has started circulating the hashtag #ImNotInterestedInPhotoOps with some interesting photos that contradict Obama’s assertion that he is “not interested in photo ops.”
The border between the U.S. and Mexico has been the scene of a deteriorating humanitarian crisis in which thousands of unaccompanied children, who entered the country illegally, have been staying for weeks. Many Republicans and some Democrats were calling on President Obama to visit the immigration center at the heart of the emergency. However, the pleads fell on deaf ears.
In his attempt to assure the public and his critics Mr. Obama said:
“Nothing has taken place down there that I’m not intimately aware of. This is not theater.”
However, historically Obama has appeared to be a fan of selfies (remember the one at President Mandela’s memorial service?) with celebrities and sports teams visiting the White House, and now some are pointing to those situations. The #ImNotInterestedInPhotoOps hashtag is picking up steam, with many sharing their thoughts and reminding us just how many times the president was more than ready for a photo op in the past.
Here are some of the most interesting #ImNotInterestedInPhotoOps tweets about Obama:
#NotInterestedInPhotoOps…but first let me take a "selfie" with a hot blonde! ;D pic.twitter.com/kZ4X7FjVg8
— Jamie N. (@JamieRJN) July 10, 2014
#NotInterestedInPhotoOps Gotta love the Ops that include what he's thinking or saying…. pic.twitter.com/KEqAYXFJ7c
— Bossy Boss (A) (@adelawagner1) July 10, 2014
"I'm not interested in photo ops."
-Barack Obama, 7/9/2014
#NotInterestedInPhotoOps
Justin Timberlake pic.twitter.com/BV74ta8Npt
— KRenner (@KRenner2) July 10, 2014
Really. #NotInterestedInPhotoOps pic.twitter.com/8lGkgWoiWS
— Lester Bangs (@_Lester_Bangs) July 9, 2014
#POTUS says he's not interested in photo ops, but he IS interested in some of that salsa. #NotInterestedInPhotoOps pic.twitter.com/m92mtpIrvr
— Gregg M (@Motormouth_65) July 10, 2014
President Selfie…#NotInterestedInPhotoOps @PatDollard pic.twitter.com/EwvgccVDib
— Hollywood Resistance (@BettinaVLA) July 10, 2014
#NotInterestedInPhotoOps pic.twitter.com/pStRUqAVL3
— Beanfrompa (@BeanfromPa) July 9, 2014
There are more than enough situations Twitter users are sharing where Obama seemed to be more than happy to have a photo op, if it was used to show him in a favorite light. With scandal shaking his Presidency and poll numbers collapsing in recent weeks, Obama appears to be detached from the reality of the situation.
As is the case with social media, we cannot tell whether the #ImNotInterestedInPhotoOps hashtag will really take off, but with the serious border crisis situation, it wouldn’t be surprising if it actually becomes a trend. Only time will tell whether Obama’s decision not to visit the border will hurt his legacy even further.
[Image via Twitter]
