This from the Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent at TIME. This is what he's up against.

[Drunken Irishman]

Always. Bullshit like this.

@CrowleyTIME:
not a character judgment, but this does kind of capture the moment pic.twitter.com/aTTUVRLYqu

The photo:

[TwilightGardener]

1. That's just dumb. They both look doofy, but this is primarily a Europe/Russia

problem anyway.

[JJChambers]

2. Why is it bullshit?

In politics, perception and image are powerful tools.

[Drunken Irishman]

4. It's bullshit...

It's taking two irrelevant photos and putting them side-by-side as a comparison. It's not hard to grasp.

Why not put that photo next to this one?



That's right ... because it doesn't fit their narrative. Perception is what they create - not what it is. Obama is 'weak' because he wears a helmet. Putin is 'strong' because he walks around shirtless! Ridiculous. That supposed perception is schoolyard bullshit.

[JJChambers]

5. Regardless, schoolyard bullshit gets a lot of votes

That's the problem.

[Pretzel_Warrior]

9. Which is why Obama steam rolled his opponents in 2 elections

So fuck Crowley.

[Drunken Irishman]

12. Obama isn't some willy-nilly pushover pacifist liberal.

That's what the right's been trying to project of him since he became President. This just bolsters the claim. Don't do their work for 'em. Be objective. Just because Obama is not gung-ho on conflict doesn't mean he's an appeaser or weak.

[KittyWampus]

3. people should inundate Crowley with photoshops of Putin riding bears… etc.

[cali]

6. Michael Crowley is an idiot but I hardly think that you can legitimately

draw the conclusion that you're drawing

[Pretzel_Warrior]

7. That the press doesn't try to twist things and unfairly frame

Events and people? Bahahahhaa! Yeah. That never happens.

[KittyWampus]

10. And why not, pray tell? Interesting you decide to brush this off

as not being indicative of any kind of bias.

[Rex]

8. Geek vs. Cowboy? Is THAT what we've come to?

As a geek-cowboy hybrid myself, I have no problems with the picture. Putin in shades and no shirt is somewhat...blech...

OTOH, the POTUS is styling and profiling AND sporting safety conscience head gear! AND got a badass smile going on!

EAT THAT PUTIN! His horse looks tired btw.

[KittyWampus]

11. "I wonder if @CrowleyTIME can find a picture of Bin Laden riding a bike" From Twitter feeds….