P120609PS-0650

I'd say "contempt".

Picking the facial expression apart using the FACS system (the best existing vocabulary for facial expressions, see wikipedia for an overview of what these mean):

AU1A (the middle forehead raised "who, me?" look) with perhaps a very slight AU2 (kabuki theater outer eyebrow raising) + I wonder about a very slight AU4 (pulling eyebrows together problem solving look that sort-of counteracts AU2) + AU43A (the eyelid droop you might associate with a stereotypical French expression) combined with AU7A (a sort of Clint Eastwood lower eyelid squint) both together is difficult to assess + AU11B I think (something is causing the strong nasolabial furrow, the lines on the side of his mouth that look like parentheses and it's not the "dimpler" AU14 or the mouth widening AU20) + what looks like a slight asymmetric AU12 (voluntary airline flight attendent "buh-bye" smile). Together I believe these show a sort of "I'm better than you" contempt, especially with the asymmetrical smile (a classic contempt look that people recognize when it's done to an extreme) and AU43+AU7.

NOTE: it could be that looking in a downward direction (Obama usually holds his head up very high and "looks down his nose" at things) is making it look like AU43A and the AU7 just makes it look worse. It could also be that the angle of the camera makes the smile appear asymmetric, but I don't think so.

Without having really studied Obama expressions (I don't really care about the president's emotions, I just care about his actual performance) and by evaluating just this one photograph, there's a lot of room for error, but given all that, this is my best guess. [regardless of your own political views, just look at the photo in the large size and pretend you know nothing about who these people are, and see with an unclouded mind... you might be surprised at what you see]

Glenn Reynolds says "what people see is very different depending on who’s posting." At least this is an objective measure using well-tested criteria.

"Go ahead, punk: lie to me."

Is that a Hopper in the back?

Glenn Reynolds and the rest who think this image means anything but a snap shot of a conversation between the POTUS and VP are about as smart and correct as Senator Bill Frist was when he tried to diagnose a comatose Terri Schiavo from a photograph. But what should we expect from Teabagging idiots like Glenn Reynolds and his readers? The president may look tired but thats because he has been busy cleaning up after the idiots in charge from 2001-2009. The past decade had negative job growth for the first time in more than 70 years thanks to the Republican jackholes.

Obama is thinking, "God, how long do I have to put up with this drunken idiot?"

Biden says, "Stop me if you've heard this one. Mahmoud Ahmedinjad, the Pope, Pat Robertson, and Larry Craig all walk into an airport restroom...."

Hello conservatives from Michelle Malkin and Glenn Reynolds! How was Christmas? Did you folks keep the sabbath holy?

While we liberals and sane Americans fix the mess you folks left behind - and don't forget, George W. Bush was a conservative just like you! - enjoy hyperventilating over this pseudo-controversy!

I hope you folks never come before my death panel!

Happy new year!

First we draw a circle around an unpleasant thing we don't like. Then we try to ridicule the person who created it or, frankly, anything we can possibly associate with them. Presto! Problem solved.

Obama has been cleaning?

He's been cleaning out America of all our professed Democrats, judging by current polls. In 2010, he'll be cleaning out the House of Representatives.

President Obama is leaning back, listening and mentally going over the details as Vice President Biden gives updates on 'topics'.

How long before they have the food ready for us to serve? Remember any tip money goes towards the heathcare plan, We can't keep spending the peoples money on all this crap or they will eventually get wise and realize how bad they F&#% UP when they voted us in! And where is Hilary she is supposed to be refilling everyones drinks.

They both look like any two people talking and waiting to go in somewhere. Obama is resting his back, legs, and feet by leaning against the wall. Try standing like he is, near a wall and then lean back against it. Make sure your head touches the wall. Doing that automatically makes you look up. Then imagine someone shorter or of equal height comes up, stands very close and then starts talking, just like you might if you both were standing in a line. Imagine you want to look them in the eye but you still are resting against the wall. Your eyes will look closed. Biden has no concerns whatsoever. He is standing very casually with his hands in his pocket.

Arrogant SOB is what comes to mind

The president can't lean against a wall or get photographed mid-blink without a team of amateur analysts deciding that he's smug or tired or bossy or contemptuous? Yikes.

The President and the Vice President of the United States of America having a conversation before an event. I think we are so lucky to have these two men in this leadership position. President Obama and Vice President Biden are both statesmen and I am very proud of them. Looking forward to a wonderful 2010 and best of luck to both of them.

"The president can't lean against a wall or get photographed mid-blink without a team of amateur analysts deciding that he's smug or tired or bossy or contemptuous? Yikes."

It could be worse...

[i.e. he could have been subjected to the same level of derangement as the previous president]
...which [the Bush comparisons thing] I actually think is pretty funny.

You just can't forget Bush, can you? Could you also be fair and post Obama/Chimp comparisons too?

In any case, my first thoughts were "man, that is a lot of booze in the background". Looking at Obama's watch, it's 8:42PM, and maybe both had a trip or two (three?) to to the booze line? It would explain Obama's relaxed stance.

The watch on Obama's wrist even makes me wonder why the photographer's EXIF data shows a completely different time. Just an out of the box observation.

NO you may NOT touch my NObel Peace Prize

I think his expression says, "I'm not feeling hopey-changey anymore." But when is reality going to sink in for the rest of you star-struck, Obama-deifying, blind-followers? At least Bush was hell-bent on protecting your lives instead of apologizing for them like Oblame-a does.

joe, do you really think i'm clean, and articulate, or is it the teleprompter that trips your trigger? and no, you can't use it at the kc hall this weekend!