BAGnewsNotes

Franco, Apparently, Still Dead

There is just too much irony in this photo -- especially after yesterday's likely meaningless news that a judicial panel awarded Franken the Minnesota Senate race ... again.   

This image of Al -- looking that much more helpless in front of a powerful column and drawing his hands to his gut rather tightly -- was taken taken three weeks ago at Arlington. The photo not only amplifies Al's isolation these days, it happens to be capture him witnessing a "changing of the guard" ceremony (no kidding) at the Tomb of the Unknowns.

In the latter case, we could take for unknown the population of Minnesota which, to date, has been short-changed a Senator.

(image: Kevin Wolf/A.P. Tomb of the Unknowns, March 25, 2009, Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va.)

Palin's Place (Revisited)

Bristol and Levi Johnston have broken up? You're kidding!

This recent award-winning image by photographer Melina Mara takes us back to Campaign '08's biggest snow job. I mean, it's all there: the smirk; the fact sister Willow was mostly the one schlepping Trig; and the irony -- since Bristol's since had her own baby -- of being left holding the bottle. (And then, contributing to the family values, remember First Dude's tendency -- out of the spotlight -- to put all kinds of distance between himself and little Trig?)

(With a few more winning shots in mind) I imagine Sarah -- simply a natural when it comes to children -- must be thrilled.

Blasts from the not-so-distant past:

(Update: Embarrassingly, and thanks to the correction of my readers -- who I hope have otherwise at least partly acquired their sharp eyes from me -- I have mistaken Willow for Bristol in the photo above. Please forgive my mistake and enjoy Ms. Mara's excellent images, and have at it, as you will, in this look back at the Palin clan. With the correction, the photo realizes how then 17-year-old Bristol would soon be lugging her own baby (without Levi around). And, as for Willow (center), maybe Bristol's experience might actually help her avoid being left holding a bottle.)

(image: Melina Mara: Winner of the White House News Photographers Association - 2nd Place/Political Portfolio)

Getting The BAG's Inauguration Coverage Started A Little Early

In honor of the 40th anniversary of the '69 Inauguration and Counter-Inauguration, photographer Peter Calvin lent these images to The BAG.

Whether you remember that year or it's just historical interest, the '68 election was colored by the Tet Offensive, the signing of the Civil Rights Act, Johnson's decision not to run for re-election, the murders of Kennedy and King, the Chicago riots at the Democratic Convention, and the extremely close 3-way race between Nixon, Humphrey and George Wallace. That was also the last year any candidate (Humphrey) won a presidential nomination without competing in the primaries. ...Also, Saddam Hussein helped lead a coup which brought the Ba'ath Party to power in Iraq, and LBJ mandated all computers purchased by the government support ASCII character encoding.

So, the challenge (don't strain yourself!) is to figure out which of these images depict the Inauguration versus the Counter-Inauguration. In other words, cast a long glance back to the hey-day of identity politics (not that weak stuff we've been slogging through for the past eight years) to figure out who is part of the D.C. revelry in celebrating Tricky Dick Nixon's victory, and who is part of the "make love, not war"; "turn on, tune in, drop out"; "don't fold, spindle or mutilate"; "Steal This Book" crowd.

Don't forget tomorrow's BAGnewsSalon, Looking at Michelle O, 5:00 - 6:30 pm PST, 8:00-9:30 pm EST. Please join us.

(images: ©Peter A. Calvin/petercalvin.com)

Minnesota Recount: Barkley vs. Franken vs. Coleman vs. Lizard People

Why should the so-called experts have all the fun in the Minnesota Senate recount? Barkley? Franken? Coleman? Lizard People? Or, discard? You make the call:

1.

2.

3.

4.

Your Turn: November 5, 2008. 12:15 A.M.

Matt Mendelsohn's NYT op-ed piece: Memorial Day. / Matt Mendelsohn's own post: "Lincoln Memorial, 11/5/08, 12:15 AM."

*** *** ***

It's the image I thought best captured this historic and deeply emotional week.

There are all so many allusions here. Just a couple things that struck me: I could see this as Norman Rockwell's "Obama victory" cover. I also thought of the Roosevelt tie -- not just people coming together to hear a fireside chat but for the leadership out of the depression. And then: "With malice toward none; with charity for all."

I invite your reactions.

(image: Matt Mendelsohn. Washington. November 5, 2008)

Blue Period

These "Welcome Back" decorations remind me of a child's birthday party, and I don't think the association is an accident.

In fact, this photo is probably one of the most honest and unspun portraits of Sarah Palin I've seen. What it speaks to is her very real immaturity or lack of emotional development. (Along those lines, check out the accompanying NYT article and the embarrassing AP video in which Palin calls her McCain antagonists "jerks.")

The other thing that came to mind when I first saw this picture was how Obama cancelled the fireworks for the Grant Park victory celebration. He just didn't think it was the right message to send while the economy was bleeding out.

(image: Al Grillo/Associated Press. Anchorage. November 7, 2008)

U.S.A.! U.S.A.!

I find this particularly moving, profoundly absorbing and quite sad. It's Danny Wilcox Frazier's shot of the stage after McCain's election night rally at the Biltmore in Phoenix.

(via TIME White House photo blog.)

BNN Blogging The Visual Side Of The Election Returns

8:53 PST Olbermann's analogy:

5:06 PST: CNN just projects 10 states at once. Looks like big sheet of postage stamps on digital screen. "I'll take 8 blue Obamas please."

5:11 PST: CNN showing crowd in Grant Park watching/cheering for themselves on CNN monitors. Seems all too incestuous.

5:19 PST: Boys choir onstage at Phoenix Biltmore. Shoot me now.

5:31 PST: Still can't figure out that weird electronic chart that Bill Schneider and Soledad O'Brian are playing with.

Mario Tama: The Vote From Birmingham

Eighty-one year old Emmitt Coleman sitting on his porch after casting his ballot.

(image: ©Mario Tama/Getty. November 4 2008. Birmingham, AL)

'08 Parting Shots: Seriously, McCain?

Many Republicans who would normally be consulted about plans and personnel [for a presidential transition] said they had detected little preparation — perhaps, they said, out of a sense that it would only be an exercise in “going through the motions,” as one put it. from: Building a White House Team Before the Election Is Decided (NYT)

Earlier this month, I offered you David Hume Kennerly's photo of McCain's dramatic sign off in 2000.

That image, along with this one by photographer Brooks Kraft, is part of an auction for the benefit of the International Center For Journalists. (The on-line bidding closes November 10th, and the exhibition runs through November 1st at the Paley Center for Media in New York. Kraft's auction page is here.)

It's easy to look at this photo, taken in '07 in Exeter, New Hampshire, and dispense with it as frivolous. On the other hand, its grown increasingly clear -- and will likely be much more so starting tomorrow -- that McCain's campaign never deserve to be taken -- thus, captured -- that seriously.