And Now We Want It Back

More than the photos from Grant Park or New York or Kenya or anywhere else Tuesday night, Evan Vucci’s shot is what did it for me.

The scene of celebrants outside the White House made it so evident how the building was taken from us — and now we want it back. There are so many nice, simple elements here. There is the flag, mostly obscured but just breaking through. Perceptually (and fittingly), it’s hard to tell if the Obama/Biden sign is on this side of the fence, the other side, or maybe even affixed to the building. Beyond the joy, there is the interchangeable “V” for victory and peace symbol. (The “V,” married to the revelry, is particularly ironic considering how Bush encouraged indulgence while he got his war on.)

In the midst of this horrible economic crisis, catalyzed by the banking crisis, the White House itself is a telling symbol. Who more than Bush cashed in on the obscene mortgage of a house with no intention to ever pay it back?

Personally, I can barely stand the thought of waiting till January to get him out. Is there no possibility of an eviction notice?