White House Photo of the Day: “It’s Their Economy, Stupid.”

The perception of slow but moderate economic growth in the U.S. took a hit with last Friday’s jobs report, leaving the Obama Administration and the Obama campaign casting about for an explanation that doesn’t sound like blaming Congress.

The choice of this photo of Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, along with two of the Obama Administration’s top international economic affairs experts, briefing the president on Europe’s economic woes is an interesting one. How often does a White House publish a photo that projects an inability to fix a problem? Seems to me that’s exactly what this Pete Souza photo does and exactly what it’s meant to do. A photo that screams “Here’s what it is and there’s not much we can do about it.” Underlying message? On further reflection (pun intended) don’t blame us.

via The White House Photo of the Day

— Karen Hull

(photo: Pete Souza/Official White House Photo caption: Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner speaks during a meeting with President Barack Obama in the Oval Office, June 4, 2012. Mike Froman, Deputy National Security Advisor for International and Economic Affairs, and Lael Brainard, Under Secretary of the Treasury for International Affairs, are seated next to Secretary Geithner.)