Our Political Pics of the Week: Frogs Legs, Defensive Posture, Whole Lotta Sequestration Going On

The President and the Speaker of the House at the Rosa Parks statue dedication. Opposite ends of the spectrum appropriately illustrated.

What is it with being able to speak a foreign language? Is it fear of French? Spanish doesn’t seem to elicit the same emotions. The other day, John Kerry spoke French during a press conference in France with the French Foreign Minister. He ended his French remarks with “And now I will speak in English, because otherwise I would not be allowed to return home.” Okay, good enough, though risky in the age of YouTube. Is it riskier then to emerge from a room seemingly arm in arm with Francois Hollande? Next, perhaps, we’ll see photos of frog legs and escargot from the lunch he mentions in his remarks.

Let us take note of this contrition-by-newswire moment, a domestic “Obama bow” in a deeper, more reverent manner than the president ever has. Yes, the man gets the job, but not without visual reinforcement to his antagonists on both side of the aisle that, short of taking him down, they at least made him bend over.

The White House posts a picture.

…And the answer to the sequestration apocalypse, is: Obama!

— Karen Hull Donley

(photo 1: J. Scott Applewhite/AP caption: President Barack Obama, left, and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio sit during a ceremony to dedicate a statue of civil rights icon Rosa Parks, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, in the Capitol’s Statuary Hall.photo 2: Jacquelyn Martin/Reuters/Pool caption: U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry (L) walks with French President Francois Hollande after their meeting at Elysee Palace in Paris February 27, 2013. Paris is the third leg of Kerry’s first official overseas trip, a hectic nine-day dash through Europe and the Middle East. photo 3: Cliff Owen/AP caption: New Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel bows as he concludes his remarks to service members and civilian employees at the Pentagon, Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, after being sworn-in. Hagel took charge of the Defense Department Wednesday after a bruising confirmation fight _ and two days before billions in budget cuts are scheduled to hit the military. photo 4: Pete Souza/White House caption: President Barack Obama talks with Congressional leaders prior to the Rosa Parks statue unveiling ceremony at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Feb. 27, 2013. Pictured, from left, are: Minority Leader Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; Assistant Democratic Leader Rep. James Clyburn, D-S.C.; Majority Leader Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev.; House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio; and House Minority Leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.)