The Photo As Politics: Romney Channels JFK

Political blogger Andrew Sullivan posted these two images yesterday, asking his readers if they thought the similarities between them were deliberate or coincidental. It was yesterday, of course, that Mitt Romney gave a speech explaining why his Mormonism shouldn't be an issue in the  presidential race. Many commentators have likened that to the famous speech John Kennedy gave to ministers in 1960 to address the issue of his Catholicism. Sullivan compared the famous 1970 painting of JFK by Aaron Shikler (left) with a  photo of Romney. I've been trying to find out when and where that image was taken, but so far I've been unsuccessful. Can anyone help here? I'd like to know that before I form an opinion on whether is was made deliberately. At any rate, here's also an AP photo taken of Romney during his speech, which he made at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library in Texas. He looks trapped by the flags and that giant symbol of the presidency hanging over him. Perhaps not the best set design.
--David Schonauer

Comments

[The BAG]

Thanks for calling this out. The failure to credit or even post where the cross-armed Romney image came from is an error in netiquette, especially when the image is the story. Beyond that, there is absolutely no context as to how many times Romney did it, if he even did it during (or right before? or right after?) the religion speech at all.

[David Schonauer]

So far no one has turned up any references for the image. I'd love to know when/where it was taken. I've been going through Romney's website a looking at photos, trying to match the tie in this photo with any others. No luck so far.

[Will Drotar]

That's how Latter-day Saints pray. We typically fold our arms instead of our hands. There's no spiritual significance connected with it other than many find it easier to be reverent and not fidget so much (especially children) when we pray that way. Come to any of our meetings or functions and you'll see it anywhere around the world.