If you’re an avid instagrammer and a die-hard fan of ex-POTUS, Barack Obama, then you’re probably familiar with Pete Souza’s account. The ex-White House photographer was the man responsible for capturing some of Obama’s most iconic and picturesque moments in the big house.
Though, with Donald Trump now in office, Souza hasn’t quite settled into a peaceful post-Obama life, replete with posting photos of trees and vacations. Since January, he’s quickly become a master at shading the current president.
After news of Trump’s failed health care plans spread far and wide yesterday, Souza posted a photo of Obama with Mike Pence from 2010.
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“Before voting on the Affordable Care Act in 2010, President Obama met with many members of Congress on both sides of the aisle over the course of many months. This picture was taken at the end of a multiple hours-long meeting with the entire Republican House caucus in which he responded to dozens of questions and critiques. It was carried live on cable TV.”
While many around the web tweeted out sick burns and hilariously witty responses, Souza did no such thing.
The beauty of Souza’s caption — of his entire Instagram account, actually — lies in its subtlety. He shares a photo, he states what’s happening in said photo, and he allows readers to fill in the blanks — and, inherently, compare the old photo with the current political context. The underlying message of this particular pic, of course, is that Obama worked hard and compromised with both sides in order to get the ACA up and running. Obama succeeded in a presidential fashion, where Trump did not.
A week ago, when Trump met with Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany, and refused to shake her hand, Twitter didn’t hold back. As for Souza? He did what he does best. He posted a photo of Obama warmly embracing Merkel: “First time meeting Angela Merkel in 2009,” read the caption. Simple and to the point.
Several weeks before handshake-gate with our mercurial commander-in-chief, Souza even alluded to Merkel’s support of his work as a photographer. With that in mind, surely Merkel would approve of Souza's later post?
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And as news about Trump's proposed immigration ban spread around the web, Souza posted a photo of Obama meeting with the Islamic Society of Baltimore. Didn't we say he's got this trolling thing down pat?
A picture is worth a thousand words, but when accompanied by Pete Souza's brand of shade, it's priceless.