Washington to Obama, morphed

I thought it's racist to use the initial or the middle name of Pres elect Obama? where's the outcry?

Is it just me, or does the transformation from LBJ to Nixon terrify anyone else?

Silly Horace. Barack's middle name is like the 'N' word. It can only be used in the appropriate context by the appropriate people for it not to be construed as racist. Get over it!

Interesting how from Carter on it's photos, but the rest are paintings. Why no Nixon photo, or no Carter painting...?

Horace: delusions of persecution is a symptom of schizophrenia. You may want to get that checked out.

Obama is just a muslilm like Jindal. They say they converted, but who knows? Louisiana refuses to release Jindal's birth certificate! Is Jindal American or Indian?

I think the transformation from Nixon to Carter is the scariest. All teeth. After that, every president is smiling - and I'm not sure if that's better or worse! And how about finding presidential portraits for Kennedy and Eisenhower? A stamp and an old photo of Gen. Eisenhower just don't really work. Also, could the White House please go back to hiring real portrait artists? Photos are nice, but art is forever.

Gee, i'm sorry but number 41 and 43 REALLY do look to have a certain...cretinous ... look to them.
but what a lovely face Jimmy Carter has in the photo , why didn't you guys like him ? He looks like SUCH a good person , its amazing how much a face can convey.

I thought the creepiest morph was Clinton into Bush. That one kinda made me throw up into my mouth, just a little bit.

No Horace; it's not racist to use the middle initial or middle name of President-elect Obama.

It's racist to use it to tie him to terrorists or despots who share that name, or whose name is similar.

It's sheer stupidity not to be able to understand the difference.

It's really not that complicated, but perhaps when you get to middle school, you'll understand.

Yeah, Johnson to Nixon was creepy - but Reagan was creepier still.

Shrub Jr. looked more like Will Ferrill than himself, but boy, it was satisfying watching him morph into Obama.

It is not just you--Nixon was really like a menacing apparation.

horace...get a life

will g...yes, the lbj=nixon transformation freaked me out

hahaha i thought the same thing about the lbj nixon transformation!!

I don't see the "strikingly new and different look"

George W's eyes and nose make him look kind of malevolent in that photo

That seems to be the most common portrait of Obama, but probably his worst. I guess he's gong to take his official presidential photo any day now.

Obviously they couldn't use Kennedy's official portrait because he was looking down in it. I'm sure "facilitating the morphing process" trumped "official portrait" on other Presidents too, but that's one I remember.

It's not "racist" to use Obama's middle name. It's a shameless attempt to use an irrational fear of Muslims to distract people from the man and the issues. Scare people enough and they can't think straight. When Obama was named, there was no particular fear of all things Muslim, and Hussein was an unusual name, but not a political one.

Horace - it's not racist, per say, and it's all in how you say it. If you say "and the president-elect is named Barack Hussein Obama.." it's all right. If, however, you do what Glenn Beck used to do on TV and lean into the camera and over-anunciate the word "huSSEIN!!" whenever he said Obama's name.... yeah, that makes you a jerk.

Will - the music goes to a minor key at that exact moment. That makes it even creepier.

Obama DOESN'T look like any other president. That's not racist. It's a fact. Sorry reality is reality.

Of all the dumb things Republicans chose to pick on Obama for during the primary, probably the dumbest was Obama's observation that he wouldn't look like the other presidents. He doesn't.

Only the current crop of Republicans could somehow deny that reality. If you want to argue it doesn't matter, fine. But you can't argue he looks considerably different, i.e. being the first and only black one so far, of any of the presidents.

Anyone who tries to argue against that is just an idiot. And should be treated as such.

Horace
The use of Obama's middle name all depends on context and how it is being used. Hussein is indeed his middle name and Presidents are called by their full name on occasion - like when they are sworn in. But when a right wing nut case wields the name in a condescending, petty or racist manner then, yes, it is inappropriate.

I am sure that Barack H. Obama will be given the same opportunity to govern as his predeseccors. It's not the name, but the content of the man that will determine his greatness, or lack thereof.

this is really great, and inspiring. racism is done. it is a new day a new time.

from an american,
who happens to be of african-american descent.woo---wee.

yeah, nixon is creepy.

Why does everyone focus on President elect Obama's middle name? I personally focus on his first name, Barack, which reminds me of Mr.T's character on the A-Team "B.A. Barackus". I pity the fool who doesn't like the A-Team.

They start to smile at Nixon, maybe as that's when photo rather then portraiture make our history, or because he's our vampire

"Hussein" . . . is from the Semitic word, hasan, meaning "good" or "handsome." Husayn is the diminutive, affectionate form.

Barack Obama's middle name is in honor of his grandfather, Hussein, a secular resident of Nairobi. Americans may think of Saddam Hussein when they hear the name, but that is like thinking of Stalin when you hear the name Joseph. There have been lots of Husseins in history, from the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, a hero who touched the historian Gibbon, to King Hussein of Jordan, one of America's most steadfast allies in the 20th century. The author of the beloved American novel, The Kite Runner, is Khaled Hosseini."

(written by Juan Cole, President of the Global Americana Institute)

funny how so many of us had the same reaction to the LBJ - Nixon transition ... and ditto on the comments re: Obama's middle name - that was an ignorant and immature comment, Horace. Kent - I like the way you think! There's only one fool I pity ... (ahem - see above)

just don't understand why no one else had their middle initial in place but Obama..not htat it is a big deal I guess..but it's quiote obvious..