It seems Twitter users chose to ignore the "No Photoshopping" warning from the White House that accompanied the photo of President Barack Obama skeet shooting which was posted online on Saturday.
"This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph," the White House statement read. "The photography may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggest approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House."
Almost immediately, an assortment of Photoshopped and variously captioned images sprouted up online, poking fun at the president.
The image, which was taken in August at Camp David, was publicized in an
attempt to quiet the chatter surrounding the president's comments in a recent New Republic magazine interview that he goes skeet shooting "all the time."
At a press briefing last week, members of the media repeatedly asked how frequently Obama shoots and whether photos existed. White House press secretary Jay Carney subsequently said he didn't know how often, but calls for proof in the form of a photo persisted. The photo was then posted on Carney's Twitter page.
The National Rifle Association has since condemned the photo.
"One picture does not erase a lifetime of supporting every gun ban and every gun-control scheme imaginable," said Andrew Arulanandam, the organization's spokesman, in a statement.
Despite his administration’s push to strengthen gun control laws in the U.S., Obama told the New Republic he had "a profound respect for the traditions of hunting that trace back in this country for generations."
Related story:
Dubious Blackburn Challenges Obama to Skeet Shooting Contest
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