White House Photograper Pete Souza shares his favorite 2012 pictures.

[Fla Dem]

Enjoy and Happy New Year!


http://www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/2012-photos

[LeftofObama]

1. Great pics!

Thanks!

I especially like this one:



It looks like the little girl is thinking, "Don't even think about touching my apple!"

[Cha]

3. She got one of the famous WH apples from the bowl..

and she's going to eat it!

[TahitiNut]

6. When I saw these photos earlier this week ...

... THAT's the one that earned my "best" vote, too. Her expression is priceless. I can just SEE the wheels spinning and her brain processing the experience. It'll be a big part of WHO she is for the rest of her life.

She's adorable!

[Cha]

2. Thank you Fla Dem and here's to the great WH Photographer,

Pete Souza!

[freshwest]

4. These are awesome pix, thanx Fla Dem.

[riderinthestorm]

5. I just googled Sgt Chase Haag, the soldier who reached his hand out from his quilt to shake the

President's hand. He had just arrived at the hospital after being grievously wounded by an IED.

He actually died of those injuries. Shaking his CIC's hand was probably one of his last acts...




Thanks for the wonderful pictures Fla Dem. Truly great.

[glowing]

7. I thought he lived. The man who shook his CiC hand.

[riderinthestorm]

9. Me too. I was wondering what happened to him so I googled his name and came up with this...

http://militarytimes.com/valor/army-sgt-chase-a-haag/2157802

There's other links for other stories about his death as well. Really sad.

[Fla Dem]

11. A shame he didn't make it. As it is for all the good women and men who have died in Bush's war. n/t

[PennsylvaniaMatt]

14. Actually, that is not the same Chase Haag...

The Chase Haag in the iconic picture with President Obama is alive and the President actually talked about him in a speech this past August.

From The White House website:

That’s the lesson of a soldier I had the honor to meet the last time I was in Afghanistan, visiting some of our wounded warriors in the hospital at Bagram. Sergeant Chase Haag is 22 years old. This past spring he was with his team when their vehicle got hit by an IED the day that I flew in. So when I arrived at his hospital room, he and his buddies were all in pretty bad shape. And he was certainly in bad shape -- his leg was broken, his back was fractured. He was laying there on his bed. He was under a lot of medication, face was swollen, his eyes were shut.

And at first, my attitude was I didn’t want to disturb him because I thought he was sleeping. And the doctor said, no, I think he can understand what you’re saying even if he can’t acknowledge it, and I think he’d appreciate knowing that you’re by his side. So I leaned in and I told Chase how proud I was of him and how proud the country was of him, and how we’d be praying for his recovery.

And I was turning to leave and then something happened. There was a rustling under his blanket. And Chase never opened his eyes, couldn’t make a sound, but suddenly you saw the blanket lift and his arm came out. And he shook my hand -- a firm Army handshake. (Hooah!) And I don’t think there was a dry eye in that room.

And then a few months later I was visiting our wounded warriors at Walter Reed, and I walk around the corner and who’s there but Chase. He had endured multiple surgeries. He was persevering through physical therapy. But this time he was on his feet. He was walking again. And he had his dad next to him. And today he’s back where every soldier wants to be -- back with his unit. (Hooah!) (Applause.)

[Fla Dem]

16. Thank you for the information. Good news. n/t

[riderinthestorm]

17. Thanks! When you google images for his name, you get the iconic photo... and death notices. Eek! nt

[dooner]

8. Really great photos

Hadn't seen many of them before.

[nobodyspecial]

10. I love the way he is looking at her in this photo. That is a genuine love that can't be faked.

[bhikkhu]

12. Beautiful!

[Tarheel_Dem]

13. K&R. What a fabulous collection.

[dionysus]

15. that's not true, obama is the debbil! them's fightin' woids...

PUT EM UP!111