Out of all the astounding images we saw yesterday in the aftermath of the U.S. takedown of
Osama Bin Laden at his compound hideout in Pakistan, the two visuals that will stay with me forever are from
the official White House photographer
Pete Souza. First, the above image of the White House staffers watching the whole events unfold live via satellite boomed from the helmet of a Navy Seal to the 'Situation Room'. This is presumed to capture the real time reaction to the helicopter crash which depicts
President Barack Obama looking pensive but always in full control, sitting in and around his people as an equal in a way you could never imagine President Bush. Our emotions though aren't with the impassive White House officials surrounding Barack but with
Hilary Clinton, who watches the horror with her hand over her mouth. The second image of a red-eyed, tired, almost with a tear in his eye President who knows he is watching history unfold is just as striking. No American President in recent memory has allowed to make himself look so vulnerable, but at the same time so human...
I show both images, particularly for the reasons I mentioned above but also because they bring up a potential talking point. We are hearing that
Kathryn Bigelow is gearing up to shoot a movie this summer about the takedown of Osama Bin Laden but my question is, does
Mark Boal's screenplay include the U.S. White House officials? Will Obama, Clinton, Joe Biden, etc all feature - including these astonishing images and live feed? Or is it to be told exclusively from the p.o.v. of the Navy Seals and their direct superiors? Certainly that was to be the case before this week's events but just how can they tell this story now
without including the White House?