Malia Obama mystery selfie: What's the message?
| Washington
Has the White House suffered another stunning leak of top secret information? Something really closely held, known to only a select few at the very top of the Obama administration?
No, we鈥檙e not talking about NSA surveillance revelations or some other national security item. We鈥檙e talking about the Malia selfie 鈥� a photo that appears to be that of the first daughter wearing a Pro Era T-shirt that .
The White House hasn鈥檛 actually confirmed Malia鈥檚 identity here, so there鈥檚 still a shadow of doubt. But if it鈥檚 not her, it鈥檚 a virtual double. She鈥檚 got her hands behind her head, which kind of scrunches up the logo of the Brooklyn rap collective Pro Era.
Joey Bada$$, a member of said group, has stated to a number of news outlets that Pro Era got the photo from a 鈥渕utual friend of Malia鈥� and posted it as a promotional tool.
That make sense 鈥� let鈥檚 put up a photo of a minor whose dad has the FBI on speed dial. Sure, the increased sales will cover the legal fees.
Anyway, there鈥檚 nothing special about the picture, per se. In an era when teens communicate as much with Snapchat photos as with actual words, it鈥檚 perhaps surprising that more Malia or Sasha selfies haven鈥檛 become public.
Or maybe the Obama girls are sealed off from most social media. In 2013, first lady that she did not believe in Facebook for young people and that Malia and Sasha had only 鈥渓imited鈥� access to the site.
That鈥檚 likely to change now that the girls are older. Malia in fact is on the verge of flitting out of their direct control 鈥� she鈥檚 a junior in high school, which means she鈥檚 looking at colleges. Apparently, she wants to be involved in filmmaking, so , which have good film programs.
But add up the months 鈥� she鈥檒l be going off to a dorm in the fall of ... 2016. Right about the time the voters will be getting ready to pick her dad鈥檚 successor.
In that context, this latest selfie really reminds us how well the Obamas have kept their daughters out of the public eye during their years in the White House. The biggest story about Sasha and Malia has been whether they looked bored when their dad pardoned a Thanksgiving turkey.
If that鈥檚 the most drama that鈥檚 come out of their teenage years, the Obamas are very fortunate parents indeed.
