Thursday, as you likely know by now, is “Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work” day. The White House, like CNN and virtually every other company, celebrates this day with a special program of activities. Except, at the White House, you actually get to meet the president of the United States.
This photo, captured by David Martosko, the U.S. political editor of the Daily Mail, captures the president greeting a group of kids on the White House grounds. And it is, well, amazing.
Setting aside his comment about Trump’s tweets, the photo virtually demands further investigation and explanation. Which is, of course, what I am here for.
Let’s start with the star of the picture — the kid standing to Trump’s left.
He is not only a) thrilled to be there but b) smiling directly into what I can only imagine is roughly 1 billion cameras (NOTE: This is an estimate) being pointed at him as he stands feet from the most powerful person in the country. The young me — and, heck, the now me — envies that kid. I was NEVER looking at the camera when a photo was taken; every photo of me is either a) me blinking or b) me looking off camera. That kid is a damn American hero.
Then there is the kid standing directly to Trump’s right.
That kid looks so much like one of my sons that I almost texted my wife to make sure he wasn’t randomly at the White House. Also, if you want to know what I looked like when I was little, it’s that kid. Dead ringer — all the way down to the glasses.
Reince Priebus is also in the shot.
The White House chief of staff looks betwixt and between. On the one hand, the president is spending time with kids of his staffers. On the other, he’s almost certainly late to a meeting of some sort. (The president was scheduled to meet with the Argentinian president.)
The most intriguing figure in the picture for me is Sunglasses Guy.
First of all, kudos to this guy for being prepared. It was overcast this morning in DC but the forecast was for the sun to break through. When it did, Sunglasses Guy was ON IT. (Related: I never have my sunglasses when I need them.) I tried to zoom in on the credential he is wearing around his neck because I thought it might say “press.” But I couldn’t make anything out.
And last, but certainly not least, is the man at the center of it all: Donald John Trump. I zoomed in on his hands to figure out what he was holding.
Trump is holding papers, preparing to sign autographs. But did he bring those papers for the purpose of signing stuff? Or did a kid hand him that paper and he was in the process of signing it? These are the questions that keep me up at night.
One other public service announcement while we’re here: We should have MORE days where you bring your kids to work. It’s awesome. And it makes for a happier workplace — whether that’s the White House, CNN or anywhere else.