President Barack Obama Makes Cover of The Washingtonian Magazine's May Issue "Shirtless," Magazine Motivated by Money

We are about to see President Obama shirtless on the cover of the May issue of The Washingtonian magazine. Some folks will do anything to hawk their wares. Never mind that fact that it is totally inappropriate, especially in light of the fact that we are in the throes of an economic crisis of untold proportions and two wars, one totally uncalled for. The last thing we need to look at are President Obama's pecs. According to ABC News' Jake Tapper, the magazine's excuse is that the pec pic illustrates the #2 reason (out of 26) to love living in the nation’s capital: “Our New Neighbor is Hot.” The monthly style and culture magazine is motivated only by money. Why couldn't they have shown him clad in a suit? This picture was taken during the then president-elect's Christmas vacation in Hawaii last year.

Long before that, in February 2007, then-Sen. Barack Obama complained that a different beach pic got the media's attention instead of his policy positions, which he blamed on the meme that he was a lightweight.

“The problem's not that the info's not out there," Mr. Obama said. "The problem is that that's not what you guys have been reporting on. You've been reporting on how I look in a swimsuit."

Garrett Graff, editor-at-large at The Washingtonian, told ABC News the idea for the cover came during a discussion among the magazine’s staff about how, with the arrival of the Obamas, came a “celebrity aspect that has brought energy to the city and the attention of the paparazzi.”

“The Obamas are the center of attention here and the whole world is looking to Washington now in a way we haven’t seen in years,” Graff said, calling it “a real golden age of Washington.”

Graff demurred on that question but acknowledged it was a different type of cover than the magazine usually does. He said they were trying to “capture the energy and excitement” over the Obamas in Washington and “have a little fun.”

“It’s a unique time in Washington and this photo helps capture all of the reasons why,” Graff said. “It’s not a normal way to look at a president of the United States but this is not a normal president.”

Graff said the magazine used the photo to illustrate two things: first, the president himself is hot – “you have a buff president and the paparazzi like taking shirtless photos of him,” Graff said – and second, the Obamas’ presence in Washington is “really hot.” Source: ABC News' Political Punch

As you will recall, the Obama transition team was not pleased when the pictures were taken by paparazzi photographers during the family's vacation on Oahu and appeared on the celebrity gossips sites such as TMZ. But it doesn't seem that his team is upset over this latest use of the picture. Maybe they welcome the diversion since the president has come under heavy criticism for his interactions with Venezuelan nutjob Hugo Chavez last week in Trinidad and Tobago. We also had to live through the mainstream media's nauseating coverage of Bo, the president's new dog. I guess they have more fodder to literally make us sick to the stomach with for another week -- President Obama, Pec in Chief!