James Carney, Propaganda in the Living Room

Washington Mom Magazine did a piece this month on  Claire Shipman, the wife of James Carney, Presidents Obama's Press Secretary. Claire is an amazing woman; a wife, mother of 2 children, a home maker, and a contributor to ABC News. I applaud her for being able to keep all the balls in the air and still be happy and beautiful.

There was one rather odd thing that emerged from the photo of Claire and her two children in their home. On the wall behind them are two posters. You don't have to look too hard to see that they are Soviet-Era propaganda posters.

The posters are rather innocuous. The one on the right shows a Soviet Soldier asking the question, "Have you enlisted in the Army?"

The one on the left  states, "Women! Learn production, replace workers who went to the front! The stronger the hinterland - the stronger the front!" 

The translation and photos are courtesy of Hunter Walker in his article in Business Insider

The thing that baffles me is "Why would the Face of the White House and President of the United States have these posters in their home?" Granted, both James Carney and Claire Shipman worked in Moscow in the early nineties representing different new services. I know lots of people with souvenirs from places they have worked and lived, but jee-whiz?

I just can't see Vladimir Putin 

with this poster in his den.

 Nor would I expect this photo neatly framed in all the Planned Parenthood Offices across the country.

It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me.


Photos from:
http://www.markmallett.com/blog/is-a-fetus-a-person/
http://www.washingtonian.com/mom/features/balancing-act/
http://doingitdt.areavoices.com/2011/04/08/fargo-more-heart-than-water/uncle-sam-wants-you/