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{{Main articles|Public image of Barack Obama}} {{Main articles|Public image of Barack Obama}}


The '''Barack Obama tan suit controversy''' occurred on August 28, 2014, when ], then–U.S. President, wore a ] ] while he held a live press conference on increasing of the U.S. military response against the ] in ].<ref name=":0" /> Obama's appearance on television in the tan suit sparked significant attention and led to large amounts of media and social media criticism. The issue remained prominent in the media for several days with the issue being particularly widely discussed on talk shows.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/social-media-explodes-president-obamas-tan-suit/story?id=25166551|title=Best Tweets About Obama’s Tan Suit|website=ABC News}}</ref><ref>https🖉{{Cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/3761703060001/#sp=show-clips|title=After the Buzz: Twitter ablaze over tan suit|website=Fox News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/barack-obama-tan-suit-anniversary|title=Remember When the President's Suit Caused a Media Circus?|first=Condé|last=Nast|website=GQ}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/28/politics/barack-obama-tan-suit-fifth-anniversary/index.html|title=Lessons from Obama's tan suit 5th anniversary|first=Kate |last=Bennett|website=CNN}}</ref><ref name="hilton">{{Cite web|url=https://www.esquire.com/style/a22862882/obama-tan-suit-anniversary/|title=Five Years Later, Obama's Tan Suit 'Controversy' Seems More Ridiculous Than Ever|first=Elena|last=Hilton|date=August 28, 2019|website=Esquire}}</ref> The '''Barack Obama tan suit controversy''' occurred on August 28, 2014, when ], then–U.S. President, wore a ] ] while he held a live press conference on increasing of the U.S. military response against the ] in ].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/obama-was-blasted-for-wearing-a-tan-suit-now-it-s-used-to-contrast-him-with-trump-20190828-p52lsy.html|title=Obama was blasted for wearing a tan suit. Now, it's used to contrast him with Trump|last=Farzan|first=Antonia Noori|date=August 28, 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> Obama's appearance on television in the tan suit sparked significant attention and led to large amounts of media and social media criticism. The issue remained prominent in the media for several days with the issue being particularly widely discussed on talk shows.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/US/social-media-explodes-president-obamas-tan-suit/story?id=25166551|title=Best Tweets About Obama’s Tan Suit|website=ABC News}}</ref><ref>https🖉{{Cite web|url=http://video.foxnews.com/v/3761703060001/#sp=show-clips|title=After the Buzz: Twitter ablaze over tan suit|website=Fox News}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gq.com/story/barack-obama-tan-suit-anniversary|title=Remember When the President's Suit Caused a Media Circus?|first=Condé|last=Nast|website=GQ}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/08/28/politics/barack-obama-tan-suit-fifth-anniversary/index.html|title=Lessons from Obama's tan suit 5th anniversary|first=Kate |last=Bennett|website=CNN}}</ref><ref name="hilton">{{Cite web|url=https://www.esquire.com/style/a22862882/obama-tan-suit-anniversary/|title=Five Years Later, Obama's Tan Suit 'Controversy' Seems More Ridiculous Than Ever|first=Elena|last=Hilton|date=August 28, 2019|website=Esquire}}</ref>


While the controversy itself was trivial, it became notable in the context of Obama's presidency because such a trivial matter could spark such intense criticism. The scandal particularly contrasted with the presidency of ] that followed,<ref name="hilton"/><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/world/north-america/obama-was-blasted-for-wearing-a-tan-suit-now-it-s-used-to-contrast-him-with-trump-20190828-p52lsy.html|title=Obama was blasted for wearing a tan suit. Now, it's used to contrast him with Trump|first=Antonia Noori|last=Farzan|date=August 28, 2019|website=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> and became a metaphor for the different standards to which Obama and Trump were held.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/remember-when-all-we-cared-about-was-president-obamas-tan-suit_n_59a56bdae4b0446b3b866ff9|title=Remember When All We Cared About Was President Obama's Tan Suit?|first=Carly|last=Ledbetter|date=August 30, 2017|via=Huff Post}}</ref> While the controversy itself was trivial, it became notable in the context of Obama's presidency because such a trivial matter could spark such intense criticism. The scandal particularly contrasted with the presidency of ] that followed, and became a metaphor for the different standards to which Obama and Trump were held.<ref name=":0" /><ref name="hilton"/><ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/entry/remember-when-all-we-cared-about-was-president-obamas-tan-suit_n_59a56bdae4b0446b3b866ff9|title=Remember When All We Cared About Was President Obama's Tan Suit?|first=Carly|last=Ledbetter|date=August 30, 2017|via=Huff Post}}</ref>


== Background == == Background ==
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== Immediate Response == == Immediate Response ==
{{Unbalanced section|date=January 2020}} {{Unbalanced section|date=January 2020}}
Some people disapproved of Obama's decision to wear the tan suit. Rep. ] of ] called Obama's wearing of the suit unpresidential, and stated that “There’s no way, I don’t think, any of us can excuse what the president did yesterday. I mean, you have the world watching.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/08/peter-king-outraged-over-obamas-tan-suit.html|title=Eternally Outraged Congressman Not Trying to Be ‘Trivial,’ But Doesn’t Think Obama’s Tan Suit Was Appropriate|website=Intelligencer}}</ref> According to Justin Sink of ''The Hill'', most people viewed Obama's fashion choice to be a mistake.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/216247-wh-obama-feels-pretty-good-about-tan-suit|title=WH: Obama stands by tan suit|last=Mali|first=Meghashyam|date=2014-08-29|website=TheHill|language=en|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref> Critics of Obama joked about the tan suit, making a play on words of Obama's "yes we can" and "the audacity of hope" phrases into "yes we tan" and "the audacity of taupe".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/yes-you-tan-mr-obama-in-defence-of-the-audacity-of-taupe-20140829-109xdi.html|title=Yes you tan, Mr Obama: in defence of 'the audacity of taupe'|last=Colquhoun|first=Steve|date=2014-08-29|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref> Some people disapproved of Obama's decision to wear the tan suit. Rep. ] of ] called Obama's wearing of the suit unpresidential, and stated that “There’s no way, I don’t think, any of us can excuse what the president did yesterday. I mean, you have the world watching.”<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2014/08/peter-king-outraged-over-obamas-tan-suit.html|title=Eternally Outraged Congressman Not Trying to Be ‘Trivial,’ But Doesn’t Think Obama’s Tan Suit Was Appropriate|website=Intelligencer}}</ref> According to Justin Sink of ''The Hill'', most people viewed Obama's fashion choice to be a mistake.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/216247-wh-obama-feels-pretty-good-about-tan-suit|title=WH: Obama stands by tan suit|last=Mali|first=Meghashyam|date=2014-08-29|website=TheHill|language=en|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref> Critics of Obama joked about the tan suit, making a play on words of Obama's "yes we can" and "the audacity of hope" phrases into "yes we tan" and "the audacity of taupe".<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/lifestyle/yes-you-tan-mr-obama-in-defence-of-the-audacity-of-taupe-20140829-109xdi.html|title=Yes you tan, Mr Obama: in defence of 'the audacity of taupe'|last=Colquhoun|first=Steve|date=2014-08-29|website=The Sydney Morning Herald|language=en|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref>


Others defended Obama's tan suit or dismissed the controversy as being trivial. The day after the press conference, white house press secretary ] said that Obama felt pretty good about his decision to wear the suit.<ref name=":1" /> Multiple news outlets pointed out how presidents in the past had also worn tan suits, including ] and ].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/politics/obama-tan-suitgate-5-years-ago-vs-trump-scandals-today/|title=Looking Back on Obama's Tan 'Suitgate' from 5 Years Ago & its Juxtaposition to Trump's Scandals Today|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref> Still others said that the tan suit controversy was overshadowing the greater implications of the conference, and of the US's strategy for ISIS.<ref name=":2" /> Others defended Obama's tan suit or dismissed the controversy as being trivial. The day after the press conference, white house press secretary ] said that Obama felt pretty good about his decision to wear the suit.<ref name=":1" /> Fashion designer Joseph Abboud, who had made suits for the president before, praised Obama for the decision, saying that “You don’t want to look the same every day of your life. It’s boring as hell.”<ref name=":3" /> Multiple news outlets pointed out how presidents in the past had also worn tan suits, including ] and ].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=https://people.com/politics/obama-tan-suitgate-5-years-ago-vs-trump-scandals-today/|title=Looking Back on Obama's Tan 'Suitgate' from 5 Years Ago & its Juxtaposition to Trump's Scandals Today|website=PEOPLE.com|language=en|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref> Still others said that the tan suit controversy was overshadowing the greater implications of the conference, and of the US's strategy for ISIS.<ref name=":2" />


== Legacy == == Legacy ==
The tan suit controversy is most widely remembered as a symbol of how few scandals Obama had while in office, especially compared to Trump.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4" /> At times, the controversy has also been jokingly dubbed as Obama's "biggest scandal".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/on-fifth-anniversary-of-obamas-tan-suit-media-keep-lying-that-his-white-house-was-scandal-free|title=On fifth anniversary of Obama’s tan suit, media keep lying that his White House was scandal-free|date=2019-08-31|website=Washington Examiner|language=en|access-date=2020-01-04}}</ref> For Obama, the tan suit controversy became something he joked about at future meetings.<ref name=":0" />
{{Empty section|date=November 2019}}


==References== ==References==

Revision as of 21:11, 4 January 2020

Main article: Public image of Barack Obama

The Barack Obama tan suit controversy occurred on August 28, 2014, when Barack Obama, then–U.S. President, wore a tan suit while he held a live press conference on increasing of the U.S. military response against the Islamic State in Syria. Obama's appearance on television in the tan suit sparked significant attention and led to large amounts of media and social media criticism. The issue remained prominent in the media for several days with the issue being particularly widely discussed on talk shows.

While the controversy itself was trivial, it became notable in the context of Obama's presidency because such a trivial matter could spark such intense criticism. The scandal particularly contrasted with the presidency of Donald Trump that followed, and became a metaphor for the different standards to which Obama and Trump were held.

Background

On August 28, 2014, Barack Obama held a press conference about the situation regarding ISIS in Syria, and how the US military was planning to respond to it. At the conference, Obama said that the US had yet to develop a plan regarding the removal of ISIS, and talked extensively about his concerns in the region. During the conference he wore a tan suit, which up until that point was uncommon for Obama to do.

Immediate Response

This section may be unbalanced towards certain viewpoints. Please improve the article or discuss the issue on the talk page. (January 2020)

Some people disapproved of Obama's decision to wear the tan suit. Rep. Peter King of New York called Obama's wearing of the suit unpresidential, and stated that “There’s no way, I don’t think, any of us can excuse what the president did yesterday. I mean, you have the world watching.” According to Justin Sink of The Hill, most people viewed Obama's fashion choice to be a mistake. Critics of Obama joked about the tan suit, making a play on words of Obama's "yes we can" and "the audacity of hope" phrases into "yes we tan" and "the audacity of taupe".

Others defended Obama's tan suit or dismissed the controversy as being trivial. The day after the press conference, white house press secretary Josh Earnest said that Obama felt pretty good about his decision to wear the suit. Fashion designer Joseph Abboud, who had made suits for the president before, praised Obama for the decision, saying that “You don’t want to look the same every day of your life. It’s boring as hell.” Multiple news outlets pointed out how presidents in the past had also worn tan suits, including Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Still others said that the tan suit controversy was overshadowing the greater implications of the conference, and of the US's strategy for ISIS.

Legacy

The tan suit controversy is most widely remembered as a symbol of how few scandals Obama had while in office, especially compared to Trump. At times, the controversy has also been jokingly dubbed as Obama's "biggest scandal". For Obama, the tan suit controversy became something he joked about at future meetings.

References

  1. ^ Farzan, Antonia Noori (August 28, 2019). "Obama was blasted for wearing a tan suit. Now, it's used to contrast him with Trump". The Sydney Morning Herald.
  2. "Best Tweets About Obama's Tan Suit". ABC News.
  3. https🖉"After the Buzz: Twitter ablaze over tan suit". Fox News.
  4. Nast, Condé. "Remember When the President's Suit Caused a Media Circus?". GQ.
  5. ^ Bennett, Kate. "Lessons from Obama's tan suit 5th anniversary". CNN.
  6. ^ Hilton, Elena (August 28, 2019). "Five Years Later, Obama's Tan Suit 'Controversy' Seems More Ridiculous Than Ever". Esquire.
  7. ^ Ledbetter, Carly (August 30, 2017). "Remember When All We Cared About Was President Obama's Tan Suit?" – via Huff Post.
  8. "Obama on ISIS: "We don't have a strategy yet"". www.cbsnews.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  9. "In Defense of President Obama's Tan Suit". Time. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  10. "Eternally Outraged Congressman Not Trying to Be 'Trivial,' But Doesn't Think Obama's Tan Suit Was Appropriate". Intelligencer.
  11. ^ Mali, Meghashyam (2014-08-29). "WH: Obama stands by tan suit". TheHill. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  12. Colquhoun, Steve (2014-08-29). "Yes you tan, Mr Obama: in defence of 'the audacity of taupe'". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  13. ^ "Looking Back on Obama's Tan 'Suitgate' from 5 Years Ago & its Juxtaposition to Trump's Scandals Today". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
  14. "On fifth anniversary of Obama's tan suit, media keep lying that his White House was scandal-free". Washington Examiner. 2019-08-31. Retrieved 2020-01-04.
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