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    1. Politics

    People Are Furious at How Kellyanne Conway Is Sitting in This White House Photo

    Feet on the couch? In the Oval Office?

    Megan Friedman's avatar
    By Megan Friedman
    Published 2 March 2017 In News

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    Kellyanne Conway at Oval Office
    (Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP)
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    Update, 3/1: Kellyanne Conway responded to the online outrage about her Oval Office photos on Fox Business Network's Lou Dobbs Tonight. "I was asked to take a certain angle [photo] and was doing exactly that," she said. "I certainly meant no disrespect, I didn't mean to have my feet on the couch." She also said the photo came from a Trump detractor. "This came from a journalist who is not happy that Donald Trump is the president," she said, "but I just want people to focus on the great work of the HCBU presidents and how honored we were to have them here."

    Original post, 2/28: President Trump met with leaders of historically black colleges and universities Monday, and took a photo with the group at the Oval Office. But counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway was sitting right next to all of them—well, kneeling, actually—and the photos quickly went viral.

    What was designed as a good public-relations moment became a distraction, as Conway was shown kneeling on a couch at the Oval Office, checking her phone rather than paying attention to the moment. She was also photographed taking a photo with her phone from the spot, which may explain the weird kneeling position:

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    Kellyanne Conway in the Oval Office

    (Image credit: Brendan Smialowski/AFP)

    People on both sides of the aisle called out Conway on Twitter, calling her behavior "trashy" and "disrespectful."

    Now, you can't expect us to take this "meeting" seriously when this is the setting. pic.twitter.com/IAx34PlliMFebruary 28, 2017

    Give it up Kellyanne, he's not gunna text you back pic.twitter.com/RiIMFbFxU1February 28, 2017

    The more you look at this, the more you recognize Kellyanne's play: one who flaunts their indecorousness as ultimate signifier of privilege pic.twitter.com/o2mxLGuPk4February 28, 2017

    Kellyanne Conway, a grown woman, supposedly professional, in the highest office in the world, acting like a toddler with no home training...February 28, 2017

    Get your fucking feet off the furniture, @KellyannePolls. This isn't your home. https://t.co/12DpukKDkSFebruary 28, 2017

    remember when republicans used to flip out over obama oval office decorum pic.twitter.com/bGU4F7mlbXFebruary 28, 2017

    Conway hasn't responded to the criticism, but some Twitter users pointed out that presidents get casual in the Oval Office all the time, so maybe let's chill and focus on important issues here.

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    great story Amy pic.twitter.com/JvavAXYSgyFebruary 28, 2017

    really though. your outrage is just fantastic. pic.twitter.com/cVVUKQGLX6February 28, 2017

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    Megan Friedman
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    Megan Friedman is the former managing editor of the Newsroom at Hearst. She's worked at NBC and Time, and is a graduate of Northwestern's Medill School of Journalism.

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