The “White House” is a term used to represent the voice of the leadership of our country, as in “Today the White House announced its plan to battle COVID-19.” When our leaders do not use this voice and abandon all semblance of leadership, it is as if they abandoned the house itself, and this metaphorical photo essay shows what we’re left with.
Santa Barbara’s Metaphorical ‘White House’
Photo
As you come up the long driveway, this is your first close-up view of Santa Barbara’s abandoned “White House,” aka the Franceschi House.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The North Portico: Its pillars frame the house’s main entrance and reflect the strength of the current leadership found within the real White House.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The West Wing, where most work is done; a TV show with this title portrayed a more believable reality than the reality show currently being broadcast from the real West Wing.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The Oval Office, where our president has been eminently proud of his constantly empty desk
Photo: Rick Doehring
The Rose Garden, torn up and replanted at the whim of the First Lady, at our expense
Photo: Rick Doehring
The Executive Residence: The real one was once described as “a dump” by its current resident.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The Truman Balcony: As history shows, dignitaries and dictators love their balconies.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The Front Entrance: When visiting the real White House, open doors would be the first thing you saw when you emerged from your motorcade. Not anymore.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The East Wing: The real Presidential Emergency Operations Center is located here, which we can safely assume goes unused since our president doesn’t recognize national emergencies.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The South Portico: The real one was added in 1824 because, well, every house needs a porch.
Photo: Rick Doehring
The Briefing Room: Obviously a space befitting the current treatment of our free press
Photo: Rick Doehring
A broken bridge, one of the many symbolic bridges to the real White House which have been destroyed in the last four years
Photo: Rick Doehring
The Back Entrance, made famous for the times the president doesn’t want to be seen returning home, like after playing a round of golf during a pandemic.
Photo: Rick Doehring
A Final Look: The first resident of Santa Barbara’s “White House,” Francesco Franceschi, left his hometown in order to escape his many debts, changed his last name, and took credit for things he never did. Which apparently proves that history does, indeed, repeat itself.
Photo: Rick Doehring
