Barack Obama Gets the Celebrity Treatment

Washington’s most important new resident is featured on the cover of the Washingtonian’s May issue — shirtless.

The shot of President Barack Obama wearing his bathing suit caused a stir when it was taken by the paparazzi while the Obamas were vacationing in Hawaii during Christmas last year. The photo is used to illustrate the magazine’s list of “26 Reasons to Love Living Here.” The No. 2 reason is “Our New Neighbor Is Hot.”

The picture is causing a stir again.

The photo was altered to make Obama’s swimming trunks red. In the original photo taken last year, Obama’s trunks are black.

Some journalists have taken issue with the change. The Huffington Post accused the magazine of changing Obama’s skin tone to a more golden glow.

“In the world of news, that’s unethical,” the blog post states.

The Post also reported that Washingtonian lifestyle editor, Leslie Milk, admitted the image was altered.

“I know we changed the color of his suit to red, and dropped out the background.”

The Obama cover is a departure for the local lifestyle magazine, which is usually more conservative, showcasing guides to the area’s top doctors or restaurants.

“It’s a unique time in Washington and this photo helps capture all of the reasons why,” the Washingtonian’s editor-at-large, Garrett Graff, told ABC News.

“It’s not a normal way to look at a president of the United States but this is not a normal president.

The Obamas are the center of attention here and the whole world is looking to Washington now in a way we havenâ€™t seen in years,â€ he said, calling it “a real golden age of Washington.â€

Barack Obama Gets the Celebrity Treatment

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