Jonathan Martin has the image and statements from both campaigns calling it “tasteless and offensive.” It is tasteless but tasteless sells these days doesn’t it? I thought the media gave up on tasteful and informative years ago.
Barry Blitt, the artist, defended his work in a letter to Nico Pitney:
I think the idea that the Obamas are branded as unpatriotic [let alone as terrorists] in certain sectors is preposterous. It seemed to me that depicting the concept would show it as the fear-mongering ridiculousness that it is.
The funny thing is that they’re really trying to paint all conservatives as paranoid wackos – and it’s backfiring miserably. My position on the whole “Obama is a latent terrorist” thing is already on record.
Conservatives Respond:
Macsmind
Thanks New Yorker for proving my point. The only racism that has been practice in this election season has come from the left, not from the right.
Hot Air
Obviously, the New Yorker wanted to go for satire, poking fun at what they see as the image of the Obamas among conservatives. Just as obviously, the editors of the New Yorker showed very poor judgment in approving this cover. A satirical cartoon on the inside would have been more appropriate, but having this on the cover shouldn’t just offend the Obamas, but also conservatives who have a number of substantial issues with Barack Obama.
Baldilocks
Yes, it’s tasteless and offensive, senator. So are you going to apologize to the Republican Party?
Blackfive
Since the narrative they have created involves racist racism from the neanderthal right, the New Yorker feels free to create it in the absence of the authentic article. The funny thing is that all the themes they focus on are either created by Obama’s Democrat opponents or are representations of the people he has chosen to associate himself with. Which part of this reflects badly on the right or McCain? Obama has grown from the seeds of domestic terror, flag stomping, God Damn America and if that causes him problems now, well good.
Macker’s World
The reason I’m laughing my a**off is because Obama himself brought out the Republicans as the Boogeyman, yet they are nowhere to be found on this one.
JammieWearingFool
Frankly, I’m more than a little fed up at this notion it’s “right-wing critics” who’re pushing this caricature of Obama. There’s more than enough to criticize about the man and his wife than to sink to something like this.
Political Byline
While I see what the New Yorker was trying to do, I think because of the extremely touchy nature of this election cycle and because of what we’re dealing with here. Which is the possibility of the first African-American President, I think everyone, left, right, center, and everywhere in between, needs to cool with the nuances.
The Conservative Syndicate
Obama isn’t a Muslim, and his wife doesn’t carry an AK-47. But Obama’s long-time associations with anti-Americans like Bill Ayers, Bernadine Dohrn and Jeremiah Wright are not “rumors” or “misinformation.” Nor is it “crazy ignorance” to note that Obama’s candidacy was endorsed by Hamas (although Hamas later withdrew its endorsement when Obama tacked toward the center) or that his wife says America is “just downright mean.” Obama doesn’t want to deal with these very real issues, and prefers to respond to the straw man that he’s a Muslim. The New Yorker tried to help him in that effort, apparently, but I doubt that it did him any good. That image of a flag burning in the fireplace hits uncomfortably close to the mark.
4 Responses
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July 13th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
With Barrack and his followers and benefactors hate campaigning on America, and the industrialized world in general, with their agenda of terrorism and deceit, why is anyone not surprised by all of this? He is the enemy, and all of America is his intended target, and all of America knows it. We don’t want to be anyone’s target, Obama. You’ve done enough damage to America, and the world, already.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:29 pm
The funny thing is that they’re really trying to paint all conservatives as paranoid wackos – and failing miserably. My position on the whole “Obama is a latent terrorist” thing is already on record.
I don’t see it that way. It’s just painting the wackos as wackos. It’s kinda telling that you seem to be taking it personally though.
July 13th, 2008 at 9:56 pm
And are all Americans autonomously “wackos”? Is our care for our children’s health, well-being and lives just a another crazy capitalist hoax? I certainly don’t believe they are! With what Obama has in store for America, I would rather have peace and security for all, not a manchurian candidate democratic leader to please the few and far between into obliterating freedom, democracy, capitalism, education, health and progress from the very map of the human fabric we all partake to comprise. An enemy to all life is still an enemy!!
July 14th, 2008 at 8:31 am
If the New Yorker article talks about Obama’s connection with Raila Odinga, then the cover is not satire, but is a straight-forward attack against Obama’s candidacy, however, I doubt the article talks about Odinga, nevertheless, in demonstrating the temerity to publish this cartoon on their cover indicates that the New Yorker’s management was confortable with the rightful association of Obama with radical islamists, and so, one could suspect that the New Yorker hopes that Hillary will emerge as the Democrat party’s nominee in Denver next month.