Mon
Jul 14 2008
09:05 am

I don't suppose this is the first time The New Yorker magazine has caused controversy. Here's a little background on New Yorker politically incorrect covers.

Good satire or too much?

Reactions around the liberal blogosphere, TalkLeft, Politico, The Huffington Post.

scottfrith's picture

Unfortunately, for many,

Unfortunately, for many, this is an accurate characterization of Barack and Michelle Obama. You've got the subversive fist-bump, the burning American Flag, the near-eastern attire, the Osama portrait, the militant woman, the Oval Office with an "Earth" on the carpet (instead of a Seal of the United States)...

It's satirical, disarming, and ultimately effective. I'm looking forward to my copy arriving in the mail.

R. Neal's picture

I saw a poll somewhere that

I saw a poll somewhere that said 12% believe Obama is a Muslim (not that there's anything wrong with that) and a larger number who believe he was raised in the Muslim faith.

gonzone's picture

Gotta be

That's a terrorist fist jab if I ever saw one!

A militant black woman and a Muslim terrorist man. What's the world coming to? :-)

But seriously, I've noticed the media pushing the "Latinos should hate all blacks" meme lately. Anyone else noticed? Even NPR is doing it.

Obama doesn't have to beat the GOP, he has to beat the corporate media.

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

Rigsby Werner's picture

I'd Blame it on Hillary, Obama needs to get used to it

This is the first strike from the Hillary military of the Democratic Party. The Clintons have lived large off the perks flowing from the DNC and with Obama up on the ticket, the Clintons are essentially surplus cargo which can be jettisoned to better play the party away from Clinton fatigue and their desire to control the world for their own benefit.

There will be more strikes from traditional Democratic loyalists, which are solidly within the ranks of the Hillary supporters, particularly once Obama gets to Hollywood.

Rachel's picture

This is the first strike

This is the first strike from the Hillary military of the Democratic Party.

Umm, no. The idea here isn't to target Obama, it's to make fun of all the Obamaphobia out there.

Does it pretty effectively too. I plan to keep it to show my relatives when they start in with the "I just don't k-n-o-w about Obama" stuff.

Michael's picture

Yuk Yuk

And as someone mentioned elsewhere, when you consider the readership of The New Yorker, I think most are going to see it for the joke it is. It's an over the top parody on the Obamaphobia (as Rachel puts it). Anyone who doesn't get it probably needs to work on their sense of humor.
~m.

Terry Troll's picture

Trouble is...

one of the only things I remember from Journalism 101 is that satire and sarcasm are frequently misunderstood. I am sure the smart suave New Yorker staff knew what they meant but about 1/3 of the country (1/2 of Texas and Louisiana) won/t get it and another 1/3 won't care that it's not true. They will want to believe it. All in all I think it is a lose/lose situation for Obama.
UPDATE:
Three hours after I wrote the above and I have gotten three e-mails from Regressive friends that I back and fourth with. All contain the New Yorker cover; two,from the same initial source, say "The truth is finally out. The other says "What about that?". This bodes ill.

CBT's picture

Before running too far down

Before running too far down this road, you might want to wait to see what might appear on the New Yorker with John McCain as the story. Though, even with a cane, angry look and George Bush potrayed as a monkey on his back, it would be hard to equal this cover.

Nelle's picture

No satire there.

Except depicting McCain as an old, angry Bush-humper is accurate.

scottfrith's picture

Thought I'd pass along this

Thought I'd pass along this Vanity Fair item...

tin cup's picture

Stupid and disgusting cover.

Stupid and disgusting cover.

Checka's picture

It's the handiwork of Hillary and the PUMAs

You won't see a magazine in Chicago playing games with Obamaphobia, nor making any references to perceived prejudices.

The same logic that makes Jesse Jackson irrelevant in an Obama presidency makes Hillary irrelevant in an Obama presidency and completely expendable in an Obama led Democratic Party. Neither of them are going to allow that to happen and they'll sacrafice the white house to retain dollars and political relevenance in the Democratic Party.

PUMAs are generally referred to as Hillary supporters Party Unity My A##!

WhitesCreek's picture

I listened to the guy who

I listened to the guy who wrote the cover story talk about the cover on Fresh Air today. He thinks it is so over the top that everyone will laugh and think how stupid Obama haters are.

I think that this cover will be spread far and wide by freepers and their ilk. They don't read the stories...They just look at the pictures.

What a stupid stupid thing for the New Yorker to have done. A total disservice to our country.

Stick Thrower's picture

Obama Haters

Go read the comments at Talk Left. Not all the Obama haters are Freepers.

As for the cover, The New Yorker is lagging a little behind the rest of the country on this particular subject. Obviously the illustrator and editor have heard of (but never met) one of these crazy nutjobs who think Obama is a flag-burning secret Muslim and Michelle is a militant black panther wannabe. It does seem ridiculously over the top. But, as many of us who live outside the bubble of Manhattan know, when you actually meet or talk to one of these nuts in person (Hi Mom!), it just isn't really that funny.

Johnny Ringo's picture

Go read the comments at Talk

Go read the comments at Talk Left. Not all the Obama haters are Freepers.

Wasn't TalkLeft pretty openly pro-Hillary during the primaries? That's the impression I got anyway.

Anonymous's picture

NutJobs?

I think the cover is perfect likeness of the Muslim Obama and his freaky wife!

Stick Thrower's picture

Wecome, Anonymous Nutjob

The New Yorker is making fun of you... which you will perceive as a compliment.

It's parody on so many sad levels that I'm beginning to see the humor in it. Terry Troll, I guess you should just just email your friends back, tell them they are the butts of this little joke, and you're laughing your ass off at their expense.

gonzone's picture

ironic

The cartoon picture certainly captured the perceptions of the lunatic fringe right. The sad thing is that they will feel vindicated in their delusional thinking because of this cover. Cognitive dissonance is so deeply embedded in those nuts they will never recover and they grab at any little straw to avoid drowning in their insanity.

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

tin cup's picture

The cartoon picture

The cartoon picture certainly captured the perceptions of the lunatic fringe right.

I believe this cover is even disgusting (at least stupid) to many on the lunatic fringe right. Gonzo, can you name a fringe right person who believes (or perceives) that Obama and his wife are flag-burning terrorists?

Johnny Ringo's picture

He has a first-class leaver

He has a first-class leaver degree from one of the best universities in America.

OK, once again my vocational education is showing: what's a "leaver degree?"

Justin's picture

All you have to do is read

All you have to do is read read the comments on the Knoxnews site every time there is an article re: the future President Obama. He gets called Muslim, socialist, commie and my personal favorite "Marxist". Your "Grand Old Party" can keep all the racists, homophobes and conspiracy theorists. America is better without you.

gonzone's picture

No Problem Tin

Here's a copy of the popular email that they're quoting as proof:
(link...)

Lots and lots more, all it takes is "the google" and some keywords. I'll leave the rest to you as an exercise in obtaining valid data.

"When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro."
Hunter S. Thompson

redmondkr's picture

I have an acquaintance who

I have an acquaintance who is fits in that bunch. I have accused him of trolling here.


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tin cup's picture

Another extremely

Another extremely informative and persuasive rant....er, post, Justin.

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