Duck And Cover
When I first saw the latest New Yorker cover, I thought it was amusing. A pretty good satire of the worst fears of the anti-Obama side.
"The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Sen. Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree," Obama campaign spokesman Bil Burton said.
So there you have it. They think New Yorker readers are stupid.
posted by LAGuy @ 12:08 AM
9 Comments:
I am bothered by what appears to be Obama campaign's hypersensitive reaction to this cover but on second thought, it may make sense (slightly) from a political perspective. If he doesn't say anything. this just reinforces the internet wackos who have been spreading the "Obama is a Muslim" story. If he doesn't react, its just more fuel for the fire ("Look It was on the cover of national magazine and he didn't even object!") and while they have tried to tar the opposition with this smear (who I think are staying 100 miles away from it but still basking in its effects), they are mainly worried about those who don't pay too much attention to the political malarkey-I'm reminded of the voters interviewed after the W Va primary who said things like "I can't vote for a Hussein")
(Read any of the Wall Street Journal daily blogs- even the ones not about politics, and this Muslim issue has been mentioned heavily every day since the campaign started many moons ago- it outnumbers any "sexist" Hillary posts by about 20 to 1- but is about even with the "Hillary and Bill are criminals" posts)
I would have advised just shrugging it off but I think the operatives hitting this issue hard are the people who remember Kerry shrugging off the Swift Boat crap
Swift Boat crap? Leaving aside what the Swift Boat people said was actually true, those ads were by people openly attacking Kerry. This is a satirical cover by a magazine that loves Obama, with readers that love Obama, that is all about mocking people who hate Obama. Obama should be mad about that?
The one truly enduring image of the entire 2004 election, for me, was some fat, red-faced woman at the Republican convention giggling over the purple heart band-aid on her chin. Respect for those who served, indeed.
On the other hand, a very dear friend who's a Viet Nam vet kept his anti-Kerry bumper stickers on for years after the election. He felt utterly betrayed by the man, and hated him almost as much as he hated Carter for draft-dodger amnesty.
On balance, I guess it's not my place to judge, but those band-aids really burned my ass.
Both New England Guy and Queens Guy have it dead on. While sanctimonious protesting is not an ideal impression for the Obama camp to make; the probability is that the cover will reinforce the prejudices of those (apparently like Anonymous #1 above) that have a casual acquaintance with the news and catch only those suggestions that comport with their previous preferences.
Since 11% believe Obama is a Muslim, LA Guy's assertion that "they're not that crazy" is wrong. And did you see FOX News' hysterical interpretations of the "fist bump?" My white, Christian, midwestern 13-year-old was incredulous when he saw a montage of the hysteria, saying: "What are they talking about? That's just "knuckles.""
Show me one single person who's been affected negatively against Obama by this pro-Obama satire.
"Since 11% believe Obama is a Muslim, LA Guy's assertion that "they're not that crazy" is wrong."
Obama's dad and stepdad were Muslims (enough to make him a Muslim in the eyes of millions around the world). He was listed as a Muslim when he went to school as a kid and studied the Koran. Okay, he's not a Muslim, but I can understand why about 1 out of 10 think he is. Which doesn't mean these same people believe he'll dress funny in the White House, burn the flag, and put up a portrait of Bin Laden in the Oval Office. At least McCain hasn't repeated this nonsense, while Obama has said more than once that McCain wants the war in Iraq to continue for another century. What percentage of people believe that?
Who, me? I think they're overreacting. The bigots have worse cartoons to focus on, believe me. I was just reacting to the Swift Boat discussion.
Jon Stewart had the best line. He said Barack Obama should put out a press release saying he's not offended by the cartoon that depicts him as a Muslim extremist. You know who does get made at cartoons? Muslim extremists, of which he is not.
I liked Andy Borowitz' take on it.
Okay I'll take the challenge. I think Obama is a Muslim. He admits in his own book to saying the words that to a Muslim make you a Muslim (the shahada). And as far as I know that goes even of you say them at gunpoint as a couple of Fox news reporters did. So, if he said these words that make you a Muslim why isn't he a Muslim?
I don't think he believes himself to be a Muslim. But that is not the same thing as saying he isn't one by a common definition.
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