Is the New Yorker's Muslim Obama cover incendiary or satire? (with pix of cover)

Los Angeles Times ^ | July 13, 2008 | Andrew Malcolm

[FocusNexus]

The cover of this week's New Yorker magazine depicts Obama in one-piece Muslim garb and headdress fist-bumping his booted, Afro-wearing wife Michelle in camo clothes with a rifle and ammo-belt slung over her shoulder beneath a portrait of Osama bin-Laden while the American flag burns in the fireplace -- in the presidential Oval Office.

It's got everything incendiary except a vest bomb. Which is what should telegraph to most people that it's way over-the-top and, therefore, satire.

But politicians don't like satire because it's subject to differing interpretations.

Obama declined comment today, seeking not to elevate its importance. And his campaign issued a statement by Bill Burton which Mike Allen of Politico.com reported as, "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."

[FocusNexus]

Why is his skin color white?

[ncfool]

I think its cute. Maybe the Obama folks can get the ACLU to ban the publisher from selling at the newstand. Now that would be a Democratic thing.

[Drango]

Obama supporters will be burning the Dutch Embassy over this cartoon.

[ncfool]

Forgot to throw the New Yorker under the Bus.

[CedarDave]

Bigger pic:

[Carling]

Here come the media!

This “intolerance” is Obama’s template until his rockstar moment in Denver in order to distract from his obvious ineptitude and inexperience as a serious candidate for President.

[Always Right]

A small improvement. Next I might add a kenya birth certificate.

[Ratblaster]

I think that it hits too close to home for some.

[airborne]

It’s art, just like the Oglethorpe stuff, or the movie of Bush being assassinated!

[Diogenesis]

What about the BHO flag?

[ClearCase_guy]

It seems clear that it was meant as satire, but so many people in the country worry that at least some of what that cover shows may represent reality that it's not a funny joke. I think Obama is going to be badly hurt.

The issue of religion, the issue of his middle name, his volatile wife -- the effort was made to take these things off the table. Many folks, out of a sense of basic politeness, have tried to avoid these topics. But when the topics are shoved out into the open by a left-wing mag, then people WILL start discussing these things, and sharing their deep-seated fears about this man.

And that's not going to be good for Obama.

[FocusNexus]

You cartoon is also perfect for this thread I just posted:

Austin Bay: Obama’s real change is on the issues

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2045012/posts

Please add it to that thread also.

[Carley]

I’m lovin it

[VOA]

Is the New Yorker's Muslim Obama cover incendiary or satire?

Neither.
It's just true.

The New Yorker is just showing the level of their solidarity
with "the change (read 'revolutionary') candidate" and his
bull-dog-in-chief.

The only reason the Obama camp is miffed is that this cartoon
ran Before November Election Day 2008.

[Responsibility2nd]

Oh, I am so gonna enjoy this!

[EveningStar]

Related thread

[daku]

she looks too effeminate to this typical white guy,

nonetheless , nice try

[Always Right]

We will soon find out any attack of Obamessiah are off limits.

[knarf]

"Is the New Yorker's Muslim Obama cover incendiary or satire?"

Neither, it's prophetic, and the chuck-ass honkeys don't even know it.

[Cicero]

A problem is there's no caption on the cover to ensure that everyone gets the ha-ha-we've-collected-almost-every-cliched-rumor-about-Obama-in-one-place-in-order-to--make-fun-of-them punchline.

The problem is that the cover is based completely on actual pictures of Obama and his wife--two famous pictures of Obambi in Muslim garb in Kenya, and Obambi and Michelle giving each other the fist. No rumors about that.

Add to that the typical flag burning and the portrait of the terrorist over the mantel and you're just showing typical left wing decor. After all, not one but two of Obambi's campaign offices sported pictures of Che Guevara on the wall. It wouldn't surprise me if there were some of bin Ladin, too, before orders went out to take them down.

I think that's why this cover may backfire.