Posted on 07/13/2008 4:06:45 PM PDT by BunnySlippers
Scare Tactic — Obama Slams Muslim Portrayal By: Mike Allen
The Obama campaign is condemning as “tasteless and offensive” a New Yorker magazine cover that depicts Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.) in a turban, fist-bumping his gun-slinging wife.
An American flag burns in their fireplace.
The New Yorker says it's satire. It certainly will be candy for cable news.
The Obama campaign quickly condemned the rendering. Spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement: “The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree."
The issue, which goes on sale Monday, includes a long piece by Ryan Lizza about Obama’s start in Chicago politics.
At a press availability Sunday afternoon in San Diego, Senator Obama was asked, according to a transcript by Maria Gavrilovic of CBS News: “The upcoming issue of the New Yorker, the July 21st issue, has a picture of you, depicting you and your wife on the cover.
“Have you seen it? If not, I can show it to you on my computer. It shows your wife Michelle with an Afro and an AK 47 and the two of you doing the fist bump with you in a sort of turban-type thing on top. I wondered if you’ve seen it or if you want to see it or if you have a response to it?”
Obama, shrugging incredulously: “I have no response to that.”
...
BTW, there I was, having a real hard time following the news lately wondering what was real, satire, or parody even BEFORE this happened...
Very flattering picture of Obama’s baby mama.
Seriously! Best one I’ve ever seen of her.
“The degree of success of this issue will tell us a lot more than any weekly poll.”
Going by how quickly it sold out at my local Borders, there’s ONE measure of success, LOL!
I was walking out with the few items I did manage to find and a familiar voice called out to me. A coworker had also come to buy a copy. We have an agreement that if either of us finds an issue, we’re to buy two!
Same artist, too.
ROFL!
It’s a collector’s item, for sure!
Still trying to settle in my mind exactly what their thinking was in putting it out there.
I’m gonna go with the theory of innoculation, at least as far as the intent of TNY staff. It may well be a wink and a nudge among TNY and its regular readers ... but apparently the image is spreading like wildfire beyond that enclave. Entirely possible when you enclose yourself into an echo chamber of the like-minded.
Hey, from the magazine’s perspective, they’re picking up a lot of business. For this week, anyway. It’s edgy, it’s witty, and they get to snicker at the humorless knuckle-draggers who out themselves when they don’t recognise the art form. Meanwhile, they have plausible deniability.
“We *meant* well. How’s it *our* fault you misunderstood our meaning? Why you unsophisticated rube [reaches out and tussles the rube’s hair] how dare you question our intent? our superior intellect and finely honed sense of taste?”
And. Well. As long as the ignernt bigots who wanted the cover PAID for it, who cares.
I’ll leave it to you how the “ignernt bigots” split between Obama fans and detractors. Hah!
Yes...to the Obama campaign...they will wonder how many bought the magazine for the cover art as a collector piece and how many for the article.
It also gives Hillary Clinton’s delegates pause.
The sale of the issue should give all weekly pollsters a case of the jitters.
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