The New Yorker Obama cover: OMFG, WTF?

This is all too deja vu. A political cartoon we published in our college newspaper recieved a lot of attention from the administration. The controversy lasted about five weeks to the last week of the semester when the newspaper staff dedicated two opinion pages of the staff and students defending the publication of the comic. We learned many things over those weeks, as the Editor, it was ultimatly my decision to print the comic. Many people in the administration pressed us to print an apology, but we refused. We acknowledged that the comic was offensive to some but funny to others. Even though it rocked our little newspaper office, I still would have printed it. The conversation it created was just as instructive as the many hours we spent cranking out our newspaper week after week.

The New Yorker knew what it was doing when it published this cartoon. Satire is offensive, it is supposed to make you see the truths without all the bs. The truth illustrated here is the anti-Obama campaign. This is what they have thrown at him and this is what they have turned him into. For the people that don't believe in Obama, this is what he and Michelle look like.

Perhaps you should ask yourself how you see Obama and McCain and ask yourself which image is more favorable.

I find this cover extremely distasteful, but I'm also aware that there have been similar covers mocking Bush & Cheney. I find it interesting that everyone is talking about this particular cover when there are countless others that are equally distasteful.

The purpose of the cover was to create controversy and it has definitely served its purpose. It's time to move on, there are much bigger things going on in society than the New Yorker's cover.

guh

BLAH BLAH BLAH BLAH.. Hey I got a good idea lets vote for another clueless republican. Screw the New Yorker

its a huge article, check it out

magazine covers are made to sell magazines

I learned a lot about Obama's political history that I didn't know.

God, that Rolling Stone John & Yoko cover is beautiful.

^sigh. I can't believe the artist defends his work as satirical of the negative portrayals of obama, there's nothing in the image that makes this satirical.

maybe something better would have been someone sinister creating this portrait or defacing a picture of obama.

this is just plain bad form.

I don't see anything wrong with the comic. Its a comic lol. Its meant to be funny. I think its a great idea. Think of all the political cartoons that depicted Cheney or Bush as the devil?

Why is it taboo to do a comic on Obama?

Its meant to be satirical. Lighten up sheeesh. Wait til he becomes president. The comics will get even better. I applaud the artist. Noone should have a free pass from being satirized.

no tany thats bamas thing from the past ..remember >>>Meth ?lol or is it still in the past

eldamom you say we are afraid lol.. no you are... after saying t me michelle looks like a crypt keeper in one breath and another defending her LOL time for yu to take a valium ..calm down lol

New Yorker Keep it going display this creep ObaMA AND HIS WIFE FOR WHAT THEY Are

I'd say that goes a little too far

Some of the folks in this thread seem to suffer from irony impairment. This image is saying the opposite of what it appears, and doing it pretty unsubtly. It's not racist -- it's making fun of racists. Do we have to explain that Stephen Colbert is not actually a right-wing nut? Satire, people, satire.

Its funny. Obama should see this and let it slide. Of course, as a politician, he would find some way to use it to his advantage, like anyone with half a mind would. This is a satire and I can see how people would be offended when considering that some people actually do believe this man is out to destroy America because they are subject to the main-stream media. Does anyone recall "Terrorist fist jab?" I hope to see Obama overcome this.

I cannot believe the people at the New Yorker were allowed to even make this their cover. Think someone has their own agenda.

I cannot believe the people at the New Yorker were allowed to even make this their cover. Think someone has their own agenda.

I understand this was satirical and I could see it right away, but I think it could have been done in a better way.

This is the product of Fox News' "terrorist fist jab" accusation. If ANYONE here can find someone who assumed the fist pound was something "terrorist" orriented, please message me immediately. Otherwise, it's the worst (and most stupid) low blow made by Fox towards Obama.

Ahh yes, but where is the flag lapel? :')

to the one thinking the south fear blacks... go to KY see how far you go with that lol... or any place that keeps them in check.. actually in fact B. OBAMA may wish he doesnt get elected from what im hearing.....
he has slammed the SOUTH as well as his wife... he isnt disliked because of color as much as what he and his ugly wife stand for..they stand for themselves only...they stand for thier own ONLY...they stand for the radicals that have been thier mentors.. thier buddies,and there is yet to be discovered you will see. Michelle thinks she can be another Jackie Kennedy??? give me a break she couldnt even come close..Jackie had class which eiminates Michelle out right away.....

F@king BS Racism is alive and well in the USA!
Satire MY ass! Its satire in the political comic section of the paper (preferably with a disclaimer) or at least the supposed title "THE POLITICS OF FEAR" plastered over the front of that liable and defamation ridden depiction of Senator Obama and his wife. The image of his wife is probably the most disturbing because it sets the tone for the unspoken question "you don't want one of those BLACK RADICALS from the 1960's in the white house do you?". As if one should be ashamed of taking part in a movement for freedom and equality regardless of how that movement was viewed by the oppressor. One more thing all of you out there thinking this is funny I say FUCK YOU! You are the excrement remnant of a defunct morally bankrupt past and your days are numbered. So wail and screech all you want just lets those of us with eyes to see spot you that much easier.

Some poor artist had no other better ideas than to dress them up in stereotypes... Haters! Anyway, we all know that Obama and the media walk hand in hand, and that any publicity is good publicity.

Just feed the lion's what they want. Hard to believe such a well respected magazine would approve that picture. You just gave fuel to the racist conspiracy theorists out there.

I think is is in extremely poor taste. Satire or not, I think it could easily send the wrong message to many people. I am, once again, gravely disappointed in "The New Yorker"

Now that I look again at the cover and the picture on the wall and the burning flag in the fireplace, I can see that Rove/Chaney style of propaganda will play heavily in the coming election. I fear the stupid American sheeple will only care about their own futures enough to carry away the intended message from this Fascistic-style poster propagada

The article should have been the cover!

I think this cover is genius, because the magazine will receive so many forms of coverage. I will not be surprised if both Bill O'Riley and Keith Olberman both cover this. I would love to hear the Obama's response to seeing this on such a well known magazine.

This is a disgusting display of prejudice.

:|

Where are the racist?Name any other President this would be okay for.This is a travesty.No issuses just distractions.If people want to get Obama elected like the person who edited this cover.Lets put real things on the cover like The George Bush and how we should exile him.Or get the Supreme court involed to properly investigate The Bush and how he has bladently broke the constitution.No lets print and hurt people who acually care and want to make a bigger difference.Funny the story in the magazine article does not reflect the the cover.Its time we point the finger in the right direction...Make those bastards pay us for these last 8 years!

the image scares me. but now I have to read the article.

its obviously a play on "terrorist fist jab". I must say though. Michelle is totally rockin those camo pants and boots.

Is this really respocible journalism it seems that lots of media outlets try to create controversy rather than reporting it or provideing iformed comentary I think it is a cool picture but publishing it on the cover of a news magazine is simply creating contrversy and trying to fuel stereo types really is that what we need at this poin history

My gut reaction was shock but it was actually pretty funny after I looked at it a little mroe closely.

Still, it was a tasteless and stupid thing to do. With so many ignorant ass Amercians out there, the last thing we need is people unintentionally confirming their prejudices.

I mean, come on, at least give it a caption.

This is America at its best.Whats the best form of character assasination.HHMMM? Satire. How would the counrty react to a cover of George Bush and his family in the same caption?Truth.The fact is America has fed the world a big pill of freedom and justice for all.Now were at a point in history where the goverment still won't pay 40 acres and a mule!We can't fnd a thing wrong with Obama and thats why these attacks are so bladent.We treat decent politicians with guile and disrespect while Jesse Helms recieves praise and was against Civil Rights.Obama 08'.GBlessAmerica!

I did know the New Yorker was a brand of toilet paper.

i think its insensitive and unprofessional. its fine if its on MAD magazine or even indie free publication but The New Yorker??

harayz.com

The HuffPost piece has this quote from the article in the New Yorker, which is rather telling:-

“[P]erhaps the greatest misconception about Barack Obama is that he is some sort of anti-establishment revolutionary. Rather, every stage of his political career has been marked by an eagerness to accommodate himself to existing institutions rather than tear them down or replace them….he has always played politics by the rules as they exist, not as he would like them to exist. He runs as an outsider, but he has succeeded by mastering the inside game.”

This is obviously satirical, but what is confusing some folks here is that the tone is not the New Yorker's. Their covers are frequently humorous, but usually gentle or intellectual. This is satire with some teeth, and it's a bit ill-fitting for them.

Thumbs up from me, though. I think it's effective.

It's the fucking New Yorker... Get over it!

Was it funny when Hillary was depicted as shoot missiles from her vagina? I see this issue of the New Yorker in much the same light. Satire is often a way to instruct without a heavy hand yet in these tense times I think New Yorker could have done it differently.

The cover was clearly done to expose the idiocy of some of the rhetoric spewed by conservatives and Republicans fearing the fruition of the "GREAT UPRISING" they've long since dreaded.

The best part is the clowns that totally missed the point and got all happy like Unicorn77 and alike. As with simple physics, the narrower your stance (or mind) the less stable you are and the easier you'll fall for just about anything.

This is rude and very racial but funny none the less.

Those who would view something like this as the truth are to far gone to be reached. The cartoon actualy points the finger and laughs to the far right.

To put this in perspective, has anyone actually READ the article itself?

Obviously this is satire. The people who get the joke will find it amusing while the more dim witted will think the New Yorker is being serious.

Either way, it's sure to sell.

The cover is offensive and inflammatory. At the very least it is in poor taste. The creator of the cover states it was to draw attention to how ridiculous the rumors about Obmaa are. What a foolish mistake if the author is sincere and I am not sure I believe that the harm is not intentional.

Rumors about Obama have gained strength and ugliness as the months have gone on. The New Yorker is not helping. Too many of the hate mongers never look below the surface. It will be twisted.

I am a democrat who prefers Hillary and still wishes a miracle would occur. Having said that, I will support Obama if he picks Hillary. I would love to throw my vote to the Green Party if Hillary is not on the ticket yet I am coming to the point where I believe that would bring more harm to our country than already exists.

I do know that having McCain for president in "these times of unrest" makes no sense. WE need DIPLOMACY not more guns and missiles. We are in dire straits if we cannot build a bridge with the countries that are disgusted and furious with our abuse of human rights and our abuse of their nations. WE do not own the middle east or their oil nor should we.

We have had ample time in this country to develop our own resources and for too long we have allowed CORPORATIONS AND REPUBLICAN LEADERS to run all over us. Our congress has not stood for the people.

Keeping a populace from being educated, from having a forum to discuss the direction we want our country to go, a forum to engage folks in the ideas of renewable energy sources has served the health insurance companies, pharmaseuticals, and big oil well.

Education, fighting illiteracy and poverty are all important if we are going to help rebuild our nation.

Shame on the New Yorker.....it digusts me and I won't be buying their product anymore.

First off lets not forget freedom of speech. The picture may be in bad taste but it is still protected.

Second, if the New Yorker wanted to make it satirical they could have added something to it to imply satire like, I don't know, a caption. Not just a picture of Obama next to a painting of Bin Laden. This picture just makes the New Yorker into some redneck neo-con rag that isn't worth spit.

Over the weekend I saw a CNN report where one of the talking heads (Not the band) went to a baseball game down south and began asking patrons what they thought of Obama. 1 out of every 4 people said something about Obama being a muslim (which at this point if you don't know any different it's your own fault for being that naive) and one guy even said, and I quote "I would never vote for a black man. The only black man I ever saw with change was holding a cup." This is the new millenium and we still have that level of open ignorance in this country. And all the New Yorker did was pour gas on the fire. I guess they don't realize that out of the thousands of people that will walk by their magazine sitting on a newstand only about 3% of them will open it up to see that it was satire.

can't we just stick to the issues?

They're gonna lose a lot of loyal readers. They for sure pissed me off.

ITS McCain all the way......

Funny, very funny. Looks like some of the Comrade Obama lovers have some pretty thin skin. It's satire folks. The same people crying over this would give kudos to the New Yorker if it depicted McCain in such a light.

a sad shame.

The inherent intelligence the minds behind this are banking on in readers to get the joke, should be something they, of all people know, is scarily non-existent. This country eats everything fed to it with a SPOON, no matter how ludicrous. This is a dangerous risk and a great nod to freedom of the press, but, in my opinion, too risky a pot shot at a man and country with all too much to lose.

it's tongue-in-cheek. You have to take it for what it's worth.

COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT!!! How did they tap into my imagination? The insanity!!!

Love the pic, time to wake up you little progressive pukes, your obamessiah is gaining momentum as he falls from the grace of the general public.

Wow! Obama really must be a populist candidate that scares the hell our of the ruling class. This New Yorker has changed my mind completely about the rag. I use to believe that it was a sophisticated publication. Now I find it to be yet another sad example of just how propagandist our media has become. I am sure that the staff of the New Yorker will run away from the cover being any sort of attempt to smear Obama. The neocons have for years contended that the media is leftist as a cover for the fact that it is the opposite. Remember "tell a lie enough times and people will believe it." Already we see the ruling class employing blatant propaganda imagery in an attempt to condition the minds it has so carefully dumbed-down via poor education and the boob-tube.

satire...and the fact that people don't know it's satire makes it even more satirical....

Did Jonathan Swift really intend for the Irish to eat their own children in his "A Modest Proposal".....and it was every bit as shocking when it was written.

I think you only need to read the comments on this post to realize that the cover did exactly what it was intended to do...

as for the south.... im a redneck girl at heart and proud of it... geee WE wish that michelle would come here and spew her hate remarks... shed be on less afro...im sure someone would tone her big A---- down lol the suth ae hard working people amd yes we have our guns...and yep we say HELLLL YEAH.....

lets look at the facts.. Michelle is a racist... same as Obama..examine the words whem they say MY Brothers and sisters..they mean just that,,, looking out for thier own the hell with the rest of us,,Its so plain..this isnt a pres election this is a cvil rights march in a different way..this unity thing is a farce..they have created a divide that wll never turn around now..Obama is a WUSS.. all mouth,, Michelle is a angry b WOMAN... thier friends are the same.....I can tell you all the ones I know will not vote for obama..that voted fr Hillary.. its no deal for sure..

If I found this I'd buy it. Historical cover.

Satirical duh. That's the first thing I thought of when I saw it that they were using what people say about him to draw this cartoon but they themselves don't believe it.

And I don't even read the New Yorker. Smart move because they'll get the attention of those that agree and those that don't and then those that do will be annoyed for it's not what they thought and those that didn't will be annoyed because they are easily offended.

And those that caught it but don't have a political stance will find it ingenious. Me. =P

Ha! Amazing...wait I am mad they gave Michelle Obama a damn Afro. She is the No. 1 Soul Sistah? WTF, They need to stop!!

Tasteless for sure.

love it, keep it up new yorker :-)

I love how everyone is getting mad about this! The magazine's propaganda worked. The only beef I can fine on Obama is how he keeps changing his position, from left to right, and back. Typical politician of the last 20 years....is there really change? Or is change the only constant?

I dunno. But it is funny as hell, and a bit disrespectful, I concede. But he will not get my vote because he can't even keep his mind straight.

It sure is a great diversion from discussing his FISA vote and that of the others who have betrayed the American people and who will no doubt be forgiven for it. Sometimes I think the people of this country deserve what they get.They vote our rights away and this is number one on Current. Amazing.

Not to be outdone by Vanity Fair, the New Yorker submits its candidate for 'most distasteful cover of the year'.

But seriously, I saw this and laughed. It's satire pokes fun at all the misconceptions about the Obama family. Then I thought about Obama and his problems garnering the 'bigot vote'. Can't say I expect that lot to understand this is satire, but then again, I don't know for sure if that demographic reads this darn yankee magazine.

actually the pic of michelle looks better then her... and the one of obama well he is what he is... a friend of radicals..etc etc,,way to go New York LOL

I feel like this cover is mocking the same system it is apart of.

I think it's pretty obvious that this is ape-ing people naive enough to actually believe the fox new's labeling of the "terrorist fist jab". I can't imagine The New Yorker has much of a conservative following- It's pretty liberal in general and also has the worlds least funny cartoon(ists) peppered among all of the articles.

Its satire on that journalists "terrorist fist bump" comment. In poor taste or not, its satire. Their making it look ridiculous, not plausible.

Jesus folks, it's The New Yorker. Get over yourselves.