The New Yorker cover

[Jess]

Okay I normally blow off most satire and political cartoons that irritate me. That is after all a goal but I really do find this cover offensive. I don't know how many of you saw this yet (came through in one of my Obama groups). I'm still not sure of the best way to approach this in terms of action (letters or calls?) but thought I'd bring it to your attention.

This is not the same cover that is visible on their web site. Does anyone get the magazine? Is this really the cover out there on it?

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/7/13/175041/125/158/551074

[Suzy]

Jess,
I'm a subscriber - will get this issue Tues/Wed. I have great respect for David Remnick - will wait to hear New Yorker response to criticism. Think this is a situation where 'satire' has run amok, and probably the best thing we can do is keep registering new voters. Saving my energy for the 'bigger battles' ahead.
I respect those who are offended by the cover and feel some action is necessary. I'm also reminded of that anonymous quote: "Do not use a hatchet to remove a fly from your friends forehead."

[Jonathan Jacobs]

Judge for yourself.
Here is a thumbnail from the web site
http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/toc/2008/07/21/toc_20080714

BTW, here is the accompanying article (15000 words)

http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2008/07/21/080721fa_fact_lizza?c...

For an opposite reaction, see Poblano (Nate Silver) at http://www.FiveThirtyEight.com/

[Jess]

Hi Suzy - just found an interview with David Remnick on HuffPost and am reading it now. I'm struggling because I don't want to just give in to my knee-jerk reaction but I really think this image is tailor made for the right-wing people who claim all the images in it to be truth. I understand the point the New Yorker was making but I hate that they just gave people the perfect poster for the fears they claim as truth. Does that make sense?

But you're right about the energies. It is a waste of time to get engaged in this. Sorry everyone for taking up bandwith on this!

Jess

[waterprise2]

I received a "heads up" from OVERSEAS yesterday from one of my Republican friends who is an ardent Obama supporter!

My hubby used to subscribe to the New Yorker and said it is satire. The editor of the NYer said it was SUPPOSED to point out the ridiculousness of the Obama smears; but unfortunately, it is already being used negatively.

Time for Jay-Z's "brush it off" song...

Personally, I found it sickening...satire or not...

[Suzy]

Jess said:

Hi Suzy - just found an interview with David Remnick on HuffPost and am reading it now. I'm struggling because I don't want to just give in to my knee-jerk reaction but I really think this image is tailor made for the right-wing people who claim all the images in it to be truth. I understand the point the New Yorker was making but I hate that they just gave people the perfect poster for the fears they claim as truth. Does that make sense?

But you're right about the energies. It is a waste of time to get engaged in this. Sorry everyone for taking up bandwith on this!

Jess

[Suzy]

Jess,
I understand the question - and difficulty of 'selecting your battles' - it's a very real hard call. I look forward to seeing what the NEXT cover will be - equal opportunity bad taste? So while I wish it wasn't, it is. Haven't read the article - but expect the cover was meant as SO extreme no sensible person could possibly take it seriously - H.L. Mencken's famous quote seems to apply here.

I agree with Pam's hubby! And listening to Jay-Z!!!! Can't imagine any other activity - except to see how David Remnick deals with this. Remember, he's published Seymour Hersh too. Honestly do not think this was meant to hurt BHO.

[Tara Van Niman]

Maybe I'm way off but I love it. I think it's a great dig at those who believe this BS. I would love for Obama to be able to hold this up and laugh at it. And I don't mean laugh at himself...laugh at those who buy this nonsense. I mean this particular line of attack is ridiculous on its face and I think Obama would do good to just call them on it. Ridicule them. I think it's beneficial to fully expose it for what it is. Don't let it be a whisper campaign. Hold it up in the light for all to see how crazy it is. Fear mongering at its worst and most ridiculous.

[Anne]

I've found it can be an conversation starter. This afternoon, my non-political daughter who saw it on TV last night, mentioned how awful it was. Led to a discussion of how important it was to register to vote and to not get caught up in smears. I was proud of her!

[Ann Cantelow]

My opinion, it's very bad. It's careless and thoughtless and plays with fire. If this cover didn't exist, I think someone else somewhere would fill the gap and do something similar, but that's cold comfort. Ugh.

[Kate_in_StPete]

maybe I'm alone in this, but, damn, I'm tired of all of the outrages, real, orchestrated and totally bogus that seen to be drummed in the media. I have enough real anger, thanks, and some real solutions for dealing with my anger, and all of these items about which I'm supposed to work up outrage are just simply distractions from that. The liberal blogs are playing along too - how often do you read a post that says something like "Why is no one outraged about what McCains just said/did about this??".

If I believed that there was some monolithic mainstream media cabal at work in this country, I would suspect that all of this outrage was a tactic to try and exhaust a newly organized and activated (by the Obama campaign) electorate so that they would all burn out and settle back down and leave the election to the experts: in other words, to watch more tv.

My copy of this issue of the New Yorker just arrived today, so I finally got a chance to take a good look at it (as opposed to online) and when I took a look at it, I was struck immediately by the obviousness of the satire - if you look at the expressions on Barack and Michelle's faces in the cartoon, it's clear. Barack's face seems to say, "If you believe all this, I've got some real estate in Florida to sell you..." and Michelle's expression reads as caring and supportive.

[electric.sheep]

I think it's great. In the way that William Klein used black humor to show New York, it's hilarious and hits hard. What's telling in all this is the "outrage" and "political correctness" surrounding it. Like Kate in StPete said, a lot of people are being sold real estate in Florida...