The New Yorker Obama Cover Cartoon

Posted on July 14, 2008 at 8:29 am (PST)

The New Yorker has sparked controversy with a cover cartoon depicting Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. The artist says it is to dispell all the stereotypes, not support them. It’s supposed to be a kind of reverse psychology.

At a press availability Sunday afternoon in San Diego, Senator Obama was asked, according to the diligent 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?”

Barack Obama (shrugged):

“I have no response to that.”

The New Yorker magazine explains at the start of its news release previewing the issue: “On the cover of the July 21, 2008, issue of the The New Yorker, in ‘The Politics of Fear,’ artist Barry Blitt satirizes the use of scare tactics and misinformation in the Presidential election to derail Barack Obama’s campaign.”

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton says:

“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 cartoon above accompanies an article about Obama called Making It. There is even a follow-up comment article called Flip-Flop Flap by the New Yorker.

Jesses Jackson has vented his anger towards Obama, and it seems others are doing the same. Sometimes you just see someone and say to yourself, "There’s just something about this guy that I don’t like. I don’t trust him." It seems that lately, a lot of folks have that feeling.

Chris Rock had an interesting opinion about what a black first lady would be like.

What impression do you get of this cartoon? Is it offensive or accurate?