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If the New Yorker cover is satire, Obama's camp isn't laughing.

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by DanOregon, Jul 14, 2008.

  1. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    It was on CNN this morning...
     
  2. Small Town Guy

    Small Town Guy Well-Known Member

    I get that many others besides New Yorker readers will see this. I don't quite understand how it'll be damaging to his campaign. There are those who will understand it's satire and a tweak of the smears on Obama. There are those who already believe every smear against him and will see it and will think, aha, see, he really is all of these nasty things.

    Then there are those who maybe are inclined to believe some of the rumors - like that he's a Muslim. So what's going to happen? Are they going to see it and think it's like a courtroom drawing of an actual event? Are they going to think the Obamas posed for the cartoon? Will they think it's a photograph? Who would think this is a depiction of what the Obamas really are, unless they already believe every false thing that's been said about them?

    I don't see how this would swing people from knowing the truth to suddenly believing Obama's a fist-bumping terrorist, or who those people are. Is someone going to get a forwarded email with the cover attached and suddenly change their views?

    And if it reaffirms the beliefs of those who already think the worst of all things Obama, so be it. Nothing is going to be able to change their viewpoints before November anyway.
     
  3. suburbia

    suburbia Active Member

    Except, as others here have written, New Yorker readers won't be the only potential voters who see that cover. It will also be seen by "less sophisticated" and "less informed" voters, and for them it may confirm the lines they've been fed by Obama's opponents.

    It's a sad indictment of our country that such a thing could happen. But it could.
     
  4. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Everything I just saw on it quoted outrage from the Obama campaign, with a response from Remnick. I think I am just out of touch. I couldn't have imagined this garnering much attention. My question--and I stipulate that don't know anything-- is, is the Obama campaign making this an issue or did someone else feed the beast? All the stories are about their outrage, so I am wondering if this gets no attention unless they are trying to use it for some sort of sympathy thing. Or did someone else pick up on it and trigger the reporter herd with Obama's campaign on speed dial?
     

  5. I think it's absolutely the wrong response. They should have said something like, "We agree. The idea of Barack and his wife being terrorists or dangerous muslims is silly and almost laughable."

    Bad reaction.
     
  6. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    Suburbia, Definitely buying that others will see this now. But does this REALLY have any effect on anyone? Again, I will admit when I am out of touch, so I probably have this all wrong... but are there REALLY people so unsophisticated and ill informed that they will see that cover -- with the fist bump and Michelle looking like she just stepped out of Shaft and the flag burning in the fireplace and the Bin Laden picture in the Oval Office, and say, "Damn, I knew it!"?
     
  7. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    "Senator Obama has always been a fan of ridiculous satire."

    That would have been a great response.
     

  8. [​IMG]

    ;)

    Seriously,

    I think anyone who doesn't read the New Yorker will see the cover and think "What the Hell?"
    You look at the cover and it sure makes you wonder. On its face it is certainly sensational.
    Will it sell any additional copies becsause of this?
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Dec 15, 2014
  9. Lugnuts

    Lugnuts Well-Known Member

    Over/under on an "apology" for the "poor judgement":

    36 hours.

    A bit faster than Golfweek and the noose cover.
     
  10. Mizzougrad96

    Mizzougrad96 Active Member

    You may be right, but I could see The New Yorker sticking to its guns and saying, "Hey, if you're too stupid to get the joke, that's your problem..."

    I hope they don't apologize.
     
  11. dixiehack

    dixiehack Well-Known Member

    For all the talk of how elite the New Yorker readership is, does anybody else remember the late night ESPN commercials from back in the day with the faux-patrician voiceover trolling for subscribers?
     
  12. The Big Ragu

    The Big Ragu Moderator Staff Member

    I don't think so Luggy. Remnick has stood by his judgment in at least three quotes I have seen.

    http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/07/13/david-remnick-on-emnew-yo_n_112456.html

     
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