ROFL. Hahaha! Relax. Stop getting so defensive! It’s just a cartoon. It’s a joke, you idiot! So says liberal New Yorker magazine in response to outrage over its COVER cartoon portraying the Obamas as Al Qaeda sympathizers in the Oval Office, grinning and knucking it up, as the American flag burns in the fireplace behind them, and satan hangs on the wall stoically.
“Haven’t white people made enough jokes about black folk? 400 years aint enough jokin for yall? Talk about a joke.” - Reader comment on joesacramento.com
The New Yorker CLAIMS it was only mirroring the sentiments of Americans who think Obama is a terrorist. Trouble is, parody in the form of a front cover cartoon portraying a presidential candidate as the sworn enemy does not a harmless joke make.
Jokes always have a motive. Sigmund Freud would agree. In his book “Jokes and their relation to the unconscious,” Freud theorized that “…jokes have only two purposes: aggression and exposure. Aggression (which includes satire and defense) is fulfilled through the hostile joke; Exposure is fulfilled through the dirty joke.”
Personally, I am a huge fan of satire and political cartoons. Jokes about Obama are fine with me. I’ll joke about him, too. Joke all you want. But painting he and his wife as AL QAEDA muslims burning a flag? Sorry, that aint a joke, that’s aggression. I think New Yorker crossed the line, and as a result have just fed breakfast, lunch, and dinner to millions of blood-thirsty racists across the United States who want the rest of America to THINK Obama is a communist pig whose citizenship should be revoked.
Withstanding those things, I’m also reasonable, and hence I can’t help but wonder if the Obamas may have helped set the stage for this cruel little statement cloaked as humor—particularly in light of old America’s aversion to change, and its territorial defensiveness towards anyone who challenges its sacred perceptions of what constitutes a patriot.
Look at the facts: Michelle Obama is on record saying her husband’s candidacy is the only thing she has been proud of about her country “in [her] whole adult life.” (The forest fire of criticism that one started is still smoldering). Barack attended services at a church where his reverend routinely dismissed America as a cold, racist, greedy, oppressive bulldozer operated by fat, rich white cats who worship nothing but the Dollar Almighty (where the hell did he get that idea?).
And then Obama is said to have attended a Wahabi school in Jakarta as a kid (Wahabism is known for its radical, extremist views, and often cited as the body of dogma espoused by Jihadists who are terrorizing the world). Then there is the little inconvenience about Obama not holding his hand over his heart during the pledge of the allegiance. And then there is that famous image of Michelle and Barack exchanging “knucks” as a couple of Los Angeles Lakers might after a Kobe Bryant dunk.
These things don’t bode well for a presidential candidate who is following the G-Dub act. In fact G-Dub is the exact polar opposite of Obama. And love him or hate him, G-Dub is what white America, and its magazine publications, are accustomed to. The good ol’ boy. You know, the cowboy hollering “Yeeee haw!! God bless America!!” (as he launches another volley of missiles into a country full of religious tribes whose only defense is old cars full of C4).
The same-as-we’ve-always-done-it old guard in this country (the same folks who think “Who moved my cheese?” is a nursery rhyme and think the only way to fight crime is to raise taxes), don’t know what to do with this Obama guy who is nothing like its chortling, back-slapping huckster Yale grad who snorted cocaine, sucked on kegs of beer, and played hooky on his National Guard assignment.
Even though they talk smack about him and tell a lot of jokes at his expense, they still secretly find comfort and security in their nonsensical, fear-inducing Texan daddy, whose public speeches rarely include a word with more than three syllables —that he can pronounce. And they still love his bewildered wife who smiles for the camera like a homecoming queen, and never says a thing unless there are cue cards in front of her and a one minute tape delay.
This Obama guy, he’s a different animal. He’s got a Harvard education and austere disposition. He’s the one with the really diverse perspective, articulate speeches and vision of a government that serves everyone regardless of their political affiliations and “old money” in their family coffers. The one who is young at heart and stops to have a beer with people along the campaign trail. The one with the Harvard-educated wife who won’t shut up.
This new guy has people worried, because he is nothing like the old guy. And I say thank God for that.
In closing, the cartoon might not be such a bad thing. Every time Obama weathers another storm in the same diplomatic, refined, poised manner he has repeatedly presented to the public, he sells the public even more on why he is the man to be president. If he can stomach old guard critics attacking and ridiculing his patriotism, his integrity, his religion, his friends, his family, his commitment, his work ethic, and even his VALUES, and he STILL wants the job, I’d say there is no one better for it.
Hey Joe,
Thanks again for sharing your partisianship, what a joke though, President Bush has been mocked for years by you liberals, and now one picture freaks you out, get real, I heard today in the rag NY Times that Obama is off limits for comedians, they can’t figure out how to create a joke about him, even more pathetic. Bill Mahr of HBO seems to be the only one that has the balls to joke about him. Your bias is clear, the New Yorker did this piece to attack the right, as it assumes all of us think Obama will burn the flag in the WH. Please get ready for a hard fall, Obama and his supporters better have thicker skin and deal with the blows better, I am starting to believe Obama is a candy ass, and really is not ready to lead us.
Hi Charlie. Since when does one’s support of one moderate over another moderate make them a liberal? You lost me.
And I don’t know what channel you’re watching, but the partisan lines have been blurred ever since Bush and friends hijacked the White House.
What are Bush’s approval ratings now? 23%? Ok, 24%? I assure you Bill Maher is not in the 23%.
PS: why are the Obamas painted Caucasian in the cartoon?
Hi Joe,
Your strong opinions favoring Obama lead me to think you are left of center, please know that Nacy Pelosi and Co. (Congress) have lower approval ratings than Bush, and have done nothing of substance for two years, but can nag and bitch all day about how bad Bush is. Since when was it possible to call Obama a moderate, is that in the last two weeks when all he does is pander and change positions while moving to the center. He eliminated the fact that he opposed the surge on his web page today. It may come as a shock, a majority of of American’s do not believe Bush “hijacked” the white house, that is a talking point from the Move on.org crowd, or code Pink. 70% of the senate last week supported the FISA bill to make it possible for the President to spy on Islamic killers. Does that sink in with you. Granted, many of us would like us out of Iraq, but spare us the argument that it was all a big lie. We can save that debate for another day.
As far as him being white, it is a freaking cartoon, why are you taking it so seriously Joe, Obama has more teflon than Reagan, he will probably benefit from all the news about it. Please explain why the media can’t joke about him, look at those big ears, and did you hear him speak french the other day, that was funny. Lighten up Joe!!
The media can joke all they want about anyone. Never said they couldn’t. I just don’t approve of the cartoon and find it offensive that they have him burning the US flag with Osama over the fireplace and his wife with a machine gun. How is that funny? HA ha ho ho Obama hates his country. ha ha ha. Yeah that’s really funny, Charlie
Don’t assume I like Nancy Pelosi. And her approval ratings are a red herring here. Who cares.
You are judging my whole political acumen based on the fact that I don’t want to support the Bush shill McCain. Give me a break.
Johnny to G-dub: “I wish I could quit you”
Thanks for the cartoons, the New Yorker piece is satire, political satire has been with us for 232 years, have you ever read about political campaigns from the 1800’s? They were brutal in their attacks. The rant you provided suits your political aims, that is great, but all the Bush hating, cheap shots,distortions, and demeaning comments are never offensive, because you don’t like him. Besides, satire is not always supposed to be funny, it is to highlight irony. Don’t let your love affair for Obama interfere with reason, before you attack Bush using drugs, Mr. Obama had quite a few drug experiences himself, try reading his book, or even better listen to it on tape. You may come away not praising him as you so colorfully do.
I am 100% with Joe. This cartoon was no way a joke. It was meant to belittle him and feed the stereotypes that he is the enemy. Satire and jokes like you call them sir are such because they speak to things that are true or could be true. Every image Joe put up here about McSame has a kernel of truth or could-be truth to them. There is noooooooooooooothing even remotely true about the Obama cartoon. Zip. He doesn’t burn flags. He doesn’t hate America. He doesn’t sympathize with Osama. What you are doing sir is the same thing people did about blackface and minstrel shows. They said it was funny. hahahahahahahahahahahahahah. Yeah real funny.
It was a HIT PIECE *posing* as satire/joke/cartoon. It is so NOT political satire.I find the suggestion that it is political satire (like the cartoons I posted here on Bush and “mcSame” lol) to be condescending. It’s one thing to call Bush a chortling good ol’ boy Texan oil slut; it’s another to call Obama an Al Qaeda sympathizer. How in the world are you going to call that political satire? You’re implying the man is a terrorist!? Funny? Please stop.
THIS is satire:
McCain is a mess. Seen this? McCain on 7/15/08: “And I regret some of the recent behavior Russia that has exhibited, and I’ll be glad to talk about that later on including reduction in oil supplies to Czechoslovakia after they agreed with us on a missile defense system, etcetera,” said the presumptive Republican nominee at a New Mexico town hall Tuesday.” Too bad Czechoslovakia ceased to exist 15 years ago. He’s either senile or living in a different space and time. Second time he’s done this now.
McCain is a good man, and great patriot, but he is no more presidential material than… aw never mind. I am done with this one. Stick a fork in me
Haven’t white people made enough jokes about black folk? 400 years aint enough jokin for yall? Talk about a joke.
Hi Sharpie,
I wish I had some support, you raise some new interesting questions, Obama has had dealings with two individuals that clearly raise questions, Ayers and Wright. Both are America haters and Obama for many years was not bothered by it, and still is not. It was only recently he left the church, for political reasons. The New Yorker cartoon was partly based on the premise that he has associated with ugly people, can anybody for just a minute understand that in the context of satire, christ, this was one of the most liberal magazines whose whole editorial board want Obama to win. I stand by my earlier remarks, all of you are defensive, maybe there is a ring of truth and you sense he will not be electable.
You don’t understand why people are angry about this Charlie. Conservatives have made up LIES about Barack Obama being the enemy, a so-called extremist Muslim terrorist who hates his country. They are using the same fear-inducing tactics Rove and Bush used!
You are comparing apples and oranges when you say all is fair in politics and satire, because the jokes and satire about Bush have been about his PRESIDENCY, not about his credibility as a patriotic American running for office.
Barack is NONE of the idiotic things he is being portrayed as. They are lies intended to scare people. There is nothing satirical or funny about them.
Make fun of his ears, his knucks, his shoulder brushing off, his track record as a senator, his political affiliations, whatever… but stop LYING and saying he is an extremist Muslim who hates his country
Change Obama’s name to something like Greg Walker and there is no story. Think about it. All of this bullshit over his name. That’s what it all comes down to. All you hardcore conserv’s can thank Obama’s mama for giving him that name. That’s all you have when you really boil it down. And unfortunately that might just be enough to sink him. What’s in a name? Apparently more than you thought, Shakes’
No need to state your article came before Breton’s. He is not even in the _parking lot_ scalping tickets to your ballpark joe
Conservatives are so ignorant. They wouldn’t even know what a Muslim fundamentalist was if a group of them hadn’t flown a plane into America’s front yard. They don’t think Obama is a terrorist. They’re just grasping at disparate straws to build a house of fear like Rove did to get Bush elected. Same old same old. Run for your lives! Obama and his wife are terrorists! If the NY mag is liberal and support Obama, they blew it by handing the conservative enemy an artful centerpiece for its war on Obama. Idiots.
Obama is on the winning end of this. He once again proved he can’t be broken. That’s the name of the game. The presidency is looking more certain for him every day.
All you Obama lovers still don’t get it, the cartoon was supposed to mock conservatives, showing him and his wife as extremists is what libs believe the whole GOP thinks of Obama. Hardley is that the case, and the hypersensitive comments here reflect a lack of understanding of satire and its meaning. #17 states this proves he can’t be broken, this cartoon was meant to help help him.
You don’t mock conservatives with a cartoon on the front page of a major magazine with no caption whatsoever