New Yorker editor talks about controversial Obama cover
By Lisa Vorderbrueggen
Monday, July 14th, 2008 at 1:13 pm in 2008 presidential election.
Good morning, satire … but that New Yorker front page cartoon about Barack Obama is stirring up a furor. Have you seen it? (Click here to visit the New Yorker web site and see the full version on the magazine’s page.)
The Huffington Post’s “Eat the Press” feature has a very interesting interview with New Yorker editor David Remnick about the nature of satire and the publication’s decision to use the cartoon cover.
It’s a provocative illustration, no question about it. Obama’s campaign is calling it “tasteless” while the magazine says it points out the absurdness behind the anti-Obama rumors and stereotypes.
But does it advance political discourse? What do you think?
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July 14th, 2008 at 3:50 pm
I saw a Hardball interview with Remnick. Somebody speculated about how long it would take for the imagery to show up on anti-Obama t-shirts. I get the satire and all. But, if I were Remnick and somebody had presented the idea to me, I would have rejected it as being “too much.” It will be interesting to see how this plays out over the next few days.
July 18th, 2008 at 10:52 am
People, not necessarily readers of the New Yorker, will see the cover and think a respected magazine is taking a negative position on Obama.