New Yorker Cover Mocks Palin's Claim Of Foreign Policy Experience

Gawker, Marc Ambinder and our own Rachel Sklar note that the New Yorker is poking some fun at Sarah Palin for her rather dubious claim that Alaska's proximity to Russia gives her foreign policy experience. Scroll down for a full size image of the cover.

Comments

[DeeW]

I've noticed a lot of the Democratic pundits are saying she won't do so bad and the Republicans are saying she won't do well.

Hmmm...

Perhaps the Republicans are lowering expectations so that no matter how she does she'll do better than expected, and the Dems are doing the opposite.

Just something I noticed tonight and thought it was a bit odd.

[notb observer]

Yes, that's exactly what they're doing. It happens all the time in high stakes debates, when the odds are stacked against one player (it's called "managing expectations"). However, it's usually done more discretely and with more subtlety, in case it turns out better than expected. So usually you really have to listen carefully for a hint and sometimes read between the lines to get the message... The fact that this is getting so much air time is indicative of a couple of things.
First, the Dems want her fail to be seen as badly as possible, and the Reps want her to look moderately capable, even though they don't expect her to win.
Second, serious Dem voters already expect her to self destruct. Hardcore Rep voters would vote for whatever the party tells them to, even a can of tuna. So, the audience they are really managing the expectations of are "undecideds". Now, anyone who still sees promise in Palin after what we have seen on TV is not terribly astute or informed, to put it politely..­. So the political operatives have to be extra certain that these people understand the message. They cannot be subtle so they are pretty much yelling the message to make sure that these undecideds understand and are therefore prepared for what is about to happen on Thursday.

[enlighteninglad]

This is going to be a train wreck for Palin. Gwen better not let her off the hook. This is too important a position she is "applying" for to be lenient in the interview.

[Wim1974]

Dear Ms. Palin

Please, stop stalking us.

Regards,

V. Putin

[Jingo]

Sarah has had a crush on Vladimir Putin since his shirtless photos were released last year. If Putin plays his cards right, he just might lose that silly Pootie-Poot moniker that Bush gave him and soon be known as Vlad the Impaler.

[Cilantro]

One thing for sure, if John and Sarah do not get elected, I bet she'll get a high-paying national TV talk show like Oprah, she'll write a book, hook-up on the speakers-circuit and make millions. THis gal will be set for life no matter which way it goes. She may even do an ad for "no excuse jeans" or maybe she'll be tempted by Playboy Magazine to do a photo spread with some polar bear fur etc. Or, they'll do a reality TV show on the whole family - that would be fun. Or Bristol will do TV ads for baby diapers, or that Cute Piper can get a role in a Hanna Montana series. Possibilities are endless. So no need for anyone to feel sorry for her.

[muypolitico]

EIther way they will have their own TV show. If they loose, it will be a sitcom. If they win they will produced a sitcom/realty show hybrid.

Either way, it will be called I Dream of Jeannie: The Rapture Edition.

[Josiwe]

Look for episode 1, "Stop the Campaign! It's Time For A Shotgun Wedding!" coming soon to a media outlet near you!

[OmnesOmnibus]

This is the best the New Yorker could come up with on Sarah Palin? Maybe they wore themselves out trying to ridicule Barack Obama. I will never forgive them for that disgraceful Obama cover. But they had a chance to make partial amends and they come up with this tepid joke? They've lost their way.

[anons]

THEY WEREN'T RIDICULING HIM!

Am I the only O supporter that appreciated that cover??

[kotexbarbie]

You are not alone!

[MarkHannum]

I thought it was a great cover. It surprises me that anyone who cannot appreciate it as satire would even care to look at a New Yorker. It will go down in history along with some of Art Speigelman's great cover work.

This Palin cover is a bit soft. But Blitt is probably a bit pen shy after that Obama cover.

[editorjuno]

I got it immediately too -- but it apparently soared over quite a few heads, as does a good deal of The New Yorker pretty consistently.

[Pupadup4oBama]

NO, i thought it was great!
I think maybe I can appreciate it more because growing up...my parents had a huge piece of work that my mom's cousin did in college - made during the 60's it was a collage of images during that time that were of the civil disturbances going on at the time, KKK rallies, etc. formed into the shape of a nazi klansman with a club foot.
So the satire was definitely not lost on me.

[anons]

The O cover was funny because it was intelligen­t....anybo­dy whose been paying any attention to this race could have scribbled this up...and adding oil rigs, caribou and babies would have made it that much more dim and transparent a shot...
I'm disappointed in the N e w Y o r k e r not because they weren't harder on her with this cover but because they weren't as thoughtful in their commentary as they were with the O piece.

[VOTER]

When you consider the shameful "kidding" the New Yorker did about
Obama and his wife for one of their magazine covers, this
is NOTHING!

WHERE'S THE BITE?

Shouldn't her pregnant unmarried daughter be standing next to her?
Where's a TROOPER on the mountain?
Ooops, you missed a Witch Doctor too.

YUP, YUP

THE NEW YORKER LOST ITS REAL FUNNY BONE? WHY?

[anons]

think before you comment...­.or maybe read a new yorker

[OmnesOmnibus]

I've read plenty of New Yorker issues as an (ex) subscriber for 36 years (until the Obama cover). They are drowning in self love and arrogance.

[VOTER]

Back at you.......­..... think before you comment.

The cover was satire for too few and
the New Yorker knew it would be
and didn't care.

[kotexbarbie]

Just curious. Did you read the fifteen page article inside the Obama issue ? As a a lifelong liberal I can tell you the New Yorker's Liberal cred. is impeccable. Good thing the MSM and everyone was distracted by the cover and not the "Chicago Lacuna" inside.

OBAMA 08 : the lesser of two evils again

[kotexbarbie]

You are not alone!

[anons]

The O cover was funny because it was intelligen­t....anybo­dy whose been paying any attention to this race could have scribbled this up...and adding oil rigs, caribou and babies would have made it that much more dim and transparent a shot...

I'm disappointed in the New Yorker not because they weren't harder on her with this cover but because they weren't as thoughtful in their commentary as they were with the O piece.

[cycle3man]

Just wondering how many Russians she has caught on Alaska's soil?

[fudgebuster]

not enough. she should get all them bums. go sarah! catch me a fish you hot mess.

[muypolitico]

It depends on weather she considers Polar Bears part of an imperial nation rearing its head in Alaska.

After seeing Palin "talk" (gibber) on TV, I have come to realize that I can no longer think of Hugo Chavez as a clown. Because if he were, what are we to make of Moose-lini?

[DAE]

She burned them at the stake.

[suzygirl]

Most all of these comments are very funny and very to the point. I think what some people don't get is that there are a WHOLE LOT OF PEOPLE that have been SUFFERING for the last 8 years and are really quite sick and tired of it all and it's time for some sense of sanity to come back into our lives. It's time we come together and say NO. It's time to come together and demand what is right for the sake of the people because it is supposed to be OUR country after all, isn't it?

[PT6]

YOU NEED A POWERFUL TELESCOPE ON A MONSTER MOUNTAIN TO SEE 800 MILES TO RUSSIA!

What is she DOING IN THE RACE! Is it simply superficial LIKE MOST OF WHAT McFlipFlop is about?

TRICKS, MIRRORS, HIJINKS, GAMES, ACCUSATIONS, GAMBLING, ALL SHOW, but NO SUBSTANCE!

TAKING CREDIT FOR NOT GETTING A DEAL! LETS GIVE HIM THAT ONE!

[fiberoptimist]

Just as unfunny as the Obama cover as far as satire goes.

[TheJibreelaMonsters]

i think is funny and Im voting for McCain

[cycle3man]

I feel sorry for you?

[Wilburrr]

Did you vote for Bush, too? How is that working out for ya?

[Diogenis]

When do you graduate from Grade School dear?

[DAE]

Then your an idiot

[egal]

Except that it's not even remotely satire, nor is it intended to be.

It's simply pointing out the obvious stupidity of her claim to foreign policy experience due to proximity, which, like efforts to cram for the final by sleeping on a textbook, are quite funnily asinine on their own without the need for subtlety and depth required in satire.

[LetsGetDumbAmerica]

Interestin­g... Cover by Barry Blitt. Yep, the "Obama and Michelle are terrorists!" cover artist.

Real nice pandering there New Yorker but you don't need a joke about Palin when the women herself is a punchline.

[bubblebee]

Palin does not scare me. Mc Cain does not scare me. What scares me is the millions of people who think she is qualified to be a 72 year old's quarter heart-beat away from the Presidency of the US, and who will vote for the ticket on Nov 4th. That is the scary part.

[Lipshtik-Pig]

That blank legal pad is an excellent metaphor for her one-dimensional mind.

[billbb]

You have to admit, though, that Salin Palin has done one thing that no other person has done in the history of American politics: she made Dan Quayle look wise and intelligent. Not to pile on to Ms. Sarah's woes, but even Mr. Potatoe Head would have recognized that he was making no sense in the interview by regurgitating bits of memorized talking points in no particular order or assemblage. Even a fluff brain like Paris Hilton came out with reasonably coherent sentences following conventional timeline order on Letterman the other night.

Unless, of course, it was merely a reflection of her strong Christian faith, and she was speaking in tongues.

As if!

[KarateKid]

The scariest part of all this (Cindy McCain said the same thing....w­ith a straight face) is that they really think this counts as foreign policy experience. Am I hallucinating, or is this farce really happening? Could the country have been SO dumbed down that this empty pantsuit could actually be a heartbeat away from the Presidency???

What is the matter with the people of this country? Have we become a nation of unthinking, Big Mac eating morons? God, Costa Rica is looking more viable by the day. I hardly recognize this country anymore.

[Cilantro]

I'll tell ya what's wrong with this country...­..
too many people have watched too much dumbed-down TV shows over the years
too many young adults grew up playing video games ad-nauseum
too many people are consuming excessive, unneeded Rx drugs they get from their DRs that
fog their brains with multitudes of side effects
too many people eat massive amounts of garbage food - white sugar, carbs, diet sodas, alcohol,
illegal drugs and are walking zombies
too many people barely read books, newspapers, these blogs or seldom watch TV news even
too many people never really learned how to think, how to verbally defend their ideas or even know
WHAT they really believe, they just float aimlessly down the river of life
too many people go to their churches and allow their heads to be full-filled from the pulpits of too
many preachers that don't know what they are talking about or who have hidden agendas or
bad behvaiours and sins on their souls they are hiding
too many people have never been empowered to use their own brains - they seek answers from outsiders
ALL of the above leads to too many voters who are either undecided - still !?!?! or who seek simple answers to complicated problems and or easily swayed by a VietNam Hero and a pretty mommy governer from folksy Alaska