The New Yorker Cover -- Opportunity Knocks for Obama
The New Yorker cover is not only evidence of arrogance; it expresses contempt for people who actually do fear the Obamas. This kind of mocking ridicule will only make it more difficult for people to share their fears and what to them are legitimate concerns. By satirizing most all our fears -- they left out Jewish fears of Obama's Israel policy -- the New Yorker just drives them further underground. A child afraid of the dark would not be comforted if his parents mocked his terror. In fact, he wouldn't feel safe even to bring up his fears in the light of day. Better to express them in the safe confines of the voting booth.
It's true by satirizing Fox News attacks, the cover reminds everyone of reasons to fear or hate Obama -- and that unsettles liberals. But what liberals don't seem to get is that the fears are already there -- whether definable or inchoate. Obama did a great and brave thing when he spoke about race this past April. He needs to address people's fears -- not just to rebut them or dismiss this cover. The New Yorker gave him an opportunity to right himself and get back to being who he is, or at least who he was before faith, FISA, and other matters momentarily capsized him.
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Justin Frank writes with the unique combination of brilliance, courage and wisdom; enlightened eloquence, as it were. Campaign Obama would be enhanced by heeding the words and advice of Doctor Frank. His words are as refreshing as water in an expansive desert under the sweltering heat of the afternoon sun.
The people who listen to right wing talk radio, who actually believe that Senator Obama is a gay, Islamo-fascist time bomb, do you really think those people EVER look at the New Yorker? Sorry political types, your self inflated importance is showing.
There were lots of cover ideas that cold have been AMUSING...something weird happened at the editorial meeting and I'd love to know who said what.
Amen!! These lies and distortions need to be addressed. He could talk about the bias against Muslims that his own campaign fell victim to. He could talk about The fact that these lies have been used to make people hate/fear Obama. He could really CHANGE the conversation by talking about bias, lies, and distortions. CONFRONT, CONFRONT, CONFRONT!!
If you think Obama should defend Muslims you don't understand American politics.
Maybe Zelda01 believes we can change American politics? I'd like to think so, too. I think Obama should "confront, confront, confront"... it's pretty clear from Kerry and Gore that playing the game isn't working too well for the Democrats. Maybe changing the conversation - elevating it - won't work, either. But I'd love to see Obama try. There are going to be some people who will never, ever vote for Obama, whatever he says. There are, I believe, many more who won't vote at all if Obama seems like just another politician. But if he can make us believe that politics can change - and hopefully, mean it - then I think there are many people out there who would vote for him, people who just never showed up in the previous elections. This election shouldn't be about convincing the hard-headed racists that they're wrong about Muslims, black Americans, etc. It should be about convincing the disaffected American voter that she really can get involved in changing the country. Idealistic, I know. But after years of cynicism, I'm hoping that we're ready to be a little more idealistic (while maintaining some level of pragmatism, as well.)
It will be very difficult for Obama to overcome these fears. Are they irrational? Perhaps, but the election won't be won simply by saying 'you're a mindless twit if you vote for McCain.'
Some seem to think it's important to remind everyone that Obama's a Christian. Religious affiliation has nothing to do with this. Possession of baptism certificates or bar mitzvah pictures are utterly besides the point. A primary concern of many, fueled by the so-called wingnuts this cartoon targeted, is that Obama may be sympathetic to muslim issues, in a way that makes people uncomfortable. Maybe this means he is too unexperienced, or naive, or careless about American security, etc. etc. etc. -- this is what's going on in voters' heads, and Obama must start getting more specific in his world view, so to speak. I think we'll see more of this with his upcoming overseas trip.
I don't think there's anything else Obama can do to allay people's "fears" -- much of it is racism hidden behind other excuses -- it's easier for some people to say they don't like him because he's Muslim - instead of because he's an African American. He's only been the candidate for a few weeks - he needs a bit of time to get his footing. Obama can do more after he's President than before. But not if fellow Democrats micro manage his actions. He ran a very successful primary campaign - and can probably do the same in the general election - but only if people will get focused on the bigger picture and quit wasting time and energy on matters many of which can be addressed once the Dems have control of the White House again.
No, the cover's a complete disaster. The only positive would be if, as Rachel Maddow suggested yesterday on "Countdown", BROADCASTERS would make the effort to always clarify that "Senator" Obama is a Christian, not a Muslim (not that there's anything wrong with that) when it comes up.
But, for the 15% of Americans who are, frankly, too STUPID to know there's no such thing as a "terrorist fist bump" and too BIGOTED to ever "vote for someone named 'Hussein'", there's not much Obama can or should say.
These people already know he says, "No I'm not like that".
They DON'T BELIEVE HIM. And, more to the point, they don't WANT to believe him.
And where are the Democrat surrogates? Where's Daschle's "We're Responding to Attacks Promptly and with Guts" group? The passivity of Democrats is infuriating.
I agree with you. Maybe it is an opportunity for Obama to address people's fear. I still think that the cover does not work though because what is missing are the perpetrators of that fear.
Whoa! It does not "work" to dispel the fears. However, it works only too well to perpetuate those fears!
There is nothing he can do to change the minds of idiots and bigots. We can only hope that there are more intelligent people in the voting pool because we need him in the WH come January.
Don't knock idiots. There are a lot of them out there voting for Obama because they're not smart enough to do anything but give in to peer pressure. There are also lots of intelligent people who will not vote for Obama and are not impressed with his speeches which are full of promises without any specific plan as to how he's going to accomplish what he's pretending to offer. The New Yorker cover is satire but the fact is there are lots of reasons to fear Obama. He's an unknown factor. This rush to deify Barack is not in the best interest of this country.
What are the reasons to fear Sen. Obama?
"Deify"? Give me a break. There's only one reason you need to vote for Obama: McCain. The man is a senile war-monger, and any Democrat would be better than him. I'm not a partisan for Obama or the Democratic party, yet I see how important it is that McCain gets nowhere near the White House.
Also, news flash: American presidential campaigns are won or lost based on platitudes and a candidate's back-story. Obama is no different in this regard from any other presidential candidate. Get a clue.
I agree that Obama can combat people's fears by addressing them in speeches, policy statements, and public appearances. However, far preferable that HE address those fears than the cover of a magazine that is spread across the nation's newstands on a magazine that most people will not read. "A picture is worth a thousand words," and unfortunately most people will not read the words but only see the pictorial which will "confirm" for them the images that they already formed in their mind. I like your optimism that Obama can use this as an opportunity. I fear the satirical message will be lost, and instead, the negative image of him and Michelle will only be emblazoned in people's minds.
I just don't see how this can help Big O. I'm very saddened that they dissed him like this.
I don't think the majority of "liberals" are upset at the cover. The people who are upset by the cover are the same people who were upset that some Obama supporters were challenging him on his FISA vote. For these self-identified "pragmatists" they FEAR that everything short of walking in lockstep with Obama will cause him to lose the election.
Gee, did you win a prize for inserting FISA into unrelated matter? Congrats!!!
For these self-identified "pragmatists" they FEAR that everything short of walking in lockstep with Obama will cause him to lose the election.
Too true. And what's so ironic to me is that those same 'pragmatic' supporters will ridicule the Republicans for using 'fear tactics' and don't realize that they are the very proof that fear tactics work.
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