Reading The Pictures: God, Obama

My God that's some shot, right?

Given the likelihood of an Obama administration, it's not too early to target how BHO will be framed through spoken, written and visual language. In particular, each of us should be calling out media images that do little more than perpetuate stereotypes and reinforce fear- and hate-base fantasies of the opposition attack machine.

As Obama closes in on the Oval Office, a theme that has already been absorbed into the media mind is the McCain campaign's "messiah" attack (launched by Team McCain's "The One" ad). While raising anxieties about a President Obama's exercise of power, framing Obama as an aspiring deity also works like a red cape in the face of the Christian right by flaunting the notion Obama somehow sees himself as a God, God himself, or, the son of God.

Look, for example, at this image accompanying Thursday's AFP story about Obama's potential transition plans. In it, we see the sun playing symbolically like the power of the divine. With Obama in silhouette, the theological allusion further suggests him harnessing an orb of divine light in his hand while delivering a gesture reminiscent of Jesus giving a blessing or sign of divine mercy.

Over at BAGnewsNotes, I've pulled a different visual to accompany this same write-up. The shot over there features photographer Jeff Reidel's parting shot in GQ's recent and largely cynical photographic campaign portfolio. In the photo, we see Obama seeming to recognize and receive the heavenly light of a (pro-American) deity. It's the virtue of that connection which seems to bestow on Obama a "chosen" status as standing for the earth-bound flag.

Say hallelujah if Obama scores a victory on Tuesday. But be careful not to say it too loud, because the right, abetted by the media, is already working those halos, rainbows, streaming rays and reflecting beams to suggest that Obama -- this vanity worshiper, this black Jesus -- has bumped his pay grade to the golden realm.

For more politics with the sound off, visit BAGnewsNotes.com (and BAGnewsNotes @Twitter).

(image: remarkably, AFP provides no photo credit)

Follow Michael Shaw on Twitter: www.twitter.com/bagnewsnotes

Comments

[wendynyc]

He is the messiah - did you see the map from the Economist - the whole WORLD is waiting for this man to get elected!

Barack Obama - Hope for America! Hope of the WORLD!

[MajorKong]

Maybe he's just in favor of solar power?

[toochie50]

He IS the One!

[jazzence]

They need to make up their minds, either he's The One or The Anti-Christ. Both options make him a powerful diety anyway, according to the Conservative Wrong .

[drifely]

I recall a series of photos of GWB with halos around his head.. Actually, there is a rich recent history of photographic manipulation linked to on this wiki: http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Photographic_manipulation

[channelerchik]

Say hallelujah if Obama scores a victory on Tuesday. But be careful not to say it too loud, because the right, abetted by the media, is already working those halos, rainbows, streaming rays and reflecting beams to suggest that Obama -- this vanity worshiper, this black Jesus -- has bumped his pay grade to the golden realm.


Guess what? We are the winners (knock wood). And we don't have to obey the rethug talking points anymore. So what if they call him a messiah? That doesn't mean I can't talk - LOUD - about the light that I see in Obama.

[tryharder2think]

Jesus himself said we are all children of God. So what's the big deal?

[Antifascist-08]

My words exactly.

[DonCosenza]

I don't think the Obama campaign is actively pursuing a "messiah" image.

Nevertheless, I disagree with Shaw a bit. There are many people who look for a strong, charismatic personality to fill the void in themselves, and being particularly religious only makes that more likely. This is the personality called "The Idol Worshipper" in Robert Greene's 'The Art of Seduction'.

Sure, if they think at a conscious level "this guy thinks he's the Second Coming" they will rebel against it, but if kept at a subconscious level, many will be susceptible to that. I mean, look at the trust and deference that Dubya gets from his religious supporters even today, and especially back in 2004, not to mention thousands of pastors espousing hatred counter to their actual religious tenets.

[merrill1]

Its a photo. Anyone can do this. Position yourself to the sun. He could have been a trout. Photog notwithstanding, Obama is the man. VOTE, no excuses.

[hadenough23]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/31/obama-on-the-trail-hallow_n_139793.html

Look at the fourth photo at this Huffington Post link? Think the light effect looks like a halo?

[MagisterLudi]

If our Obama wins, we should immediately begin the process to allow for three Presidential terms. At least . Who is with me on that. Let's see the show of hands. Hurrah!

[robbie44]

Let's see how the first one goes before we get to far ahead of ourselves.....But i know where your coming from.

[LanceJetson]

Have you seen the picture of Obama accepting the nomination in Denver with a glowing halo. It's great! While certainly we need to take the media's pictoral framing with a bit of salt as Shaw suggests, however it seems this is a common trope among photographers of politicians. Or a deliberate setup by said politicians. Many news conferences are held in the capitol rotunda ,and I've seen many pictures of politicains of every stripe taken from below so that their head is framed perfectly by the central dome and its rays.

[TRIATHLON]

OBAMA VS THE POPE!

Now, the Roman Catholic Church like any other is based upon religious belief or Dogma, and one of those beliefs is that the Pope is God’s representative on earth and is there for infallible concerning Church Doctrine. Now, the Same-Sex Marriage Community has what to them seems to be there representative sent from God to be their Crusader Champion (D-IL) US/Senator Barrack Hussein Obama.

Obama is (100%) One-Hundred Percent behind and in support of the Same-Sex Marriage Community and its Agenda, putting The United States Government and a minority of its citizens in direct conflict with one of the largest religious faiths in the world and in direct opposition to the Pope, the Church and its followers.

The Same-Sex Marriage Community with the appearance of Obama as its champion no longer seeks or wants any form of compromise with either the straight or the religious community as its see’s that it has the protection and support of there Gods representative on earth.

The two sides and forces are now locked in a struggle that will have world wide consequences, will Obama and the Same-Sex Community create a new world sexual orientation agenda in conflict with the Roman Catholic Church, and religions of others or will the “Holly Sacrament of Marriage” remain an untouched pillar of the faith.

[LanceJetson]

Let's pray Obama wins.

[Subversive]

Do you still believe the earth is flat too?

[mooses4obama]

The Roman Catholic Church is backing John McCain in this election.

They have been using heavy handed tactics, crosses planted in lawns to represent aborted babies, and telling parishioners to vote for the most "pro-life" candidate.

They got tricked by Bush in 2000, now they are falling for the bait again.

Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different outcome, isn't that the definition of insanity?

[ScienceLady]

Enough of this Obama and the Messiah thing, I'm hoping Obama is privately a secularist (like his mother). I'm really hoping that he can resist the praising and keep faith and religion out of our government.

[RumiSouth]

Obama isn't God, he's Superman. He wasn't joking about being born on Krypton. Think about it: he was born in a "foreign country" (Hawaii), his father was an "alien" (legal), he was raised in Kansas by middle class white folks, and after geeky beginnings he rose through talent and education to become the most powerful force for good on the planet.

[OrganOfThought]

LOL !! perfect response. I'll have to borrow that.

[apoyo]

He's going to harness the light to bring us out of the darkness.