The point of satire is to expose this reality. It's like those people who agreed to be interviewed by Borat. They were real too. The whole point is that if these things go unsaid, then they fester and people come to believe them without saying it, and they come to vote on them without saying it. for example, back in 2004, there was this rumor going around that if people voted for Kerry he would burn bibles. It was silly, but this is the craziness that people need to make up to justify their actions. To get at that craziness and put in the light of day may not end the craziness, but it will make it harder to fester and become unexamined. You won't win over everyone by bringing the light on it, but you increase the chance of winning some of them over, but making them realize how far they are over the cliff

I think *we* get the point, crazylove- it's the dbag, soothsayer cons that do not and who're no doubt drooling in their pants over this stupidity.

After the little chain email brouhaha last week, in which some conservative Arizona columnist's '07 fictional musings about Obama saying things like "if 'I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing' were the national anthem, I could really support that" were widely circulated and accepted as Actual Obama Opinions, my faith in the general idiocracy of America took something of a hit. My parents, who are elderly republicans, called me with that bit of wisdom, horrified that the dems were nominating a total drooling fool.

Now with this, I can just hear America singing: "You know that Obama was on the cover of a magazine burning a flag?" "Did you hear that Obama's wife has a machine gun?" etc.

Sigh.

"The point of satire is to expose this reality."-Ditto!

Not every single American citizen has drunk the Obama Koolaid as of yet. So stop pretending that somehow you're above the rest of the populace just because others are becoming more aware of his true nature.

I look forward to the McCain cover, deserting his G*D DAMN disabled and disfigured first wife and kids, to have a midlife crisis with a beer heiress.
Come on New Yorker…man up!

Churchill

Here's the deal- giving you the definition of satire as I see it isn't acting 'above' you unless you consider opening giving my opinion. You can feel free to disagree, but don't go with the bullshit argument of whining that I am acting above you to say that satire is supposed to do this. This is a little like the silly arguments I saw over at Gawker that somehow complaining about the satire is tantamount to censorship. Both arguments are bullshit statements designed to cut down dissent. If you have an argument, make it. But don't whine about being treated as an inferior when all you had to do was to respond with your own argument. The inferiority complex is your deal, not my mine.

Darth whether they get the point isn't the point. Not everyone will get the point of humor. So fucking what. Alot of people don't get the humor by Things White People Like or Borat or Richard Pryor or Dave Chappel or any number of other humorous works. If we are going to wait around for everyone to get it, we are going to be waiting a very long time. The point is to examine the traits and behaviors- maybe laugh, and maybe in the the case of satire start a discussion. The offense here to me seems to be that it makes people feel uncomfortable because its getting a little too close to the reality that there are people out there who think this way. Do you think they weren't going to think this way as long as we dont point out this sort of thinking exists? The light of day is the best thing that can happen to these sorts of thought processes.

The problem I have with the piece is that it can be taken two ways.

1 – A satire of the way the Obamas really are. While he claims to be a christian and a patriot, we see here his true nature. While she claims to be normal mother and patriot, we see here her true nature as a radical.

2 – A satire of the image the Right has painted of the Obamas. Conservative blogs are abuzz with people thinking he is some Muslim "Manchurian Candidate" and are waiting anxiously for the video of her calling out "whitey."

I think images are powerful and while I get that they were trying to poke fun at the whole thing, I think this particular cartoon will do more to reinforce the thinking of conservatives than open up the discussion with humor.

Foof- that's fair. That it fails on its own terms to do what its goal is rather than saying its offensive on its face.

The New Yorker is way behind on this. Some of the commenters on this board are, in fact, living examples of this kind of satire.

Love the cover. Best thing from New Yorker in eons. Very accurately reflects my feelings and those of many others…

New Yorker

On the McCain cover be sure to have Cindy strung out on pain killers….that'll give everyone a big belly laugh

The irony of RPCV post is that they are making fun of people like RPCV. I am glad you loved it, and it reflects your feelings. Much in the same way that I was glad that the racists and sexists participants in the Borat movie later sued the makers of Borat because they didn't realize they were the butt of the joke. So, here's a LOL at your expense.

CrazyLove: Please, laugh all you want. In my opinion, Hussein is the worst thing that could happen to this country. And, if, God forbid, he gets elected, you'll find out why…….

It's awesome how I posted that several of the regular commenters here are living examples of the New Yorker's satire and then – voila! – poetry in motion. Satire… you're soaking in it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bEkq7JCbik

RyanInSacto: You're correct. The New Yorker attempted satire. However, it portratyed the truth; it was not sarcasm. You might want to check the difference between satire and truth. Do you know how to conduct research??

The satire continues! How post-modern.

"And, if, God forbid, he gets elected, you’ll find out why……."

Wash your mouth with soap RPCV. Don't even joke about something like that. It's amazing all the fanatical rabid distortions with which the Obamatons attack those who have found in this cover for once a truthful depiction of the Obama's. Indeed all of those who participate in such attacks would love nothing more than to censor any information that goes astray from the false image that they want people to have about Obama. Though not a fanatic supporter of McCain I welcome any caricature of him or of Senator Clinton or any public figure because as of yet we still have the concept of free speech and sharing of ideas prevalent in this country. You Obamatons can work on dismantling that principle if RPCV's nightmare scenario comes into fruition. In the end no amount of "satire" or caricature depiction of any other candidate including McCain would be more revealing of a hidden truth(or at least one they have been trying to hide) that could be more detrimental to the US and the Constitution for which it stands. That flag thrown on the the fire symbolises amongst many other things all the flip-flopping and disregard for American principles he's been showing presently.

CHANGE #1: Barack Obama Is Against The California Ballot Measure Banning Gay Marriage Despite His Assertion That Marriage Is Between A Man And A Woman.

Despite his so called support for GLBT rights he's on record for also saying that a second class citizen status such as a civil partnership a la Vermont is his preferred resolution for the issue and goes beyond and says that the issue should be left up to individual States to decide upon.

CHANGE #2: Despite Pledging To Withdraw American Troops From Iraq Immediately, Barack Obama Now Says He Would "Refine" His Policy After Listening To The Commanders On The Ground

CHANGE #3: Despite Pledging To Accept Public Financing, Barack Obama Has Reversed His Position And Opted Out Of The System

CHANGE #4: Barack Obama Is Backtracking On His Support For Unilaterally Renegotiating NAFTA

CHANGE #5: Barack Obama Is Considering Reducing Corporate Taxes Despite Having Called Corporate Tax Cuts "The Exact Wrong Prescription For America"

CHANGE #6: Barack Obama Has Changed Positions On Handgun Ban

CHANGE #7: As A Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama Criticizes The Administration's Energy Policy Despite Having Voted For The 2005 Bush-Cheney Energy Bill

CHANGE #8: Barack Obama Has Shifted From Opposing Welfare Reform To Celebrating Welfare Reform

CHANGE #9: Barack Obama Has Shifted Positions On Nuclear Power

CHANGE #10: During The Primaries, Barack Obama Pledged To Filibuster Any Bill Which Contained Immunity For Telecommunications Companies Involved In Electronic Surveillance, But Now he has voted in favor of FISA while Senator Clinton voted against it.

CHANGE #11: Barack Obama Disagreed With The Supreme Court Decision Striking Down The Use Of The Death Penalty For A Convicted Child Rapist Although In The Past He Opposed The Death Penalty

CHANGE #12: Barack Obama Has Backtracked From His Earlier Commitment To Meet With The Leaders Of State Sponsors Of Terror "Without Precondition"

CHANGE #13: After Saying Jerusalem Should Be "Undivided," Barack Obama Has Since Backtracked

CHANGE #14: As A Presidential Candidate, Barack Obama Has Backed Away From His Earlier Support For Normalized Relations With Cuba And Ending The Embargo

CHANGE #16: Barack Obama Says That "Mental Distress" Should Not Be Reason For A Late Term Abortion Which Contradicts His Past Pro-Choice Views

CHANGE #7: Barack Obama has come out in full support and expressed his desire to expand on Bush's faith based initiative programs although he has said previously that he values this Nations principle of the separation of church and state.
Which is exactly the principle that such programs violate.

If anything that cover should be taken as a warning of the terrible fate that awaits this Nation if that man ever becomes the commander in chief.

I m going to keep laughing at you, and, after November, I am not only going to be laughing at you, I m going to do it in a "whoah RPCV is kind of pathetic and so sad, so, so sad" way. Hmm, no, wait. Actually. I think that way now. But, on the bright side, if you and church didn't exist, this thread wouldn't be half as entertaining. You are like those characters from Rick and Steve — the ones who belong to the KK-gay. Now, if only we had a butch lesbian to clock you on the head with a yard gnome. Now, that would be classic.

I once had a professor who warned my class that parody and satire should be used sparingly in mass media. His contention was that many "average" people are unable to discern between reality and satire.

He was right.

You.Know: You're right! So, as an apparently educated person, why are you spending your time blogging with lame brains??

Because people get bored, and folks like you are fun to fuck with RPCV. I am hereing working on my writing for example, and to take a break, I come see what other crazy shit you say. It's a nice break. Thanks.

emb: hate to tell you this, but your parents are idiots.

That is, if they really believed that.

The only reason that this Mr. & Mrs. Obama satire DOES have impact — and may very likely spread — is because like all good satire, or good humor for that matter, there’s more than a germ of truth in it. Otherwise, the satire would utterly roll off the Obamoids’ backs, having no impact.

I think this discussion is really interesting.

WHATEVER,

This country will be just fine if he wins! It can't no worse than what McBush has done. Crunkshell-Y And if he does win maybe it will encourage you to get a decent education and move from BLUE to WHITE collar that is.

Instead spending so much time on Queerty spreading HATE SPEECH. Stop being bitter and pull yourself up because HATE is only keeping you where you are and that is DOWN!

"I once had a professor who warned my class that parody and satire should be used sparingly in mass media. His contention was that many “average” people are unable to discern between reality and satire.
He was right."

It's a good thing George Orwell or Jonathan Swift didn't have this professor.

the BEST retaliation for New Yorker cover

Have Michelle dressed to the nines appear on the VIEW or OPRAH, and fan herslf with the New Yorker magazine, and say, "Have I told you lately how REALLY PROUD of America I am."

One silver lining to the New Yorker cover, and I really had to dig deep for this:

nothing….ABSOLUTELY NOTHING is off limits with McCain to ridicule, in a comedy routine or cartoon.
we just point to the New Yorker cover, and say, TAKE IT LIKE A MAN!"

BOTH Obama's did.

Mark: I can tell your black. Your grammar, punctuation, and writing are reflective of inner-city worthless schools………

Um, RPCV, shouldn't that be "you're black?"

I'm about as lily white as they come…. scot, norwegian and icelandic mix.

I shudder to think what shallow end of the gene pool produced RPCV
Did Fred Phelps ever f*ck Bay Buchanan?

I've had some Black in me…but I digress

Mark,

RPCV is just bitter. Pay her no mind. TRUST she has other things to worry about.