Barry Blitt

The New Yorker cover for July 21, 2008 is called the “politics of fear.” It shows the Democratic presidential nominee and his wife fist bumping. Barack Obama is wearing traditional Muslim garb, and his wife Michelle has an AK-47 draped over her shoulder, with a high afro and fatigues. When you look at the right side of the cartoon, there is a picture of Osama bin Laden over the fireplace. The fireplace has an American flag burning in it. The New Yorker cover published Sunday shows Barack and Michelle Obama with a flag burning in the fireplace. The New Yorker says the caricature satirizes ... Read Full Story

The New Yorker cover for July 21, 2008 is called the “politics of fear.” It shows the Democratic presidential nominee and his wife fist bumping. Barack Obama is wearing traditional Muslim garb, and his wife Michelle has an AK-47 draped over her shoulder, with a high afro and fatigues. When you look at the right side of the cartoon, there is a picture of Osama bin Laden over the fireplace. The fireplace has an American flag burning in it. The New Yorker cover published Sunday shows Barack and Michelle Obama with a flag burning in the fireplace. The New Yorker says the caricature satirizes ... Read Full Story

The New Yorker's latest cover features Barack and Michelle Obama as terrorist types doing the fist bump in the Oval Office. A portrait of Osama bin Laden looms in the background and Old Glory feeds the flames in the hearth. The cartoon by Barry Blitt is obviously satirical. It mocks the absurd rumors and dark imaginings that the name "Obama" continues to evoke in some right wing circles. Unfortunately not everyone will get the joke. Obama detractors with a literal turn of mind won't get it at all, which no doubt will suit them just fine. Some might go so far as to use ... Read Full Story

Just because we've entered the dog days of summer doesn't mean election 2008 coverage has to get loony toons. First Jesse Jackson's gutter language spectacular and now The New Yorker cover squabbles . Pick, pick, pick. Dissected over and over, and over once more until the nausea police are called in. Enough already. We've had our news stories, our petty battles over satire, misrepresentation, tastelessness, offensiveness, thick skin, taking the heat, and getting out of the kitchen. The possibility of any meaningful analysis or material revelation has long since passed. This horse is dead. Move on. What do any of these natterings have to ... Read Full Story

While many are still grappling with this image and the furor it created, Paula Scher, a guest observer for design observer, adds another point of view. The recent New Yorker cover by illustrator Barry Blitt depicting the Obamas in the White House has caused unending furor in political circles and the media over the past week. The Obama camp has called the cover “tasteless and offensive” and the mainstream media has agreed and roundly denounced the cover. The cover’s main media proponents (outside of those directly involved) have been Bill Maher and Jon Stewart , nobly defending the art of satire. I confess that ... Read Full Story