The New Yorker Botches Obama

People have been anticipating that Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is going to be too hot to handle on account of the explosive sensitivity of the race issue. The trip wire for setting it off even quite unintentionally will be impossible to avoid.

But then there is this New Yorker magazine cover. Perhaps they assumed that their solidly liberal credentials would help enlightened readers understand that it is not the Obamas they are ridiculing but the Obamas' right-wing detractors who peddle these slanderous fictions. But the BBC reports Obama spokesman Bill Burton saying, "The New Yorker may think... that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama's right-wing critics have tried to create, but most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree." You can see this particular issue of The New Yorker here.

No less a liberal icon as Jesse Jackson has also had to apologize to Sen. Obama. CBS reports, "Noting Obama's speeches in African-American churches, which have placed a heavy emphasis on the responsibilities of African-Americans rather than noting the pressures created by high levels of unemployment, home foreclosures and violence, Jackson offered a private gripe to United Health Group executive Dr. Reed V. Tuckson. Unaware that the Fox microphone was on, he said, 'See, Barack's been talking down to black people ... I want to cut his nuts off.'"

It's going to be an interesting ride.

The Bookworm Room has noticed that Obama whines every time anyone attacks him. I had the same impression, but the Jesse incident was the only one I could remember off hand.

The latter directs us to Michelle Malkin's documentation of the far more extreme lashing of distasteful "humor" directed at Condi Rice, Colin Powell (they are particularly unmerciful toward Republicans who are black) and, of course, President Bush.