Could this "controversy" help Obama?

[cbc5g]

Now, when I first saw it (the cartoon) I got what it was saying but I figured it would harm Obama because it brings to light all those horrible things said about him in whisper e-mail campaigns and brings those sad and despicable rumors into an image that low information voters would glance at and say "ah hah I knew it!".

But the more I think about it, it could actually help him. Here's why. Tomorrow when they bring this up on the MSM they are LIKELY going to tell the viewer that it's a joke and the artist said it was a joke and the article is actually about how the RW smear machine has gone after Obama. The coverage of it will bring out into the open those silly rumors and possibly put them to rest in the most humorous way possible. Instead of shady rumors that continue to happen and go unchallenged, people will see it as a joke and just the same ol' same ol' from the right wing.


Am I wrong here?

[mrreowwr_kittty]

1. Sadly, the MSM will not get the irony.

The cartoon is a send-up of every smear they've been pushing about him but they'll act all appalled and offended by it. And FOX News will say "See! Even the New Yorker thinks he's a terrorist with a militant black supremacist wife!"

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

2. It could have helped, but the campaign already mishandled it (but can fix it)

Saying it was "tasteless and offensive" was right out of the John Kerry playbook.

The right answer was, "We all got a good laugh."

Perhaps Obama himself will say that tomorrow. (Candidate sound-bytes trump campaign spokesperson releases)

Since it is about the FOX mentality, why turn it on yourself? (Saying it is offensive suggests it is about Obama, not about his RW critics.)

[scarletwoman]

5. But where in the cartoon is FOX depicted? Where in the image is it indicated that this is a slam

on the right wing? Do YOU see anything in the picture that indicates that?

I'm talking about the picture itself, not the invisible presumed intent behind the picture. Because ALL that people are going to see is the picture itself -- no context, no in-group liberal elite assumption of intent -- just the picture as it is.

Do you honestly think that's okay?

sw

[AZBlue]

6. See, now you're arguing with Ignored.

We're trading off this evening!
:D

[Kurt_and_Hunter]

9. If I ever start thinking of drawings in terms of what's "okay" I will cut my throat.

[nsd]

8. A good laugh?

There's nothing humorous about the cartoon. The cartoonist himself wasn't trying to be funny; he was trying to be satirical, which is different. (And, in my opinion, he failed.) If the Obama campaign had taken your advice, they'd just look stupid.

[TwilightGardener]

3. The fact that Freepers are overjoyed about it tells me, no.

[cliffordu]

4. Yep.

[Sugarcoated]

10. Keep in mind

they're desperate.

[Sugarcoated]

7. That's a good point and I think you may be right

And as far as Obama's spokesperson showing some outrage, I think it might be viewed by undecided conservatives (the non woodchuck types) as a correct response in a way. Like when Chelsea Clinton told that reporter who asked her about the Lewensky thing was none of his business. Kind of comparable to when the Cheney's push back when asked about their daughter being gay. Or when Obama defended Michele. They may pull the outrage back a bit, but this could be good if Obama plays it right. Just my humble.

[Neshanic]

11. Uh, no.

[HardWorkingDem]

12. Yes, it can, but get ready for the hyper sensitive....

who are turning this into something it's not.

Whether people think it is an issue or not, this topic (the stereotypes of the Obama's) must be addressed sooner or later. Hopefully this controversy will cause the Obama campaign to craft some sort of message that will erode these idiotic beliefs. You know, like a great introduction video at the Dem convention that introduces him to the rest of America that start tuning in to the presidential election later in the year.