Rich on the Road

Man, this is shaping up to be a weird campaign.  The New Yorker magazine just upped the ante with a cover cartoon depicting Barack Obama in a turban and his wife Michele with a weapon.  The magazine's explanation is, apparently, that it is making fun of right-wing caricatures of the Democratic candidate.

Look close and you see Bin Laden on the wall and the flag in the fireplace.

But, nobody seems to be getting the joke.  Obama has declined to comment on it, personally.  Both campaigns, however, Obama's and McCain's have had the same general reaction when questioned by Politico.com.

Obama campaign spokesman Bill Burton says: “The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, 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."

McCain spokesman Tucker "Outward" Bounds quickly e-mailed: "We completely agree with the Obama campaign, it’s tasteless and offensive.”

"Tasteless and offensive" goes two for two.

Hardcore Obama haters will, I'm guessing, love it.

Rich