Sorting out the facts in Obama-Joker 'socialist' posters around L.A.

Los Angeles residents voted for Barack Obama is large numbers last November (69% compared to 29% for John McCain). So it's somewhat surprising that a controversy over a public critique of the president would start on the streets of L.A.

But that's what happened today. Details are sketchy, but there is apparently at least one street poster in L.A. showing the president as the "Joker" character with white face, red lipstick with the word "socialist" under it.

There has been a lot of commentary on the poster but little detail about where it is and who put it up.

According to KTLA News, Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson is calling the depiction politically mean-spirited and dangerous. Hutchinson is challenging the group to come forward.

American Thinker claims the posters "are spreading across" the city and has a photo of one on a freeway onramp. Says the site: "It is starting. Open mockery of Barack Obama, as disillusionment sets in with the man, his policies, and the phony image of a race-healing, brilliant, scholarly, middle-of-the-roader."

Bloggers found that first reports of the poster in L.A. surfaced in April -- so it's unclear why it became such a Web sensation today.

 In any case, now there are photos of the post in Atlanta.

-- Shelby Grad

Photo: KTLA News

Comments

[wtobias]

a few years ago in ny city a there was a art exhibit there was one item that was the cross with crap on it the mayor wanted it taken down human crap smeared on the cross but the liberals cried said it was art and it was freedom of speech and freedom of expression this is pretty much the same thing

[Tim_CA]

Pretty much the way I've always seen him.

[M. Scott]

This is a very effective poster. No wonder the left doesn't like it.

[Jerry]

I don't always agree with President Obama/ But this poster shows how intellectually and ethically bankrupt some of his most desperate opponents are. Ironically, we are living in a country ravaged by unrestrained capitalism.

[guity]

Not a big deal. Right-wing demagogues trolling for suckers (a sucker is born every minute). It's how they make their living. At night, after a hard day of hanging posters, they go back home and kick back on the couch and complain about how hard they work, about what parasites illegal immigrants are, about how much taxes they pay, and how awful it would be if fat-foods were taxed...

[JB]

What a bunch of imbeciles, wasting time and resources on such garbage. Of course, they would rather have the idiot republicans ruling the country in favor of the elite and the rich corporations. Fools!

[PFJ]

I live in LA and haven't seen any, leave it to the media to make a bigger deal of it than it is. BTW I drive from pasadena to santa monica every day so I do get around town

[The Penguin]

Horrors! Our President gets lampooned! If you are a defender of our President, you must feel angry. If you are a critic, you must be laughing. Let's put something into perspective.

To read that Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson calls the depiction 'politically mean-spirited and dangerous' makes me cringe. Especially the use of the word, 'dangerous.' Just over a year ago, we saw artwork often viciously lampooning the previous occupant of the White House. And political cartoons have attacked many Presidents both Democrat and Republican.

Truth be told, our First Amendment allows for some fairly controversial forms of expression. And nothing under the law should prevent someone from creating the illustration shown above. If the powers that be feel that this can and should be censored, we are no longer a free society, and people like Mr. Hutchinson should dwell on that.

I may object to much of what I see in print or in illustrations when it comes to politics. But I would gladly fight to the death to defend a person's right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression. If our passions for the current President are such that we feel empowered to deny someone's right to criticize, we are no longer a democratic Republic. We would no longer be free.

To Mr. Hutchinson: Why so serious?

[Roman]

That's just mean-spirited...you know where I can get one of those?

[BeeVee]

Funny, but I don't remember Earl Ofari Hutchinson protesting when annoying caricatures of Dr. Condoleeza Rice were commonly posted in numerous publications.

Lighten up and laugh a little, Earl!

[Mike]

This isn't surprising at all. This is just being coordinated by some right wing marketing group funded by the insurance industry (no doubt part of their million dollar a day lobbying budget) to try to stop heath care reform. The question is why do news outlets always seem to bite and run with this crap. The answer I suppose is they are all now all owned by multi-national conglomerates who also are trying to keep real change from happening. I hope the American public has finally woken up and doesn't by into this tripe. I guess the birth certificate canard has run it's course, so now on to the next ridiculous thing. Oy vey!

[zach]

In the Dark Knight the Joker was an anarchist. Poster FAIL.

[john]

Where can we buy a couple?

[no sanctuary]

Wouldn't an Obama take-off on Alfred E Neuman be more appropriate? His resemblance to the MAD magazine bozo is uncanny!!

[queenofromania]

A poster of POTUS Obama as the joker is yet another sophmoric attempt by the Republican't right to merge fantasy with reality. If the wingnuts did even an iota of research, they'd realize (Is the act of realization even a possibility with these dildos?) that Socialism is the least accurate description for what we as Americans are attempting to do for our country. It's called DEMOCRACY you idiots! Keep up your inane attempts at linking movie characters with the real world and lose a few more votes come 2012. Four more years!

[john]

he is a joker for sure. he keeps rewarding the worst behaviors. money for people who ran banking/financial industry to the ground now they are collecting huge bonus. for people who took out mortgage more than they could afford now he gives them easy credit low interest to refinance. for those who bought gas guzzlers years ago now get free money to get a new cars. too big egos got into shouting match, got arrested and they get to drink beer with him while he's on the job and during business hours. where will it ends? look like the worst you do the betterfor him to cater to your need. for those of us who live simply within our means and the laws will always get screwed. where is our incentive to be a do-gooder? america is becoming a socialism of the worst kind.

[Timothy]

I don't think it really matters who came up with this poster, or why. The poster speaks for itself, and it speaks volumes. Perhaps now, underground artists will begin questioning authority again, rather than flattering it (thanks a bunch, Sheppard Fairey).

[David]

It's free speech, but Batman was a C movie.

[Shelly]

What a despicable, racist country this is.

[Tom]

This is no better and no worse than the Robbie Conal mockery of the Republicans, their appointees, and conservatives.

Weren't those equally politically mean-spirited and dangerous Earl Ofari Hutchison? Come on, I DARE YOU to be consistent here.

[Hilary]

Great pic. But I think it should read "capitalism" instead of "socialism". Ah, the art of fear.

[Kemet Coleman]

Republicans strike again. Weak.

[Taggart]

Maybe Batman will save us from Obama's socialist health-care disaster.

[GeeCee]

Republican hate baiting. They can't continue with the birth certificate bs so this is a new trick? Who else spreads fear? Who else likes to put fear in the old folks by using baiting terms like socialist?

Why isn't there any locations given of all these "sightings" of this garbage? Why does it "take off" in a single day? Viral hate bait. Makes me have even less respect for the party. Conservatives need to speak up and over power this tiny brained huge voice that is permanently tarnishing the image of conservatism.

[nirad]

this is conservative astroturfing. nothing more. but you have to give the corporate oligarchs credit for being more underhanded than ever- they are mimicking the kind of grassroots efforts that got Obama elected.