In satirical payback, Obama camp denies New Yorker writer plane seat

There's probably no connection whatsoever.

But the New Yorker writer Ryan Lizza, whose long, long article on Barack Obama's early political days in Chicago's ward politics (available here) was the reason for the magazine's controversial cover by Barry Blitt depicting Obama as a Muslim, has been barred from traveling with Obama on his foreign field trip this week.

The elitist magazine claimed the cover's depiction was satirical of a Muslim Obama fist-bumping with a militant wife Michelle armed with an AK-47 beneath a portrait of Osama bin Laden while they burn a U.S. flag -- in the Oval Office.

Initially, the Obama campaign and John McCain's spokesman denounced the cover.

Later, a cooler Obama dismissed it as a weak attempt at satire amid much more important things to discuss.

More than 200 media folks applied to fly in Europe with the freshman senator. But, alas, the Obama campaign said it simply was not able to find a seat for Lizza. (Overdue hat tip to Mike Allen at Politico.com)

Now, that's Chicago politics.

-- Andrew Malcolm

Comments

[VJ Machiavelli]

I guess they did not think he was worthy to fly in the new Obama airplane "APPEASEMENT ONE"

[joe]

If mccain did this there would be TEN THOUSAND screaming lib wackjobs and editors demanding his head.

Look hard people, this is what you will get with the leftist obama administration:

MANIPULATION OF THE MEDIA.

[Sage]

So 200 journalists apply for 50 spots on a campaign plane, and because Lizza didn't win the lottery it is payback over the New Yorker cover? I doubt it. Lizza is well respected by the Obama campaign, and his article in the New Yorker actually had nothing to do with the cover of the magazine. The article was appreciated by those who like Obama's tenacity as a politician.

This is just a coincidence, and to claim there is a connection here is poor journalism. Unless you get an Obama staffer to say that Lizza was barred because of the New Yorker cover, there is no story here. Unlike Bush and McCain, we've seen no evidence that the Obama campaign punishes reporters who don't play along.

[IMHO]

payback is female dog. anyway, you know what's the most troubling thing about that magazine cover? it's that it is a terrible drawing. i mean on technical grounds. the horrible perspective, the over-sized heads and feet. it's just a weak drawing.

[Willythekorn]

Joe, your comment is most amusing, since it was a right-wing wackjob (and wackjob he was) that not only made media manipulation into a fine art but managed to delude the so-called liberal media into thinking he was a Saint -- Ronald Reagan.

[Alexies]

I LOVE BLACK like SEC Condy Rice, Martin Luther and other famous patriotic black American. I admire the eloquence of BARAK, his intelligence etc

Please clarify some of my doubts about BARAK OBAMA:

1. His name implies his origin, the clear example of what the famous writer Clive Cussler written in his book about the highly trained SAS who turn his back to the US , a defector, a guy who claimed to be Christian but secretly studied his parent religion that made him turn his back to the cause he is sworn to uphold.

2. Why Barak easily and suddenly turn his back to the church who shaped him for a several decades. Is it easy to sarifice his own religious belief for politics? America is blessed by God! Christianity is not his priority that's why he commented in one of the primary speeches, if not mistaken, in pensylvania that religion and guns made them miserable.

3. Why ME people support Barack Obama very much and willing to seat with one of those belligerent president aspiring to annihilate Israel?

4. Why this President he wanted to be a seat mates predicting the doom of Israel? is it because he is one of their kind ? And will become American President who will support them in their goal?

5. His eloquence is unquestionable. The devil who sought destruction of the world is very eloquent and can find an answer to everything that would deceived people. Is he the one in disguised... since the 3rd sercet of FATIMA has been revealed that destruction of the world is coming ... how america will rescue the world of the branded infidels. 50 percent of the population are destined to die due to nuclear holocaust... what is the stand of OBAma. on this?

6. Why Obama refused oil digging when so many country less powerful and intelligent than america can do it successfully. If america will pump oil directly from their reserve people will not suffer. Why ? is he protecting the interest of his backer or political finacer in the ME?

7. Where all those abundant finances of Obama coming from? why he refused goverment financing in his campaign? Is there something hidden on his political donors? Sept 11 reminds us that american is not a security proof country. American has been infiltrated a long time ago; sept 11 happened as a result of a long term and carefull planning by those who wishes her destruction is very much obvious.

VOTE WISELY AMERICAN... DISCERN WISELY... is it OBAMA OR MACAIN? CHOOSE WISELY!

[complex_brotha]

Joe,

Like many others, you've been drinking the McCain koolaid way too long. " MANIPULATION OF THE MEDIA." ? Really? Kinda like the way McCain manipulates, not only the media, but the general pubic as well? Case and point, McCain wrote, “This is the same organization that I voted to condemn as a terrorist organization when an amendment was on the floor of the United States Senate. Senator Obama refused to vote.”

The problem with the critique? McCain also missed that vote on the Kyl-Lieberman amendment on September 26, 2007. Records show that Obama was in New Hampshire and McCain was in New York instead of being in the Senate chamber for the vote in question.

The McCain campaign admits the error but points to their candidate’s tough stance against the country President Bush once grouped into the “axis of evil.”

LMAO I'm sorry Joe, but for you to attempt to defend McCain and his Hypocritical campaign, you'll have to do a better job at "fact finding" before posting here.

[Rick B]

The Bush administration has proven that if you whip the dogs of the Press they get in line, whimper, and lick your feet.

Why should a Democrat suffer the idiocies of the weak-minded curs? There's probably not more than 10 good print journalists in the U.S, and half are working for newspapers that are continually cutting back on editorial room staff. Besides, there's Britiney Spears and Chandra Levy to report on. Why do they need free plane rides to the sticks of Afghanistan?

Other than maybe Lara Logan, there's not one good high profile and honest TV journalist willing to do the hard work of real reporting.Overpaid and too much ego. It's just show business, not journalism. The last competent journalist-anchor was Dan Rather, and CBS news showed what happens when he tried to do real journalism.

The New Yorker? An elitist vanity rag at best, living in current ignorance and incompetence on its past glories. The Obama cartoon on the cover was the equivalent of a failing newspaper turning tabloid and printing its headlines in big red print , then outlining them with a border that says sex-sex-sex because we all know that sex sells copies. Anything for attention, no quality.

But you incompetents in a dying industry get your noses out of joint when someone treats you like you deserve. Obama's plane should cut back the number of "journalists" that could fit into a Dehavilland Twin Otter (12 or 14, I think) catered by McDonald's and make them pay for it themselves.

You'd still whine, but there's be something real to whine about.

Which is not to say that a "reporter" from the New Yorker actually was being punished for the editorial failure of that publication, but they certainly should have been.

[Robert Dale]

Andrew Malcolm,

A journalist might know this. Lizza writes long pieces and takes a while to get them into print. On this trip obviously Obama wants immediate coverage.

Perhaps there is a "Reporting for Dummies" book you could buy.

[dug]

Are you people a bunch of right-wing nuts or what? Get a brain transplant today

[Nathan]

Ryan Lizza barred from O'bama's flight to the middle east? Surprise? Bill O'Reilly had a confrontation with Obama's Trip Manager Marvin Nicholson. I saw the video and clearly Nicholson was blocking O'Reilly and his camera's view of Obama. Nicolson is a liar regarding his account of what happened. Obama's weasel's and liar's work together to make the the Senator look like a shining star! In the video mentioned, Obama told O'Reilly that after the Primary's, he'll come on O'Reilly's show. That has not yet happened. Obama goes on Larry King (softball player), has ABC (Charlie Gibson), NBC (Brian Williams) and CBS (Katie Couric) travel with him to the middle east and Europe. McCain was in Iraq a few months ago. Can you say "Media Bias?"

[Anon 1:50]

car·i·ca·ture \ˈker-i-kə-ˌchu̇r,

1 : exaggeration by means of often ludicrous distortion of parts or characteristics
2 : a representation especially in literature or art that has the qualities of caricature
3 : a distortion so gross as to seem like caricature

[wilson]

if you do the crime, best be ready to do the time. Lizza can watch CNN for updates if he wants

[mmf]

This story must be satire or something....

The LAT actually uses ink to report that when 200 reporters applied for 50 seats, the Obama campaign rejected 150 of them???

Well, maybe this is just the beginning, and 149 more hard-hitting stories are lined up about the rest of the poor journalists who didn't make the cut.

[dorsey]

blah blah blah Oblahma blah blah

A politician is a politican, left or right.

[Syd Bloom]

Why is this a surprise? Stalinists like the Obamanation and his little minions are usually petty little despots with short tempers and self righteous self absorbed view of the world. Look at Bubba the Rapist and Chavez, Pol Pot, Ahmadinejad, Mussolini. The Obamanation is just fitting the mold he was formed in.

[Tom]

Obama "dismissed" it after several reminded us just Who gets soooo upset about cartoons....

Remember Denmark!

[Nick in Virginia]

As I understand it, all 3 of the top broadcast networks sent their anchors to travel with Obama. They have been travelling for 3 or 4 days now, and NONE of the press corps has been able to interview HRH Obama with the exception of someone named Laura Logan (whoever she is). Not Couric, Gibson, or Williams.

Now THAT sounds like a good use of your top talent, doesn't it? And some of you Dem weenies are trying to say there is no manipulation of the press? Well, you know, you may be right, it is more like COLLUSION WITH the press.

Now, Nancy, think real hard: do the Dems REALLY want the Fairness Doctrine to apply, when they are in full partnership with the MSM, as this Obama trip proves?

[Joe]

Good. It was well deserved.

[fblaze]

Alexies wrote

". His eloquence is unquestionable. The devil who sought destruction of the world is very eloquent and can find an answer to everything that would deceived people. Is he the one in disguised... since the 3rd sercet of FATIMA has been revealed that destruction of the world is coming ... how america will rescue the world of the branded infidels. 50 percent of the population are destined to die due to nuclear holocaust... what is the stand of OBAma. on this?"
It amazes me how a person of such an obvious ability to read and write could lack such judgment and insight. at least this person does not seek to help the prophecies come to fruition like those Christians who support Isreal just to help bring about Armegeddon.
My answer to alexis is that Obama is not Satan. And he is not the Messiah. He is just a person with a lot of ability. Hopefully we can avoid the 50 % casualty rate on the nuclear holocaust. When the Bible was written, nuclear weapons did not exist and or not mentioned therein.
We are all mortal. Life has a 100 % casualty rate. Let us lead our lives without prejudice or hatred. Those of us with faith in God's mercy hope for a life hereafter.

[Louis]

obama is like every other liberal: no sense of humor about himself (or much else). people laugh at his jibes bc they are in love with this empty suit.

[Illinois ashamed of Obama]

My Senator has done nothing for Illinois and he will do nothing for America. He is not worth your VOTE.

[joey64]

this is just another mute issue, report the real news not the fluff, less drama,more real news!
J.Simmons

[quazimoto]

To dug who posted:
Are you people a bunch of right-wing nuts or what? Get a brain transplant today
---------------------------
No dug, if you read you might just learn some facts about why people feel the way they do about the candidates. Par
usual it looks like you have brought about as much input to the topic as your intelligence allows.

[Marlene]

Is satire completely dead in America? Like the bank closures, I never thought I'd see this within my lifetime. This uproar will keep the media self-censoring so they don't lose access to these politicians. And we, the American people, keep complaining that the media watchdogs were asleep at the door and complicit in this administration's immoral actions when it comes to the war in Iraq, Hurricane Katrina, the Enron Fiasco, the home mortgage crises, biofuels, etc. When are we going to mature and realize that such knee-jerk reactions are not in our best interest? Caricature is SUPPOSED to be biting, thoughtful, satire. It's SUPPOSED to get the wheels in your heads turning while the controversy helps to sell newspapers/magazines. Political artists in Europe have used this medium for centuries, and it has been a tradition in our country since its beginning. This example with Ryan Lizza proves that unless the magazine or newspaper toes the line, they will be denied access. Censorship, if you will. Let's find some LEGITIMATE problems for which to be outraged. God knows we have enough of them.