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

[Kevin Davis]

It looks like that Barak Obama will be a big defender of Free Speech...

[Superpower]

"amid much more important things to discuss." -Obama

Yes, let's discuss more important things like all your votes in the Senate when you voted "present" on many issues, never taking a side as not to be labeled one way or another. Why bother being a Senator? You're a common flimflam artist.

[Reginald Thornton]

Bush whispers to Cheney that a NYT reporter is an SOB and the hem and haw goes on for weeks. BO doesn't bother trying to rise above a hint of impropreity and also doesn't give interviews, but there's no double standard? I don't need you to define BO for me, when all you do is define yourself.

[David K]

"The elitist magazine..."
Is Malcolm on the Fox News payroll by chance?

[JILL]

Americans are sleeping through the biggest fraud ever perpetuated on their tiny brains. Obama was born in Africa and therefor cannot be a president. Hawaii refuses to show his birth certificate, as does the Obama campaign; this after Obama previously released a fraudulent birth certificate. Educate yourselves.

[Joe]

Hi - Joe here again. Just finished waxing the McCain statue in my front lawn. NWO FTW! W00T!!!

[Greg]

That's Chicago politics? Nope, that ain't beanbag compared to Chicago.

[Carson Stidom]

Republicans, hypocritical as usual, seem a lot more understanding of the New Yorker's supposed " satire " of Obama than they were of the
satirical cartoon showing Joe lieberman kneeling in front of 23% Bush unzipping his zipper....now THAT was funny!

[dave]

how does this compare to major print and broadcast media simply not finding room to report about the one legit candidate for PRESIDENT, RON PAUL, his vital message and movement to restore the republic to its constitutional foundations? or if they, rarely, do - to censor and distort, to obfuscate and slander?

[Jess]

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

McCain has been doing this for a while. You have to "Earn" a seat on his Terrorist Express.

[arhooley]

So, the Great Unifier plays politics as usual.

[M.E.]

Petty. It's only going to get worse for Obama. The New Yorker actually likes him.

[John]

I guess the vindictiveness we have witnessed in the Bush Administration is going to be part of an Obama Administration as well. How sad for this country.

[karen raleigh,nc]

Satire? Garbage and a desire to sell magazines is what prompted that cover and a hatred of all that is good in this world--how can you satirize an intelligent couple in a loving family who will be president??? you had better go back to school and see what satire is--how would you satirize mccain???????

[Kathy the Elitist]

Elitist magazine? Did you really need that descriptor? I thought New Yorker was for smart people. I guess if you read it you're not smart or well-informed... you're just elitist. And I guess that means Mr. Malcolm doesn't read it because god forbid he come off as smart and well-informed...

[Bobby McNash]

Way to spread misinformation! 150 reporters are "denied" seats on the plane and you pick the one who makes a sensationalist headline.

Well, you got picked up by Drudge. How proud you must be! What a great journalist you are.

[James]

Dear Andrew Malcolm-

-Even if this is just a blog for the LA times. You are still acting as a journalist. This is a news story, not opinion. Although the case could be made for the New Yorker being an elistist magazine, it is unprofessional for you to call it such in a NEWS STORY. Do you know the difference between fact and opinion?

Also, saying "200 news folks", makes you sound dumb. Maybe that's the problem, you're not a journalst but a "news folk". You should check into that.

[Brandon]

Nathan- you are forgetting that O'reilly is not a journalist he is a preaching adulterer who considers children who have been raped and tortured weak for not trying to escape.

[Bryn]

Just in case people missed it, let me repeat the first line of the article: "There's probably no connection whatsoever." So quit claiming that Obama is "manipulating the media."

And satire has died in America because, sadly, too many Americans just are not smart enough to understand it. I live in Middle-of-Nowhere, TN, and as soon as the image of that New Yorker cover made the news, despite the news story explain it, a vast majority of the locals started leveling claims such as "Those fancy-pants liberals now Obama's a secret Muslim just waiting to hand America over to the Arabs." (Obviously I corrected for pronunciation and grammar.) So, even though the cover was satirical, Obama has a decent right to be upset by it.

[Patriot]

Of course! They can't afford and unbiased review, but who's to say that the New Yorker would be unbiased anyway,,,,,,,,,,,, total paranoia.

[Bill]

Alexies-

Despite your inability to put together a coherent paragraph (or sentence), I would be pleased to clarify some of your doubts about BARAK OBAMA:

---> First of all, it's Barack Obama. You should spell it right. Include the "Hussein" if you'd like. It's a commoon tactic used by the less intelligent to make it sound like he's...he's...well, something, I suppose.

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.

---> Clive Cussler writes fiction. I'm not sure that should really be the basis for whatever question you might have. I'll leave this one alone and let you start over.

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.

---> Because his church "easily and suddenly" attacked him in a sense by going well over any previous line it had gone, and at a time when Obama was clearly counting on their support and their backing. Why they did this is not clear (to me). However, I am not aware of Obama sacrificing a single religous belief. He's a Christian, has been a Christian and will remain a Christian (I presume). Same as you, it sounds like.

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

---> Not even close to a sentence I can understand, but I think you're asking about why Obama would talk to Iran. The answer is simple and the results can be seen in the recent results the Bush Administration (whom I presume you support) have had by talking to the North Koreans. Perhaps you saw the footage of them blowing up their nuclear reactor? That's why we talk. And, as an aside, the president of Iran holds no power in his country. He's just the one we read about because he's loud and, as you point out, belligerent.

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?

---> Sorry, don't understand. At all.

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?

---> You may want to adjust your tinfoil cap. But, I'm pretty sure that Obama's stand on the death of 50% of our population in a nuclear holocaust would be that he's against it. I'm quite certain that John McCain would agree on this point. So if you're a one-issue person, it probably doesn't matter who you vote for.

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?

---> What is this "ME" that you keep talking about. At first I thought it was YOU, but now I'm not so sure. Anyway, there's several reasons not to do most of the drilling: 1. Offshore drilling today would not help us for 5-10 years, 2. Offshore drilling has been discussed, negotiated, voted on, etc. by interested parties for 20-30 years with the result being, in our democratic society, that it was not desired. That's democracy, and the free market, at work.

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.

--->The money is coming from people like you and me, as well as the very, very wealthy who support his candidacy.

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

---> Good advice!!!!

Posted by: Alexies | July 21, 2008 at 03:42 AM

[X]

For all of those right-wing knuckledragging losers out there who that think re-labeling Airforce One is funny, do you now refer to it is "Kissing Saudi Ass One" when Bush goes to the Middle East to beg for oil? By the way, he's been real successful at that endeavor too (not).

So, SYFPH you right-wing America hating morons. All of you.

[annie]

I'm a democrat and will vote for Obama BUT he does't have much of a sense of humor and that's too bad. If he get's to be president that cartoon would be the LEAST of what would come at him. I personally am a bit uneasy with this attitude of his, it's a bit too KINGLY for me, and I put a lot more faith in our little freedom of the press we have left than in Obama's hurt feelings. His attempt to surpress the press makes me nervous. Get some thick skin!!!! Hilllary knew how to deal with it!!!!!

[Nota Bama man]

I seem to remember another group of people who get all upset when cartoons of their leader are published. At least the Nobama camp didn't call for beheadings at the New Yorker!

[Al Cabal]

Obama can generate his own huge carbon footprint all by himself. Thank You.