About That New Yorker Cover…

Fight disinformation: Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily newsletter and follow the news that matters.


If you were one of those who thought the Right couldn’t possibly look at the New Yorker cover and see it as an accurate or even semi-accurate representation of the Obamas, I give you G. Gordon Liddy:

“I don’t suppose you’ve, by any chance, have seen the cover of the latest issue of the New Yorker magazine, which is, you know, a huge thing. It’s got Obama in his Muslim dress with a turban, and he’s there with his wife. His wife has a “mad at the world” afro, circa 1968, she — she’s got bandoliers and an assault weapon, and there in their fireplace is burning the American flag. The New Yorker finally got it right.”

When the cover came out, I was largely dismissive of the controversy. America needs to get a sense of humor. But I’m changing my position. G. Gordon Liddy knows the cover is satirical, knows it is hyperbole, even knows it is intended to make fun of people like him. But that isn’t going to stop him and those like him from using it as anti-Obama propaganda.

Do these people make a mockery of themselves? Of course. Do they vote? Absolutely.

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

BEFORE YOU CLICK AWAY!

Mother Jones was founded to do journalism differently. We stand for justice and democracy. We reject false equivalence. We go after stories others don’t. We’re a nonprofit newsroom, because the kind of truth-telling investigations we do doesn’t happen under corporate ownership.

And the essential ingredient that makes all this possible? Readers like you.

It’s reader support that enables Mother Jones to devote the time and resources to report the facts that are too difficult, expensive, or inconvenient for other news outlets to uncover. Please help with a donation today if you can—even a few bucks will make a real difference. A monthly gift would be incredible.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate