Readers of this blog will guess that we are not supporters of Barack Obama. We are certainly a Republican-minded bunch, conservative in our view of politics. But we have tried to be fair. I for one would never argue that the Republican campaign for President has been scrupulously honest. I would point out, and I have pointed out, that Obama has not met that standard either. But I don't believe we have ever failed to respect Obama, or any other voice on the other side. Regardless of my differences with Obama and his supporters, he is already a part of the history of the American Republic, and he well deserves some measure of respect for the role he has played.
No doubt there are critics of Obama who have abused his person, and it is the job of the left wing blogosphere to point that out. But I think this abuse of McCain is worth mentioning. The Atlantic Magazine, to which I have subscribed for many years, is running a piece on McCain. The American Digest brings us the story about Jill Greenberg, whom the Atlantic hired to do the photography. Here is the Atlantic cover with Greenberg's photo.
Now that, frankly, is not bad. It gives us all the lines in McCain's face, but I think it leaves him looking rather stately. Of course, the words "porn" and "adultery" in the upper left hand corner suggest an absence of decorum on the part of the Atlantic editors. I would not go so far as to suggest that this is some kind of subliminal message on their part, but if a long established magazine is going to take part in an American election, maybe selling the issue with sex is not quite up to the task. Still, it's not bad.
But Greenberg apparently had a lot of fun with her images, altering some of them and posting them on the web. You can go to the American Digest for the set, but here is my favorite:
Now as a political cartoon, the worst you can say for this is that it is utterly puerile. A fourteen year old boy, maybe, could be proud of it. But as the work of an adult photographer who has a shot at an Atlantic cover? This is the work of someone who does not know how to be a grownup.
I gather than the Atlantic has chosen not to use Ms. Greenberg's public photo. I am kinda disappointed, as I liked it. But frankly, no serious publication should employ her again. To put this stuff out while a decision is pending suggests someone you cannot rely upon. And as for the larger political message, a minimum of respect for the other side is an important asset. We can't take the election seriously if we don't take each other seriously. Barack Obama and John McCain deserve to be taken seriously. Ms. Greenberg, and all those who see politics as she does, do not.
Recent Comments