So in response to the New Yorker piece - and the inevitable denials, outrage, and indignation - I would just sum it up and say - I’m shocked! Shocked I say - to find gambling going on in the CASINO!

Sen. Obama’s outrage over the current New Yorker magazine cover is amusing to me.  The New Yorker is not a paragon of conservatism. As a matter of fact - I wish the National Review was more tongue and cheek at times - doing a cover like the New Yorker cover. However, it is amazing to me that they seized on the very weaknesses of Obama’s character, policies, and plans, and managed to put it all in a neat - and hilarious - cover.

The Obama campaign issued a statement condemning the cartoon.

“The New Yorker may think, as one of their staff explained to us, that their cover is a satirical lampoon of the caricature Senator Obama’s right-wing critics have tried to create. But most readers will see it as tasteless and offensive. And we agree,” Obama spokesman Bill Burton said in the statement.

McCain’s campaign also issued a statement saying the cartoon is “tasteless and offensive.”

Tasteless and offensive? Are you kidding me - it’s absolutely HILARIOUS! I mean I know Sen. McCain runs and hides from anything remotely controversial - but as for me - I actually laughed out loud when I saw this cover this morning at work (could not blog from work - but was laughing nevertheless).

The mainstream media is saying that this is in part the New Yorker’s efforts to lampoon the myths and misunderstandings about Sen. Obama. I have a slightly different take, I think the New Yorker secretly sought to capitalized on the beliefs that many have about Mr. Obama, and exaggerated them all for comedic affect. But for each of them - there is a kernal of truth - and collectively - they exagerate the deepseated fears many have about Sen. Obama being our next President. Sen. Obama dressed like Osama bin Laden. the “knuckle bump” (or whatever that nonsense is) with his wife. Her perpetual smug and disgusted look on her face frozen in the cover. The guns. The Onion-skin hat. His smug look. The flag burning in the fireplace (which I presume is to make light of the Ayers issue). It’s an amazing piece of both comedy and political commentary all simultaneously!

In short - New Yorker - Bravo!

Indeed - those who will vote for Mr. Obama - while exaggerated - this is the chariacture of what will the Obama White House. And THAT is the why Obama’s campaign team is so pissed.

There are only two times I’ve laughed hard during this campaign. The first was when Saturday Night Live made fun of Fred Thompson, saying, “How much on a scale of 1 to 10 do I want to be your next President. (Pause) Well, I’d say about a six.” It was hilarious because it captured completely the lack of drive, enthusiasm, and the total let down the Thompson campaign was - it really captured him well. Mr. Obama is outraged and appalled today by the New Yorker for the same reason.

Comedy hurts!

I was never thinking about getting a New Yorker subscription - but after this - maybe I should reconsider.

By the way - love the substituton of George Washington’s portrait above the Oval Office fireplace mantle for that of Bin Laden.

HILARIOUS! I’d still be laughing if I didn’t think there was a real chance of this cartoon becoming reality.