Catalogue Number
NMLH.2024.78.1
Object Name
magazine
Title
'The New Yorker. July 21 2008.'
Place
USA
People
Barack Obama, Michelle Obama, Osama Bin Laden, Barry Blitt (artist), New Yorker Magazine
Events
2008 US Presidential Election
Description
An illustrated cover of The New Yorker magazine, set in the Oval Office of the White House, showing Barack Obama dressed in traditional Afghanistani clothing and wearing a turban. He is fist-bumping his wife, who has an afro hairstyle, is wearing military fatigues, combat boots and has a large gun strapped to her back. The United States flag is being burned in the fireplace, beneath a portrait of Osama Bin Laden.
This satirical cover by the artist Barry Blitt, illustrates extreme versions of claims about the Obamas during the run-up to Barack Obama's election as the president of the United States. Conservatives, and racist conspiracy theorists made many unsubstantiated or obviously false claims about Barack Obama's nationality and religion, and the political beliefs of both the Obamas. These includes claimed that Barack Obama was a secret Muslim in league with the Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation, and that he and his wife were Communist extremists, shown here by dressing Michelle Obama as a member of the socialist Black Panther Party.
