If in 2000 [The New Yorker had] ran a cover which expressed in various ways things like "Al Gore claimed he invented the internet," "Al Gore claims he discovered Love Canal," "Al Gore grew up in a fancy DC hotel," "Al Gore is such pandering politician that he's wearing 3 button suits and EARTH TONES" (no I've never understood this one either), it wouldn't have been a parody, it would have been channeling the media zeitgeist. The Obama thing? Not so different.
I think that's exactly backwards. I wish The New Yorker had run that cover. Had said cover received attention commensurate to the Obama cover, it might have gone a long way towards puncturing the stereotypes about Gore.
Yeah, the usual suspects of rubes would've taken it as affirmation of their own preconceived notions, but they weren't gonna vote for Gore anyway. Putting all the retarded ideas about Gore -- earth tones, Internet, etc. -- under one roof, so to speak, would've done some good, and maybe won over a few "moderates".
(It should go without saying: anyone who has their prejudices augmented by a New Yorker cover isn't going to vote for Obama either.)
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