I'm relieved that Cenk agreed with me, because l have had a very tough time understanding the mass hysteria on Daily Kos (this diary alone garnered over 2,400 comments) and Crooks & Liars. Some of these people just don't know The New Yorker.  But many were saying they were going to cancel their subscriptions or at least write to the magazine and raise hell.

Ken Silverstein, Washington editor at Harper's Magazine (another left-wing intellectual rag) had this to say:

"Right-wingers like to paint liberals as a bunch of humorless, whining ninnies, and the hysterical reaction to the New Yorker’s cover on Barack Obama proves there is more than a kernel of truth to that. What’s especially striking is the elitism inherent in the outrage: 'We’re smart enough to know that this is satire, but most Americans are too dumb to figure it out.'"

Funny, I was called elitist for arguing that The New Yorker had every right to use satire in this way.  They do it all the time to Bush and Cheney and pals.  Need I mention the impeccable investigative reporting they have done on this administration's crimes?  Are we willing to throw the baby out with the bath water?

Now, when Markos Moulitsas (founder of Daily Kos) went on The Colbert Report, Stephen tricked him into being photographed like this to satirize what Bill O'Reilly was saying about him and Daily Kos:

There was no outrage, just lots of laughs all around.  What makes this any different? 

Anyway, I'm relieved that some on TYT still have a sense of humor.  Does this story really have any legs?  I don't think so.  If anything, it should be beneficial, as people will be forced to acknowledge the smears being spread by the right wing and how ridiculous they are.

--Angela