The Not So-Subliminal Message of Obama Socialist Realism Art

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A supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) holds a picture as she waits for Obama at his hotel at the Maumee Bay Resort in Oregon, Ohio, October 15, 2008.
REUTERS/Jim Young

How can Obama supporters not see that there is a link between Barack Obama and socialism/communism/Marxism? The evidence is staring at them, plain as day.

All around, I see this image:



That image has always disturbed me, like seeing Che Guevara T-shirts around; it clearly looks like socialist realism art, and that’s because it is based on socialist realism art:


Shepard Fairey (Eric Luse / The Chronicle)

Even though he has shown in galleries for years and attracted a following of wealthy buyers who enjoy his brand of art, Fairey achieved mainstream attention only this summer, after he designed what’s become an iconic poster of Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama.

The image has been interpreted by critics as either capturing the inspiration Obama embodies or as just downright creepy in its propagandistic depiction of the political figure. The portrait, in muted tones, takes cues from socialist realism and is reminiscent of posters created to celebrate Lenin, Stalin and Mao. Fairey has enjoyed this debate. “The illustration does have roots in propaganda art,” Fairey said. “I also want it to seem like a patriotic image, but not be seen as too countercultural. … It needed just enough mainstream ingredients to transcend.”

“Downright creepy in its propagandistic depiction” is how I’d best describe it. And this is aside from what I actually think of Senator Obama’s candidacy. If he had depicted Senator McCain in these drab, muted tones and socialist realism style propaganda art, I’d be just as turned off.

Fairey purposely used a red-black-cream palette, the color scheme most associated with Soviet-era posters. Initially, the images are meant to suggest a conformist message; on closer look, they signal a biting commentary or a slight joke.

“It’s asking people to question everything they’re confronted by at first glance,” Fairey said. “Propaganda hits you in the gut. And it’s proven to be effective.”

That is great advice to the conformist sheep in the Obama camp, swept up in the pied piper music of “Hope” and “Change” and “Yes We Can”: propaganda is hitting them in the gut, effectively so.

“You don’t question the authority,” Fairey said of his creation. “You submit, because you think, ‘It’s so intricately designed, it can’t be questioned.’ “

Yes, how dare anyone question the authority of the MSM narrative on Senator Obama. We are racists and engaged in “distractions” to bring up any criticism on his character, judgment, and history of associations to radicals, afro-centrists, communists and marxists.

Here is the letter Senator Obama sent to Fairey, after seeing his “Progress” poster:

After which, Fairey was commissioned by Senator Obama to create the “Hope” “Nope”, “Dope” and “Change” “Obey” posters we see everywhere.

A good post by The Autonomist (too good not to include in its entirety):

The similarities between the Soviet, Cuban, Chinese Communist and Barack Obama propaganda posters are not coincidental. Barack Obama is a collectivist, a far-Left socialist who has attracted and has the support of radical groups, including the Communist Party Illinois, Socialist Party USA, The Center for Constitutional Rights and The Committees of Correspondence for Democracy and Socialism.

The Obama “Progress” poster was designed by leftwing (surprise!) artist Shepard Fairey. A similar poster by Fairey, with the word “change” on it is sold by Barack Obama’s online campaign store.

“I wanted to make an art piece of Barack Obama because I thought an iconic portrait of him could symbolize and amplify the importance of his mission. I believe Obama will guide this country to a future where everyone can thrive and I should support him vigorously for the sake of my two young daughters. I have made art opposing the Iraq war for several years, and making art of Obama, who opposed the war from the start, is like making art for peace. I know I have an audience of young art fans and I’m delighted if I can encourage them to see the merits of Barack Obama,” says Fairey.

If I had the inclination or motivation to ask Mr. Fairey two questions about his statement they would be, “just exactly what is Barack Obama’s mission” and “what exactly does ‘making art for peace’ mean?”

Thomas Lifson of American Thinker gives some insights on pro-Obama art and its striking resemblance to Soviet propaganda. The similarities between the two are not accidental:

“Welcome the new aesthetic of Barack Obama, the left wing ideologue. The
signs have long been there, for those with the eyes to see them.

It is no accident that Obama has become the candidate of the Democrats’
left wing fringe, typified by the Daily Kos crowd, despite his continuing
efforts to sound a centrist note. The kind of people who are comfortable working with a poster of Che Guevara looking over their shoulders have been attracted to Obama because they read the little signals belying his centrist pose.

Of course, it may be unfair to hold a candidate responsible for all the actions of any of his supporters, but when a campaign itself indulges in the aesthetic of leftism, it may actually mean something. Take the striking posters of the candidate created by left wing artist Shepard Fairey and sold by the online Obama store run by his campaign. The entire run of the Fairey posters has sold out, so popular are they among the leftist cognoscenti whose aesthetic tastes run to nostalgic socialist realism.

Of the Fairey posters, the “Progress” poster is the most interesting. “Progressive” is, of course, the favorite euphemism for the hard left today.”

In the 1940s and 1950s “progressive” was a euphemism used by American Communists to cloak their real agendas from mainstream America, and modern leftists like Barack Obama use the same term to mask their quasi-Marxist agendas from the American public. After all, though most people in America are opposed to Marxism and socialism, who in their right mind would be opposed to “Progress”?

And Senator Obama’s supporters insist that their dear leader has nothing to do with socialist/Marxist leanings, thoughts, beliefs? Next time they tell you that, just point out the Fairey “Hope” button they wear on their lapel, or the one they are sporting as a sticker on their car.

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Cult-like worship of the leader has long been a staple of communist regimes.

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Outstanding!

I wrote along these lines during the primaries, but where there now. Frightening, indeed…

“We’re there…”

I should hit the sack, LOL!

As an Art major university graduate, I saw the reference to totalitarian regimes right off. Word, this is an excellent post and I couldn’t (and didn’t) do better. The art style is simple, to the point, and requires – no, DEMANDS – no thinking at all.

You wrote that a similar image of John McCain would bother you just as much, then you probably shouldn’t see this John McCain poster.

Should make Obama toilet paper. HEH i think you can get at the joke im making without me saying it *wink*

Do you read Sutter Cane?

Obama is the first presidential candidate i have ever seen with his face plastered everywhere. Even the dnc passes and posters featured just him, another thing i find disturbing is the way he convently replaces his seal everywhere. Obama has idi amin potential the man is a narcissist. But lets be honest, we set our selves up for it. We do poorly in history, math, and science. How can young people draw parallels if they never learn what has gone before. We allow the media to replace news with what Tom and Katie are going to name their new baby, or what new tatto britney spears has. IF we get past this threat, I htink the most important thing Americans can do is a complete over hall of our educational systems. We need to teach our kids how to think for themselves. When i was a little girl my mother would tell me about jonestown and i mean i was really small probably no older than 8 or nine. I thought my mom was nuts. Now i understand it, and am thankful. ;it is a dangerous thing when you are so empty you let other people tell youo what to think. Never want to be so part of something that you loose yourself. I have been through some dark times and probably will go through plenty more, but i have never thought another person was a solution to my problems. Period! that is what we need to teach our children, cause obama is not the first charismatic leader and he will not be the last.

Upon the first time I saw those Obama posters, they immediately linked in my mind to an Orwellian Socialist World; One of Big Brother, 1984, Animal Farm, and Metropolis. I have no doubt that the Socialist Left also recognized the subliminal socialist propaganda style of those posters and approved. As if it’s their “little secret” hiding in plain sight.

I wish that what is left of the American conservative moveement would wake up to the fact that screaming “Commie” doesn’t have any force or effect anymore; hell, the young woman who is holding that poster probably was in diapers when the Wall fell; Commie means no more to her than Whig or Free Soiler.

I am, as you might guess, a Republican for Obama; I find it amusing, after being the lone conservative on my college campus in the 1970’s, and arguing ardently about the dangers of the Soviet Emprire to my liberal friends in the 1980’s, that I am now being accused (implicitly) of being some sort of Trotskyite dupe.

I am posting this not to change anyone’s minds, but I do hope that you might like to have a dialogue with someone who has a different viewpoint.

How can Obama supporters not see that there is a link between Barack Obama and socialism/communism/Marxism?

Bec they like it!

You should have included some examples of fascist propaganda art, since Obama’s politics is in many ways more fascist than socialist.

That said, I do like your post.

Not one accomplishment in life which benefitted anyone other than self. Hussein supporters are closet racist who think this clears the slate. Not a valid reason to elect a Socialist with 0 hours and 0 minutes of experience in anything not involving crime and terrorism. You get what you pay for and the terrorist world has paid big time to get Hussein in office. Then they simply took the money we foolisly paid them for oil, while our oil remains in the ground, and are using it to buy the weak minded a socialist leader, I think they will get much worse than socialist president. It will actually be fun watching the weak minded in this country, who have been spoon fed by the anti-american school systems, wallowing in their own self pity. They will end up the slave, not the slave owner.

Dare I say that the majority of young/first time voters do not have a full grasp, or even have ONE clue, that obama is a communist/socialist/marxist is such a negative and ugly thing…..
So they Ignore It !!

Obama will be the beginning of the end for all you silly Republicans for Obama and this country. You want a conversation? look in the mirror and answer this question; Why am I for the destruction of this conutry and our way of life. Why do you supposedly educated not see what is in store with Obama, or don’t you care. My guess is you were never a Republican nor a conservative, and as to conversation, blow it out you tail pipe.

I just had a similar conversation with a 20-something art student about the Obama iconography. She was aware and disturbed by the use of propaganda-style art by the Obama campaign. She said that she doubted her fellow 20-somethings were even aware of this style and technique used by socialist and facist regimes. She said that lack of knowledge among her peers was frightening.

Now, I was up in Madison, WI a couple of weeks ago and there were plenty of 30, 40 and 50 somethings wearing Obama’s image on t-shirts. Some of them should be old enough to know better. I think they knew exactly what they were doing by wearing their own personal Che/Obama and chasing “the socialism is ‘cool’ vibe” of their long past college days. It is scary.

Please someone embed this video.

Done, Craig…. Mata

RONALD REAGAN – A TIME FOR CHOOSING (October 27,1964

Here is collection of Polish and Russian communist posters…

http://my.opera.com/Gacek/albums/show.dml?id=25380?&abc=&page=1&skip=0&show=&perscreen=20

Never in my life would I have thought that our country would become so close to utter destruction from within. Yesterday, I was thinking about our pledge of allegiance and wondering if our country would even be recognizable under and Obama presidency. All of our beloved freedoms that we hold dear…the American dream…our sense of justice and good will…all would be radically and forever chanced if that man is allowed to ascend to the presicency. Thankfully, I believe that through prayer, God will step in and spare this country, but we must pray, wee must fight, and we must vote!!!

Wordsmith,

Did you fall on head or what? What Obama will do to your country will be irreversible.

“Just how far to the left, realistically, can Obama take us, unopposed? How much radical change to the left can he really shift this country?” (Wordsmith)

“Unnoposed?” Are you kidding me? With Reid, Pelosi, Frank and all these assholes socialist bums, how can you say “unnoposed? How many Republicans will be left in the White House? Very few. So who will oppose them? The public… lol. They don’t care about the public.

Wordsmith, you are the only FA’s writers who upsets me so much sometimes. You write like a real Democrat, I’m not kidding. Please, get your sense and logic back. If Obama wins, your country will never recover from it. Get real. This is not paranoia, it’s the plain reality. Gee… I can’t believe you wrote that.

Wordsmith,

That wasn’t a compliment. But, good for you if you take it like that. Nobody on this site is off the deep end to the right, as you say.

All we want for this country is to keep it’s freedom, rights and democracy. We want it to stay a capitalist country, where you can get as much out of life as your are willing to work for. But, my English is not good enough to explain you, so I will let Sarkozy speak for me:

SPEECH BY PRESIDENT SARKOZY BEFORE THE CONGRESS
November 7, 2007

“… America did not tell the millions of men and women who came from every country in the world and who—with their hands, their intelligence and their heart—built the greatest nation in the world: “Come, and everything will be given to you.” She said: “Come, and the only limits to what you’ll be able to achieve will be your own courage and your own talent.” America embodies this extraordinary ability to grant each and every person a second chance.

Here, both the humblest and most illustrious citizens alike know that nothing is owed to them and that everything has to be earned. That’s what constitutes the moral value of America. America did not teach men the idea of freedom; she taught them how to practice it. And she fought for this freedom whenever she felt it to be threatened somewhere in the world. It was by watching America grow that men and women understood that freedom was possible. What made America great was her ability to transform her own dream into hope for all mankind”

http://www.nysun.com/national/speech-by-president-sarkozy-before-congress/66054/

P.S.: Now, Wordsmith, if this is being “off the deep end to the right”… you will have some explanation to do here.

Oh, my God, Wordsmith,

I hadn’t seen your comment #22, that linked us to that absolute BS radio show. Besides all the Ug… ug… hum…ug…. nothing has been said there, only ad hominem arguments.

I am really discouraged with you. Better get that neck injury looked at…

RockyB #9… Brave New World is what comes to my mind.

~~~

ChipD#10:

I wish that what is left of the American conservative moveement would wake up to the fact that screaming “Commie” doesn’t have any force or effect anymore….

There is a vast difference between Communism and Socialism/Marxism. But since you’re so hypersensitive to the suggestion you harbor latent socialist views, perhaps we can make it less offensive to you and call it the “Europeanizing of America”. And that’s an experiment in (little d) democratic socialism that has proven to be disasterous as well.

Or perhaps you’d like to take a closer scrutiny at Obama’s entire tax plan, and stop thinking that “95 % of Americans will get tax cuts” is his economics in a nutshell.

Other than that, I’m not sure what you call taxpayer funded work training programs, taxpayer funded college and preschool, taxpayer funded national health care, taxpayer funded energy plans, etc…. I believe Venezuela and Hugo Chavez call it socialism.

Word, I didn’t see you had also picked up on the 2001 WBEZ radio spot. I gave it it’s own post slot, as it was more than worthy.

Craig, you must have missed something if you thought it was only “ad hominems”. It’s a discussion of how redistribution of wealth should be accomplished (and certainly obvious that he endorses the concept). He discusses the practicality of achieving that thru the courts, legislatively and the the administration… our three branches of government.

It is quite applicable. Go to the Michelle Malkin page and read her summary. May give you new perspective.

And are you pickin’ on my bud Word, “da *man*”?? LOL

@Fallon:

Madison is Berkely of the MidWest. Remember, Clinton plucked Chancellor, Donna Shalala from Madison’s U of Wisconsin-Madison for his cabinet. Wonder who’s she’s voting for?

I used to do a bit of shopping in a little neighborhood off Capitol square years ago, all the little shops and bookstores were run by some extremely liberal proprietors, might even venture to say “characters” who are probably now selling the Obama, socialist, realism art.

I will grant that ChipD is correct in that our young do not comprehend what Communism/Socialism is. And for that we are all partly to blame. For in pursuit of the mightly buck, many of us were woefully unaware and complacent while our education system was taken over by the Ayers and Alinsky’s. Those who crawled up from the depths to corrupt America’s future generations. We must correct our oversight and explain to our children the causes and effects of socialism. If we don’t get involved, nobody else will do it for us.

We worried whether children have enough food to eat, clothes to wear, proper shelter from the cold, and comfort in the night. Yet in our earnest to provide, we entrusted our most precious treasures to blackhearts who twisted their minds.

But there is yet time to save them as long as we do not give in so willingly to fate. It but requires more sacrifice upon our part and the courage to I am not venture so willing the dark path laid before us. We must have enough love for them to take the time to discern what they are being taught, counter the lies they are told, and demand accounting and reform from our institutes of learning. Get involved with PTA’s. Petition the school if need be. If a teacher insists on teaches other cultures, demand that she also give equal time to those you hold dear. Don’t be afraid you might piss them off, she’s being paid on your dime and teaching your children. It is within your rights as a parent. If she wants to teach Kwanza, require of her to also teach Christmas and Channukah. If you are monitoring the class at the time, I suggest you do so in friendly and courteous manner, so she cannot use “a disrupting the class” argument to have you removed. If the school system refuses to listen to the views of the parents, consider enrolling them in a school that does and at those PTA meetings advise other parents to do the same, or to stand with you in solidarity. If a school knows it might loose students, that hits them where it hurts. In their public financing. This is the true reason Dems are against vouchers. They know that capitalist competition would be their undoing as it pertains to brainwashing your children.

You don’t bring a pocket knife to a gun-fight. The same techniques devised and used by socialists, can be utilized even more effectively against them. What’s more, they know it. And that is their greatest fear.

It may take us decades to right the wrongs the next four years might saddle us with. It might seem a daunting task, especially once the Obama thought police are in place. It’s not an impossible dream, but it would require a grass roots movement and conviction to see it through.

Not sure if anyone is still checking this thread, but check out this link….

That’s almost as creepy as those videos of kids marching around like the Hitler Youth and they’re chanting obama things.

Update to the artwork, in celebration of Obama’s victory.

This is the funniest thing I have ever read. No much more to be said. Thanks for the laugh though.

It’s a little late but I had to step up and defend this former Charlestonian…

I know you’re just going on what you’re reading but social realism looks like this. Shepard’s work is more constructivist pop art.

Your reaction to the image is exactly as Shepard intended…

The PARANOID OR CONSERVATIVE VIEWER however may be confused by the sticker’s persistent presence and condemn it as an underground cult with subversive intentions.
-from the Obey Manefesto

That quote refers to the Andre the Giant has a Posse sticker that launches Fairey’s carreer. Quite the young capitalist, he has been very successful with his fine art, a clothing line and graphic design studio. His Obama piece will be one of the iconic images of the twenty-first century.

Looks like Mr. Shepard Fairey is in a bit of a pickle:

Artist of famed Obama poster arrested in Boston

Sat Feb 7, 1:34 PM EST
A street artist famous for his red, white and blue “Hope” posters of President Obama has been arrested on warrants accusing him of tagging property with graffiti, police said Saturday.

Shepard Fairey, 38, was arrested Friday night on his way to the Institute of Contemporary Art for a kickoff event for his first solo exhibition, called “Supply and Demand.”

Two warrants were issued for Fairey on Jan. 24 after police determined he’d tagged property in two locations with graffiti based on the Andre the Giant street art campaign from his early career, police Officer James Kenneally said Saturday.

Fairey, 38, of Los Angeles, is scheduled to be arraigned on the misdemeanor charges Monday in Brighton

>snip<

Fairey’s Obama image has been sold on hundreds of thousands of stickers and posters, and was unveiled at the National Portrait Gallery in Washington before Obama’s inauguration.

The image is the subject of a copyright dispute with The Associated Press. Fairey argues his use of the AP photo is protected by “fair use,” which allows exceptions to copyright laws based on, among other factors, how much of the original is used, what the new work is used for and how the original is affected by the new work.

http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-national/20090207/Obama.Poster.Arrest/

My post is stuck in the filter. P&T.

Missy,

Thanks for remembering this post and posting an update; always nice for the archives.

There was another critically important, yet politically less revealing image. It was a campaign photo. The clever art direction behind this photo was in the same, disturbing Machiavellian vein that was Obama’s manipulation of Soviet-esque propaganda.

The Fairey designs frighteningly used the striking and unmistakably obtuse design elements that pervaded Com-Bloc chic etal. His designs left no room for doubt among those of us that were properly educated on socialism’s panacea of transitory promises and it’s expertly disguised, deadly aims. Fairey’s almost child-like use of primary colors that are expertly fused with striking design cues; the high contrast of simple, yet effective, posterization fields; all convey to the target audience a ‘conspiracy of cool’ that is quite unmatched in the world of empty, propagandized promises. As well, the apparently innocuous design constructs, successfully blared to all mouth-breathing, Luddite marxists, that BHO is quite ‘down for the cause’ no matter the circumstance or his use of contradictory verbiage while on his historic march of inevitable ‘change.’

Along with Fairy’s insurgent imagery, this pivotal photo was well-circulated, but it was seemingly mundane and a throw away. This was the photo of him wearing flip-flops and a sport coat while crossing the street. It was a political keystone to his success. At that point, I painfully understood how foundational was the importance of messaging through imagery is to him and quite frankly, that it supersedes his use of verbiage.

Having a uniquely odd perspective based on graphic design, photography, both coupled with my voraciously curious writer’s eye which seeks out the most tangential means of discovery that maybe hidden in subdued, contextual clues, I saw in this one photo a double entendre that literally poked out my 3rd eye in it’s direct immediacy. For a political junkie, it’s meanings were clear, concise and impactful. Yet it was singular and flat to those that have little interest in political machinations. For those apolitical, it held no meaning other than it was for general consumption. It’s seemingly innocuous intent was only to frame him as the unflappable Obama, being relaxed while expressing an odd fashion proclivity. However, hiding in plain sight, was a snide tongue & cheek, covert message. It was an expertly crafted, yet politically necessary message sent to his Useful Idiot Brigade.

The real kick in the mouth is that it was born out of the Republicans’ heavy use of flip-flops against Kerry in 04. Kerry’s stupefyingly verbose answer on his support/non-support for the Iraq War, which the GOP rightly bludgeoned him with daily, became a routine bitter pill for the left due to it’s overall effectiveness and simplicity. More importantly, it was a harsh reminder of Kerry’s lack of political acumen and that the Dems foolishly nominated an almost cartoonish candidate.

In the Barack flip-flop image of 08, was veiled, snickering, political pay-back from 04. In addition, it was well seasoned with a hint of counter-culture panache by way of Abbey Road. All were inspirational elements of the master-stroke embrace of flip-flops in this image. It adroitly signaled that Obama would be quite facile and conform to any centrist position in order get elected, while openly exposing that his heart and mind were still solidly far-left. With one simple image that shouted volumes to the politically hyper-sensitive, the heavy-on-propaganda candidate swiftly delivered a low-key, exceptionally clever back-handed slap at the GOP’s efforts in 04, while successfully allaying any residual fears felt about the candidate’s moderate, centrist tone required to win a nationwide general election.

After seeing such well-crafted imagery, I knew McCain was in for an unfair, uphill fight. In my estimation, Team Obama with ‘strategic intent,’ purposefully hid any serious policy depth and repeatedly deviated, as situationally necessary, from any cohesive continuity of message. Both fully jettisoned political metrics are generally seen as critical elements that are basic prerequisites for even the most rudimentary of electoral campaigns. However, Barack could not afford to be suffocated by stasis on any controversial policy due to his situational pandering.

In this highly frustrating regard, a supple and supine press was more than eager to accommodate the daily policy shifts of Team Obama.

Other than the overwhelming, indomitable effect of his Soviet-style propaganda machine on the minds of the ill-educated, absolute vacuity was the most succinct and routine definition that came to my mind about Obama’s overall philosophy on governance. However visually, Stalinesque was the cataclysmic visage in my mind’s eye.

The biggest lesson I took away was that an unheard of depth of Madison Avenue’s creative muscle was brought to bear on John McCain and John Q. Public. The ad agencies in New York City will now be national campaign epicenters, not the RNC, the DNC or DC in general. In crafting, then selling, a successful campaign message for a national or regional audience, DC politicians have now been clearly exposed as feckless and insipid morons in yet another, critical endeavor.

In the final analysis, McCain was either caught seriously flat-footed and had no possible idea as to the forces aligning against him and the GOP, or he only phoned it in and took one for the team. I found it depressing that at numerous times during the campaign, the correct verbal coup de gras delivered by McCain, could have cut through his media deficit and dispatched Obama’s chances. He played to fair to win.

Which leaves us with the question. . . Was this whole election just a mere exercise of necessitated pomp, circumstance and perceived legal authority?

But that’s another tin-foil hat debate.

@thaDeetz:

Welcome, interesting and amazing! Immediately after reading your comments I came across this post by Paul Schlichta over at American Thinker:

How He Did It: A Diagrammatic Analysis of the Obama Campaign

http://www.americanthinker.com/2009/02/how_he_did_it_a_diagrammatic_a.html

You’ve definately spotted the subliminal marketing ploy of the well financed audacity portion of the Obama campaign in Mr. Schlichta’s analysis. Both pieces have me rather spooked. Just kidding. Good work!!

Hmmm. This blog entry and most responses seem to ignore the obvious that ALL political leaders present themselves as monolithic. Not just from the left; not just from the right.

If you look at campaign posters for candidates from the Democratic ticket or the Republican ticket in the United States, all are presented as icons – flat, two-dimensional, signifiers of confidence, strength, wisdom … all the “values” a nation wishes to embody.

Take a look at these campaign posters for the following Republican Presidential candidates:

Nixon: http://www.4president.org/nixon72poster.gif
Reagan: http://www.posters57.com/images/categories/1980_Reagan.jpg
McCain: http://images.johnmccain.com/images/posters/06_large.jpg

Both sides present their candidates as the nation’s saviour for whatever the current ills. And each side bashes, insults, ridicules the opposition.

No side is good as this nation over-simplifies multifaceted issues (like the economy, geopolitics, abortion, etc.) with either/or thinking. We all ought to demand well-rounded reasoning from our elected officials … not catch-phrase answers to complex problems.

@Jay:

No other candidate in US history has ever been portrayed in artwork reminiscent of that which was used in Soviet bloc countries.

It’s never happened. Until now.

Even the examples you cited don’t fit that template.

What was your point again?

Aye C:

Your assertion is based on some common understanding of what is “reminiscent of that [mode of portraying political candidates] which was used in Socviet bloc countries” … but what do YOU mean by that?

I suggest examining the history of American art much more closely … from Washington Crossing the Deleware … to this, of Ronald Reagan:

http://originaldo.com/ronald-reagan-mountain.jpg

ALL political candidates are depicted as grand champions … right?

@Jay:

If you want to know what I mean by that then scroll up to the examples in the actual post.

There are dozens of others that I could point out as well.

Nowhere in US history will you find a leader or event depicted in the fashion of Soviet or communist art. It’s never been done.

If you have examples to show, then post them.

As of now, you haven’t found any that are comparable.

It was a brilliant memorable image – along with the Obama logo – that has been copied and parodied. That’s an ad-man’s dream. Lots of politicians use images and slogans to get their message across. What was McCain’s memorable image/slogan again? Um…pitbull & lipstick?

To appropriate and modify a comment from earlier in this thread:

“Cult-like worship of the leader has long been a staple of…” the American people.

Bush kills a million people in Iraq, but the picture of Obama is a problem.. yeah, sure Obama must be a commie. And he’s not just the other puppet for the 1% that rules america… riiiight. tell you what people. _Nothing_ changed under “communist” Clinton and NOTHING’s gonna change under “communist” Obama. Except that you still dont understand a thing about who rules you.

try this on

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fGPH4htkDWM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqDXPPLCftg

@john smith said: “Bush kills a million people in Iraq “

Another crazy whacked out LYING FOOL!

Next!

It always ticks me off when this “artist” gets publicity.

Look up “Shepard Fairey” + “plagiarism” and you’ll discover that all of said artwork is STOLEN.

While there are talented artists out there struggling to eat, this guy is getting expensive exhibitions because he traced a freaking magazine photo.

Please ignore this jerk and support artists who actually have a conscience.