Newsweek's Obama cover

1. 93

   habeeposted 11 years ago

   The POTUS is depicted on the cover of Newsweek with a rainbow halo over his head, and the caption reads, "The First Gay President." I don't think this is fair. Obama isn't gay, so it's misleading, at best.

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      Teddletonmrposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Habee, I agree, although I question the way Mr. Obama governs, the magazine cover is out of line.
      Newsweek editors should be ashamed of there in poor taste cover....

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      LauraGTposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I agree with a lot of those who have already posted that this is a play on Clinton = first black president.
      
      But, I do remain a little uneasy with this one, especially after hearing national politicians calling his action "gay."  I thought calling people gay to insult them was an insult of days gone by, but maybe it's just a reflection of my geography (grew up in TX, now live in MA).  I was recently "attacked" this way on a hub about Obama's announcement.  I really am flabbergasted by why people think calling someone gay is an insult.  I think it has to do with their own insecurities and their need to assert their heterosexuality.

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      1. 93

         habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Maybe they think they're still in high school. My students used the word "gay" for anything they didn't like:
         
         "I can't believe we have to read that book. It's so gay!"
         
         "Giving us homework on the weekends is so gay!"
         
         I asked them about it one day, and they said the way they used the word had nothing to do with sexual orientation...but this could just be a Georgia thing. lol

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      Longhunterposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Newsweek's cover is pure sensationalism just as Time's was with the breastfeeding mom. They're both becoming more and more irrelevant everyday.
      
      They can see the writing on the wall and are just trying to stay alive.

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2. 61

   fpherj48posted 11 years ago

   Habee....You are "right as that rainbow."  This was my exact reaction to such an ignorant phrase......"gay president"......POOR POOR journalism by anyone's standards. This couldn't possibly have even been intended to MISLEAD.  The world is well aware that Barack Obama is not GAY. 
   Stupid, stupid, stupid.  My disgust continues to mount.

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3. 80

   psycheskinnerposted 11 years ago

   I am sure it is meant to be provocative and will as the result sell magazines.  Like when they called Clinton the first "black" president.

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4. 83

   The Suburban Poetposted 11 years ago

   They called Bill Clinton the first black president ever....

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5. 89

   livelongerposted 11 years ago

   As psycheskinner & Suburban Poet said, it's a riff on when Clinton was called America's first black president. He clearly is not black, but he has many sympathizers in the black community, and that's why he got that moniker courtesy of Toni Morrison, an African-American writer.
   
   This time, it's a gay writer (Andrew Sullivan) who understands that Obama is obviously not gay, but he has obviously endeared himself to the gay community.
   
   It's a great article, too:
   http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2 … f=obinsite

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   1. 93

      habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm familiar with Morrison and Sullivan, and I get the gist of the caption. I still don't like it. I assure you that I'll hear numerous comments from my fellow Georgians, like "Obama is gay! It says so right there on the cover of Newsweek!"

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         livelongerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Yes, but those people probably think he's Muslim and that the world is flat, too.

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            habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            Prolly so. It's a good thing Clinton visited our town before he was declared as "the first black president." Some people would have been very confused when they saw Bill at the local BBQ.

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               livelongerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               Everyone should really understand what a metaphor is. I'm sure as a former English professor, it must really break your heart!

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6. 83

   The Suburban Poetposted 11 years ago

   The interesting thing is that some gay folks were actually upset that he didn't go farther. Here is a quote from a political website that I used to frequent:
   
   "Sorry, but this is a disgusting copout, and if he's doing it to spare the feelings of bigots, that's even worse.
   
   Just try out the sentence, "I think black people deserve the same rights as whites, but that's up to each state to decide," to understand how devastatingly hideous that qualifier is to his 'endorsement.'
   
   And I can't believe I just Thom Hartmann saying the same thing and supporting Obama's position."
   
   And another:
   
   " This is a simple matter of right and wrong and what Obama's opinion is on the issue. The current makeup of Congress or where society is on the matter really don't enter into it.
   
   If you feel that it's right, and as a matter of law A right, then it makes no sense to say that you feel states should still be able to violate that right.
   
   This really isn't complicated. Basically, Obama said nothing today."
   
   And finally this:
   
   " Sad to say, but as a gay man, it's times like this that make you keenly aware how willing even those who say they support your cause are to throw you under the bus if there seems to be any price to be paid for standing by that support.
   
   I'm sorry you're all having such a hard time understanding how offensive it is for someone to say it's okay if states want to continue denying you your rights.
   
   I'm rendered speechless, frankly, by what i'm reading here.
   
   I'm sorry none of you are getting it.
   
   Its patently offensive to me, but then, its not an abstraction to me.
   
   I live in a state that according to Obama has a perfect right to discriminate against me."

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      livelongerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      I'm gay and wish he would go further, but understand why he can't. His position is limited by what's politically correct (he is, after all, running for reelection). Until very recently (some would argue even today), it is politically incorrect to say you're supportive of marriage equality.
      
      Besides, the President can't do much about changing the law. Our efforts should be focused on Congress (and the SCOTUS, although there's not much influence we can really have on them).

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      1. 83

         The Suburban Poetposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         I personally believe his comment was very powerful even if he qualified it by defering to the states. Now it's out there and I believe he took a political risk in his comment. Many people won't even "hear" that he is deferring to the states; they will only hear or read the headline that he supports gay marriage. The momentum is clearly in that direction.

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            livelongerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

            I agree, even if it only means that we collectively as a country have progressed so far that his statement doesn't automatically translate to a political-career killer.

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            1. 83

               The Suburban Poetposted 11 years agoin reply to this

               From a purely tactical point of view I believe each side has a base of around 40% of the voting population. The right-wingers won't vote for him and liberals will. So it's the middle that matters and I think they aren't as hung-up on religious dogma so it will come back to the economy. That's my view anyway.

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                  livelongerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

                  I agree, and what a change from 2004, when this was first raised as a wedge issue.

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   handymanbillposted 11 years ago

   Maybe he has been in the closet. Maybe he goes both ways. Just like whether he is a Muslim or not?

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      mikelongposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      That doesn't even make sense..

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      psycheskinnerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Maybe he is actually an alien from Mars.  But probably not.

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   Mighty Momposted 11 years ago

   As a headline it's very effective -- strong and provocative and makes you want to read the story to find out what exactly they mean by that!
   
   Much weaker and wordier to say 'The first president to openly support gay marriage rigths."
   
   By the way, many of you are probably to young to remember John F. Kennedy was the first German president.
   Yep. He said so himself. "Ich bein ein Berliner."
   

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9. 59

   Druid Dudeposted 11 years ago

   How do you personally know Obama isn't gay? You made an assumption. I see it more like Nixon's ploy to secure the presidency for the second time. He ended the draft and gave eighteen year olds the right to vote. Brilliant! Pure genius...but risky.

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      Uninvited Writerposted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Don't say that too loudly, there is someone on Hubpages who believes Obama is gay.

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10. 61

    Ron Montgomeryposted 11 years ago

    Not that there's anything wrong with that...

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11. 74

    lovemychrisposted 11 years ago

    Lizz Winstead‏
    
    "When President Obama supported Planned Parenthood, Why didn't Newsweek hang a big uterus over his head & call him the 1st woman president?"

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       LauraGTposted 11 years agoin reply to this

       Because that wasn't a few days after Time had a picture of a 3-year-old (who looks like a 5 year old) nursing!

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    2. 93

       habeeposted 11 years agoin reply to this

         Good one!

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12. 81

    Wayne Brownposted 11 years ago

    Newsweek, like so much of the rest of the media, is simply playing the flute for this president as he uses yet another group in his quest for a return to the White House for a second term.  If this guy were pictured as everything he claims to care about, the album would be the size of an encyclopedia volume. In truth, he cares little for anything except his own well-being and the ego that accompanies it. I am still waiting for the photo depicting him as a "model leader"...good luck with that. The majority of the American public is a little bit more than fed up with the actions of this president and his administration. Hopefully our eyes are wide open when we head for the polls in November. If they are, we are turn this POTUS out and once again make him a private citizen. He can then destroy his own financial future while playing golf and going on vacation every other week.  America has had presidents who were inept, contrary, deranged, and in some cases, bordering on genius.  This one, this one is a total different duck who scares the wits out of me with his politics, economics, and cold-blooded assault on the fabric of this country. If this president does not raise your concern, you need never worry about any others who might take the job. WB

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