[digg-reddit-me]The political cartoon by David Horsey of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer currently making the rounds (h/t Andrew Sullivan):

For all those who laughed when they saw this (like me) but are offended by the Obama New Yorker cover (unlike me) – how do you justify the differing responses?

My position is that I agree with the popular reddit post yesterday citing Donklephant:

That New Yorker cover is clearly satire. We can’t get offended every two minutes. It’s not healthy.

Is anyone offended by the New Yorker cover but appreciative of this faux National Review cover?

Update: Lenny Bruce wisely observed:

Satire is tragedy plus time. You give it enough time, the public, the reviewers will allow you to satirize it. Which is rather ridiculous, when you think about it.

This doesn’t excuse the double standard that I see as the only explanation for not being offended at both or by either picture – but it does offer an explanation as to why this is considered more offensive now than it might be otherwise.

Updated again: One thing, upon reflection, that differentiates the two cartoons is that David Horsey’s cartoon has the virtue of merely exaggerating the truth while the New Yorker cover is based on outright lies.

Still – I feel that this makes the depiction of McCain more damaging than the ridiculous depiction of Obama.

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