Is it any wonder that, in a culture where feelings reign supreme and taking offense has become a naitonal pastime humor, has been a casualty?

But, to the larger issue. The cartoon has become a campaign issue not because it is blatantly false. In reality, it hits too close to home, giving substance to what many fear about Obama.

Each of the issues the writer raises was not made up. They have a firm and legitimate foundation in the Obama's own writings, words and actions. Their schooling, parentage, church, the flag pin, Mr. Ayers, negotiate with terrorists comments, etc. have all planted seeds of concern. This cartoon brings them together a 'draws the full picture', one that concerns many because of the lack of serious rebuttal. Calling one names and denigrating their intelligence is not a rebuttal.

Perhaps the real reason no one laughed at the cartoon is that this attempt to gloss over and parody our fears just isn't funny.

evensteven, there's no "close to home" about it at all. As a New Yorker subscriber it took me a nanosecond to recognize the hilarious use of the malicious neocon fairy tales that float around Obama. I laughed out loud, thank you very much. If you think Obama is scary, google a picture of Dick Cheney. It will cure your fears.

Unfortunately, for many the charicature invoked by the cartoon is lost on many continue to believe the falsehoods and untruths unleashed on the Obamas by the wingnut crowd.

Every image reflects the strategy of the wingnut slime machine much as the Swift Boaters of the past. Rather that find substantive issues to criticize the Obama campaign on, it is much easier to create a lie and spread it. It's much more effective and any correction gets buried in the back pages unless it is Fox News and it's noise machine where the slander is just regurgitated to fill up their "news" cycle.

Imagine how it would be received with a cartoon showing Mitt Romney (with devil horns, crazed zealot eyes, and prophet's beard a la John Brown), jumping from bed to bed, surrounded with all his wives and children. Certainly, satire, but re-inforcing stereotypes that may be best left alone.

Obama, in his 1st book indicates he attended a Muslim school. Both his father and step-father were Muslim. His brand of Christianity is anti-American and borders on what one would expect to hear from Louis Farrakhan. He wouldn't wear the flag pin, then he would, now he won't. Mr. Ayers and his ilk, friends of the Obamas for many years, openly laments he didn't set more bombs. He has only recently stepped back from his announcement that he would unilaterally negotiate with terrorist states such as Iran. His wife's writings, going back to college, indicate a hatred for America and its values. Perhaps by labelling all this a fairy tale you may fool some of the people. The New Yorker cartoon was an attempt to do just that. However, some of us actually do pay attention and we will not be fooled.