Obama's Propagandistic Iconography: the Making of a Messiah

Publius' Forum ^ | 6/22/08 | Warner Todd Huston

[Mobile Vulgus]

A photographic essay of Obama propaganda and the Media's willing assistance with it

In America we have always been a skeptical people. One of our states even has a skeptical motto. Missouri calls itself the "Show Me State" proving that Missourians don't imagine they'd be apt to have the wool pulled over their eyes too readily. Consequently, when most American citizens look at their politicians they usually view them through a prism of skepticism and since the assassination of John F. Kennedy, our skepticism has almost bordered on the irrational. (Photo with Obama logo behind by Reuters)

The American press has traditionally been even harder on our politicians and government than even the average American. Since the first days of our country, the press has savaged, doubted, dug up dirt and attacked our politicians, seeming to never believe a word the pols say. From George Washington to George Bush, the press has been at odds with politicians. Yet, for some unexplainable reason, the pretentiousness and presumption of Barack Obama is being allowed to pass uncommented upon. The media especially is allowing him to make all sorts of claims that they should never allow anyone else to get away with. They are unquestioning with his claim to be the candidate of "change" and the candidate that will "reach across the aisle." Neither claim can be substantiated by the man's career thus far. He does not reach across the aisle and he is responsible for no great program of change. A properly skeptical press would ask for the proof of Obmam's claims, but they merely smile and allow him to ramble on as if what he is saying is unassailable.

But the media is especially compliant where it concerns the Obama campaign's graphic designs, displays that can be so easily compared to religious iconography or even old style communist propaganda. The overblown, obscenely reverential posters featuring Obama's upturned face in Jesus-like poses have gone uncommented upon by what should be a hard-nosed, doubtful media. These over-the-top graphic images in the form of posters and campaign literature design are amazing for their obvious propagandistic style, yet the media seem not to find any reason to be off put by the absurdity of these graphics. Nor have they noticed the campaign art's similarity to communist imagery. One can't help but wonder why this blatant re-use of the graphic style used by Stalin, Hitler and Mao has raised not the slightest question in the minds of the American media?

Obama's most recent graphic arrogance took the form of a faux "great seal" similar to the one seen on the podium of the president of the United States. On Friday, June 20, Obama met with a dozen Democratic governors in Chicago. The room featured a nice nameplate for each governor, but in front of Barack Obama was displayed an amazing bit of presumption in the form of a seal saying "Obama for America" and taking the form of an official seal the sort one might find from a government office. (Seal Photo: Alex Brandon/Associated Press)

And the Obama campaign has been inundated with helpful citizen propagandists like Los Angeles-based street artist Shepard Fairey who is responsible for creating the ubiquitous HOPE poster, the poster that started a rash of artists and designers hoping to catch the Obama wave to fame.

The HOPE poster has a companion poster, PROGRESS.

As well as the similar CHANGE version. But there are many others out there.

And all of them seem to evoke the graphic tradition of communist propaganda.

One has but to view a few communist posters meant to keep the people reminded of the god-like status of their communist dictators and oppressors to see the stunning similarity that the Obama posters reveal with their communist progenitors.

It's impossible to view these communist posters without seeing how they resemble the Obama campaign posters.

Of course, it is one thing that the Obama campaign itself has so easily expressed its inner propagandist, emulating communist graphics. After all, they are certainly free to do as they like with their own image. However, that the media has seen fit not to comment on Obama's absurd artistic pretensions is bad enough, but to make matters worse, the media has been lending the Obama campaign assistance in turning Barack Obama from mere politician to religious icon on top of the campaign's own communist inspired graphics.

Let's take a look at how Cuba's Fidel Castro was once depicted by his supporters, for instance. Here are two images from a 1959 magazine called "Bohemia" where Castro was drawn in Christ-like poses, face upturned, a pious look upon his benevolent continence.

One might laugh if Castro's murderous regime wasn't so serious.

But the media has also made of Obama a sort of religious icon with magazine covers like Newsweek...

Time...

And Rolling Stone.

Of course, it isn't just magazines that have given Obama the benefit of the look of a messiah. One might possibly excuse a magazine because they are, it might be remembered, in the business of selling magazines. A flashy cover might just make those issues fly off the stands a bit more, of course.

But, what about the news wires and newspapers? Aren't they supposed to be less interested in pure capitalism and more interested in the real news? Shouldn't they be less inclined to fall for Obamania?

Sadly, it looks like they are swooning for Barack Obama as badly as the "street artists" and magazine sellers.

So, not to be left out, Reuters, the Associated Press, and various other news services, news papers and media outlets have joined in to portray Obama in all sorts of images that recall religious iconography. Some images seem to show Obama with a halo.

Or preaching from the pulpit.

Surrounded by worshippers seeking his touch as if he were a faith healer.

Juxtaposed with religious symbols.

Or in otherwise ethereal poses.

One has to wonder why an otherwise hard bitten, cynical media establishment is allowing itself to be so used in this way? The obvious answer, of course, is that the media is not an observer, not a "reporter" or commentator on American politics. The media is an active participant and they have chosen sides. They have joined the Barack Obama team and are more than happy to put their normal cynicism aside to help Barack Obama to achieve elevation from a junior Senator with little experience with nothing to sell to president of the United States of America.

I’d love to say that the small handful of photos I’ve included in this report is all there is to the Obamification of the media. Unfortunately what I presented here is but a tiny handful of examples. The media have become the Obama campaign's propaganda arm in perfect emulation of the most blatant examples of human history. But, for all those other examples, at least they were generally under the thumb of an oppressive, despotic government of one sort or another. This time, it is the supposed free and open press acting the part of propaganda minister.

[Mobile Vulgus]

What an enlightening display of photos, eh?

[Roscoe Karns]

[Mobile Vulgus]

I LOVE the Do Do bird in the seal!!! Hilarious.

[the invisib1e hand]

the title says a mouthful.

I thought those "che" looking graphics were whipped up by opponents on the net. I had NO IDEA those were really their icons. That's right out of revolutionary art.

The more I learn about this clown, the less trustworthy I see he really is.

bump.

[livius]

LOL! Great job!

[the invisib1e hand]

no, i’ll go further. it’s reminiscent of the third reich.

[GulfWar1Vet]

Oh yeah, especially with nobama standing in front of the words: Jesus is Lord.

[Gloucester]

Excellent use of the dodo bird! Here's the "official" Obama seal with perhaps more accurate text...

[BenLurkin]

[stratman1969]

It’s on T-shirts as well, with a close resemblance to those of you know who

http://maroonedinmarin.blogspot.com/2008/06/another-obama-che-moment-where-have-we.html

[indylindy]

As a conservative, I believe it would be wise to QUIT referring to Obama as a “messiah”. He needs to be exposed for who and what he is. Our calling him “messiah” only feeds the notion that he is.

We know he is a seedy and cheap product of Democrat socialist packaging. The more we label him as “communist” and a “deceiver”, which is what he is, the more the word gets out.

[ozark hilljilly]

I can’t believe the photo of Obama on the staircase surrounded by his adoring (and well heeled) supporters didn’t make it into the essay!
(Even with Soros lurking at the bottom of the stairs.)
That one, imo, was the start of the Adoration of the messiah by the media.
I wish I had it in my files, I’d post it. But I’m sure there’s plenty of you who have it.

[RightOnline]

Superb post..........if totally nauseating (not your post; the truths it points out).

[Girlene]

[smedley64]

"...One can't help but wonder why this blatant re-use of the graphic style used by Stalin, Hitler and Mao has raised not the slightest question in the minds of the American media?"

Because they are the enemy within, and have suspended their usual feigning of being even slightly objective, and have decided that Obama being the next President is more important than even maintaining the facade of being an ethical free press, which they haven't been for a long time, but which they've tried to fake as much as possible in the past. Now, they're not even trying to fool anyone anymore, which is the scariest thing of all. It's one thing for a political party to spew unending propaganda, but quite another when a supposedly "free press" does it for a candidate. Why does Obama even need campaign donations and advertising? The MSM has that covered for him for free. He should send all campaign donations back to the donors. He doesn't need their donations with the MSM sychophants creaming their jeans over every word he utters, while blatantly ignoring his every obvious failing.

[Jeff Head]

Obama's ardent followers (including the MSM) are not swayed by logic, reason, or truth, and regardless of his positions, his gaffes, his past, or his associations, he is an idol and they the idolaters. His campaign media-blitz has been designed and engineered to evoke just such mindless hero worship without considering specific positions.

Nothing you can say or do will convince these people otherwise...


Because I am the one they and I have been waiting for...and I am lovin' it.

Those wild-eyed people represent the millions of Americans raised in the government day-care and indoctrination centers we call public schools who did not have, or would not listen to, parents and others who tried to counterweight the propaganda they heard at school...who have been raised on 60 second sound bite time spans and know no better.

You have other tens of millions on the dole who will vote for him regardless of position because he promises to keep pilfering the public largess for them.

Still othes of millions will vote for him simply because he is black, not caring to hear or look at his actual positions.

Other millions will vote for him because they know exactly who he is and what he represents and agree with his anti-American positions.

The first three are all what is termed, useful idiots, a term coined by Lennin for the dupes he got to support him.

Against this it is left to us to educate, arouse, and amass the tens of millions of Americans, of all races and creeds, who understand and hold fast to the foundational principles our constitutional republic rests upon...many of them the bitter, rural Americans clinging to their guns and religion that Obama so arrogantly spoke of.

Finally, understand that this is not the first time in history that rock-star, messianic status has been conferred on a populist, charismatic individual in order to hand them the reigns of power. Although there are many critical differences, still it is important when you consider the danger that this candidate poses to American foreign policy, our economy, our social fabric, and to the war we are fighting against fanatical Islamic Jihad terrorists, to note the following comparison:

A populsitic, charismatic, self-serving individual has a way of mesmerizing foolish people looking for an idol...then and now.

Simply put, Barack Hussein Obama is the apex of the hate-America, domestic enemy in this country. His election as president would be the greatest coup any enemy has ever scored against this country and could easily lead to the worst, horrific disaster in our nation's history.

THE AUDACTIY OF TRUTH ABOUT BARACK HUSSEIN OBAMA

[ozark hilljilly]

...and what is it with commie art and their obsession with sunrays?

[Girlene]

[Coffee200am]

[ProtectOurFreedom]

Love it! Reminds me of the Willie Dixon tune made famous by Johnny Rivers...

Now I can hold you close and I can squeeze you tight
And I can make you cry for me both day and night
And I can heal the sick and even raise the dead
And make you little girls talk out of your head
I'm the one, yes, I'm the one
I'm the one, I'm the one,
I'm the one they call the seventh son

[Roscoe Karns]

The text is mighty fine!

[Grampa Dave]

Obama's Preacher/Wife Problems Mean Nothing to Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas's Fanatical Cult and to Hussein ObamaMessiaHamas. The core/base of their pseudo religion is hating America and Whitey!

Behold the Evil Whitey!

This is my church, the one I never quit.

[Nevadan]

Only 9 out of 10 Islamic radicals would vote for Obama? I think you are off by 1.

[JimSEA]

It is only a matter of time before Obama has a "little red book" of his own. Until then, Mao's works quite nicely.

The socialist system will eventually replace the capitalist system; this is the objective law independent of man's will. However much the reactionaries try to hold back the wheel of history, sooner or later revolution will take place and will inevitably triumph.

[cpforlife.org]

[metallatem]

.good work and research vulgus :-) ... Obama is a rat in sheeps clothing. He and his holier than thou wife are beyond twisted... Its to bad that the repubs sold out their souls for pork and votes because the rat obama is going to put up a fight against wishy washy mccain... Everybody hold your breath because the vile abortion rat obama is close to getting the ultimate throne.

[gimbal]

I’m sure Mr. Obama would be thoroughly astounded for his supporters to be compared, to his face and theirs, to Nazis and Communists.

Please do not mistake the public imagery made about the man with the character of the man himself, nor confuse the characters of his supporters with the regimes of communism in China and (as originally) in Russia, and of Nazism in Germany ca. WWII.

It would be egregiously unfair to claim as if there exists any ideological parallel — and a parallel to such extreme and really confused ideologies — on grounds of such (trivial) visual parallel.

I cannot even take this in good humor; it seems, to me, even scarcely reasonable.

[Salvation]

[TigersEye]

Oh, I think it’s a perfect parallel. Obama’s policies, like most Democrat policies, are truly Marxist.

[patriot08]

Love that! Priceless!

[Grammar Nazi]

Only if you discount Albanian and Kosovar terrorists, who would vote en bloc for McCain.

[Dajjal]

And the Obama campaign has been inundated with helpful citizen propagandists like Los Angeles-based street artist Shepard Fairey who is responsible for creating the ubiquitous HOPE poster, the poster that started a rash of artists and designers hoping to catch the Obama wave to fame.
The HOPE poster has a companion poster, PROGRESS.
As well as the similar CHANGE version. But there are many others out there.
And all of them seem to evoke the graphic tradition of communist propaganda.

It's too bad that the author did not do his homework on Shepard Fairey.

You don't need to compare Fairey's Obama posters to communist artwork from the USSR, Cuba, or China.

You need only compare Fairey's Obama posters to Fairey's own communist posters! Yes, Shepard Fairey is yet another Amerikkka-hating "friend of Obama" fund-raiser.

Fairey has a company ("Obey") that produces his own artwork, such as these.
See Fairey's website: http://www.thegiant.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Prints

Obama has told Fairey that he admires the political messages of his artwork.

If Obama is elected president, expect Shepard Fairey to become the "Artist Laureate" of his administration. I can imagine Fairey as Artistic Director of the Inauguration.

See this thread on Fairey for more information:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2006110/posts
The Art of Politics ["Obey Obama"]

[Dajjal]

Oops! Trying to post again, with proper urls.

And the Obama campaign has been inundated with helpful citizen propagandists like Los Angeles-based street artist Shepard Fairey who is responsible for creating the ubiquitous HOPE poster, the poster that started a rash of artists and designers hoping to catch the Obama wave to fame.
The HOPE poster has a companion poster, PROGRESS.
As well as the similar CHANGE version. But there are many others out there.
And all of them seem to evoke the graphic tradition of communist propaganda.

It's too bad that the author did not do his homework on Shepard Fairey.

You don't need to compare Fairey's Obama posters to communist artwork from the USSR, Cuba, or China.

You need only compare Fairey's Obama posters to Fairey's own communist posters! Yes, Shepard Fairey is yet another Amerikkka-hating "friend of Obama" fund-raiser.

Fairey has a company ("Obey") that produces his own artwork, such as these.
See Fairey's website: http://www.thegiant.org/wiki/index.php?title=Category:Prints

Obama has told Fairey that he admires the political messages of his artwork.

If Obama is elected president, expect Shepard Fairey to become the "Artist Laureate" of his administration. I can imagine Fairey as Artistic Director of the Inauguration.

See this thread on Fairey for more information:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2018880/posts
Obama's On-the-Wall Endorsement ["Obey Obama"]

[Tenniel2]

Yep. He’s borrowed that nose-in-the-air, gazing-at-far-horizons pose from one Vladimir Ilyich Ulyanov, who community-organized in Russia 90 years ago under the stage name ‘’Lenin.’’