538's take on the New Yorker cover hits it on the head (as usual)

[RichardRay]

Here's the other important thing to understand about the cover. It's certainly provocative. But it's not scary. On the contrary, it takes a scary idea, and makes it nonscary -- literally cartoonish. If the drawing of the Obamas had been a little more photorealistic, then you might have the sort of thing that would lie dormant in people's subconsciousnesses and potentially do some damage. But it isn't.

When Memes Collide - fivethirtyeight.com

[cbc5g]

1. 538 is one of my favorite websites for this election season

Really smart folks running it.

[Sensitivity]

2. Stephanie Cutter and Beth Cahill reacted same way to first SWIFT-BOAT ADS

They did not understand the insiduous nature of this type of character assasination.

The promotion of these kind of smears into the MSM discourse give "permission" for similar types
of jokes and derogatory comments about the person.

The same actually applies to the demeaning of Obama by Clinton. The effects among certain voters are very hard to reverse.

Not many really believe the smears, but people don't want to elect the butt of jokes as PRESIDENT.

[spag68]

3. The only people

who would be negatively persuaded by the cover are never going to vote for him anyway.Those of us who will vote for him, will not let this obviously slimy cover influence our vote. I hope