Critic cites racial overtones in cartoonists’ drawings of Obama’s lips
Michael Cavna, writing in his blog on comics on WashingtonPost.com, is calling out political cartoonists for exaggerating President Barack Obama’s lips. He says they’ve overstepped the bounds of caricature.
His post is called “Read Obama’s Lips: Cartoonists Deal in Bizarre Caricature.” Do read it, because Cavna shows examples of cartoons he finds puzzling.
Cavna writes:
“I’ve tried to keep my lips sealed for some weeks now, hoping the whole nasty matter would correct itself. Unfortunately, since the Inauguration, it only seems to be getting worse. So now, my own gums must flap to flag a disturbing trend:
“An unnerving number of North America’s political cartoonists are bizarrely obsessed with President Obama’s lips.
Later in his post on Comic Riffs, he writes:
“And of course, this physical area of caricature — unlike, say, Obama’s ears — comes freighted with a legacy of ugly racism and cruel, blackface-era mockery.
“For political cartoonists, so much is open to caricature, especially when rendering public figures. As several Pulitzer-winning political cartoonists told Comic Riffs during the campaign, they work with the features they’ve been dealt — be it Nixon’s perpetual 5-o’clock shadow or LBJ’s hangdog look. But here’s the rub: Obama, at least artistically speaking, has fairly unremarkable lips. They’re pleasant enough — and I’m sure the first lady adores them — but they’re not exactly a feature one would hang a caricature on.”
(2 votes, average: 1 out of 5)
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Steve Parker is the deputy managing editor for news, and oversees the Post-Dispatch's front page. STLtoday's online news editors are on his newsroom team. Parker has been at the paper since September 1980. 
Geez…get a life. As I suspected and actually wrote in another blog, the first cartoon with Obama would be called racist. This may not be the first cartoon but I KNEW this would happen. What happens if they color him too dark? or too light? or make the whites of his eyes too white? Remember when Tip O’Neal was always shown with a bid, bulbous red nose? He DID have that type of nose…but it also could have been said that it was a dig on the Irish…as it was so for Reagan. Give it a rest. If Obama’s lips are the most prevalant characteristic on his head/face, then it’s acceptable to stretch it even more in a cartoon…it’s been done like that since we’ve had Presidents.
Cut the racism crap. I know he’s a black man and may have bigger lips..big deal.
This is truly not a big deal, I really don’t get it. The lips are just fine and isn’t it a comic. Exaggerated features are really a non-issue for a comic, NO BIG DEAL! Look at the beautiful exaggerated features of the hot item Bratz dolls.
You guys aren’t getting the point. He might be half black, but his lips aren’t particularly black-looking. The artists are generalizing him that way, not caricaturing him. Now, if it’s a color caricature and you want to make his lips as purple as Barney, that would be OK. But to make him have black lips is at least subversively racist.
Cartoonists, political commentators, or anyone who wishes to express their freedom of speech about this guy will unfortunately be dubbed “racist” because of the extreme hypersensitivity to race this country is afflicted with. I’m sick of it.
This is a stupid conversation. Something a liberal thrives on.
Where was the outcry when journalists made George Bush out to be a monkey? I find that to be very racist. Oh wait, that’s right, he’s a white male, right? Then it’s fine. BS!
…and every characterization of a southerner features bare feet, overalls, buck teeth and a straw hat–not to mention a low intellect. What makes THAT acceptable?
With ears like Dumbo, Obama practically caricatures himself. That’s his most dominant feature so far as I can tell. That and he glowers and stutters when reporters ask him questions he can’t or doesn’t want to answer. There’s some good material to work with right there.
Frankly, I find it amusing that today’s journalists and cartoonists, who think nothing of publishing outrageously bigoted and offensive cartoons aimed at white, male, religious conservatives, jews, and anyone else not on their preferred list of official victims, are suddenly struck dumb when confronted with the possibility of poking a little fun at St. Barack. Hollywood talk show hosts and several self-described comics have actually admitted they can’t think of anything about Obama they could make a joke with. If that’s not a sign they’re nothing more than drooling sycophants I don’t know what is.
Wow… I completely agree with Sam, Scott, and “Politically Incorect & Proud”. It is considered racist when something is said or even drawn about a black man or other races on the “sensitive” list. But if you make fun of a white guy like George W. Bush, it’s okay. I’m so tired of the unbelievable amount of sensitivity there is when it comes to stuff like this. Give me a break. It’s not racist. Everybody just needs to chill out.
I think both Mr. Obama and Condi Rice are attractive people without outstanding characterizing features such as Bush’s nose. But I don’t recall anyone in the media upset when they drew Condi Rice with over- exagerated features. Heck, I’m still waiting for someone in late night comedy to make a joke about Obama.