The Magazine Publishers of America's American Society of Magazine Editors has added a category to its annual magazine cover awards: Obama. This new category is the only ASME category focused on a single person, and highlights the reverential attitude for the President widely held in the magazine publishing community.
ASME represents about 850 magazine editors nationwide. According to its website, the organization "works to preserve editorial independence." How they manage to maintain this air of objectivity while devoting an entire awards section to such a polarizing figure is a mystery.
This year's best Obama magazine cover, and recipient of ASME's Cover of the Year award, was published by Rolling Stone. Fawning coverage of president and candidate Barack Obama from the music (and wannabe left-wing politics) magazine appeared on the cover on numerous occasions. The winning cover is at right.
The other categories are Delicious; Entertainment & Celebrity; House & Home; Lifestyle; News & Business; Sexiest; Science, Technology & Nature; and Sports & Fitness.
The organization's descriptions of the five runners-up for the new Obama category could not contain their magnanimous admiration for the President. "A singularly powerful and iconic image of Obama," AMSE said of an Economist cover.
A New York Times Magazine cover displays Obama with a "deeply thoughtful and real expression."
The New Yorker (with an accentuated ‘O' on the cover) used a picture of the Lincoln Memorial to honor the inauguration with "a contemplative and hope-filled image." The cover's designer said the opportunity to create it was "not only flattering, it's beyond humbling."
Perhaps most ironically, another New Yorker cover "shows Obama and his advisers Rahm Emanuel and David Axelrod interviewing candidates for First Dog in the Oval Office, much as they had interviewed potential Cabinet members in the previous weeks." Yes, and we all know how effective the administration's vetting process has been (see Daschle, Tom; Jones, Van; Jennings, Kevin).
The blurb describing the winning Rolling Stone cover is worshipful in its praise.
The smile says it all. Photographer Peter Yang caught up with Barack Obama in Raleigh, North Carolina, just a few days after he had finally nailed down the Democratic Party's presidential nomination. Obama was exhausted, excited, relaxed, gracious, open--yet still somehow elusive. Hundreds of photographers have shot Obama over the past couple of years, but no one has quite caught his quiet charisma as Peter Yang did last June.
The new Obama category may have been added out of reverence for the President, or due to the unprecedented volume of magazine covers devoted to him. Either case would demonstrate the undeniable veneration for Obama in the glossy pages of the nation's periodicals.



















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Obama-Joker?
October 15, 2009 - 11:11 ET by slickwillie2001Is the Obama-Joker fake Time magazine cover eligible?
PS Anyone seen Obama-Joker halloween masks yet?
for real? really?
October 15, 2009 - 11:14 ET by rowdygirlI guess when a new category is created in order for "official" worship, it's a guaranteed win every time.
"Every cover is so awesome, how can we ever pick just one?"
Apparently, it IS good to be the king.
malpractice
October 15, 2009 - 11:28 ET by forestThis says alot about these people. They knew some of the quotes were bogus, so they didn't mention them specifically, but they failed to set the record straight. It's disgusting.
This is even worse than the leftist hack pundits who read the quotes at D-Kos or wherever and then rushed onto MSNBC to use them without checking them out.
It's a necessary award
October 15, 2009 - 11:40 ET by Mitchell BlattIt's a necessary award considering what magazines have become since BoBama.
will there be a 'biggest fanboi" award?
October 15, 2009 - 11:43 ET by katainkentI have some nominations in mind.
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The Emperor, he has no clothes
Amend the Constitution!
October 15, 2009 - 12:24 ET by tim413I am certain there are groups of liberals who are already plotting to amend the Constitution so The One can serve more than two terms.
Stop federal judges from foisting their notions of "fairness" on the States. Amend the 14th Amendment! - tim413
?
October 15, 2009 - 12:28 ET by Patriot III am so sick of seeing pictures of the "dog faced boy" I can't believe it! Didn't his idiotic marketing people ever hear the phrase "familiarity breeds contempt"? Thats what I have for this lying phony.........nothing but contempt!!
Patriot
October 15, 2009 - 12:32 ET by Candance MooreWatch the language. Dog-faced boy is inappropriate for the president no matter who he might be.
Re ?
October 15, 2009 - 13:28 ET by slickwillie2001Please don't disparage dogs in this way.
I have barfed so much at
October 15, 2009 - 12:28 ET by kgI have barfed so much at the media's Obamamania that all I have left is dry heaves.
"DumbAssity of Dope"
I just threw up in my mouth.
October 15, 2009 - 17:46 ET by B-townGiantI just threw up in my mouth.
Magazine Cover Categories
October 15, 2009 - 13:04 ET by BlondeOh yeah, nothing to see here, move on.
I wonder what the prize for this category is, a Chia Obama?
Great find, Lachan.
I hope he fails, too.
Blonde
October 15, 2009 - 17:59 ET by MrShyFYI, that Chia Obama has Biden Plugs.
And yes, there's expectedly one for him as well.
The media sycophants...
October 15, 2009 - 17:54 ET by B-townGiantThe fawning, tripping over themselves to be first, sycophants AKA the mainstream media are, IMHO, sealing their own demise with their coverage of this administration. The Obumbles are doing a marvelous job of killing their re-election chances without the media's help.
But the extra special benefit of this absurd adoration on the part of the media only serves to make more regular Americans simply tune them out.
Last night, my 17 year old son asked for help in writing his college admittance essay. The topic was, "What IS the Single Greatest Challenge Facing Your Generation Today?"
He wrote it is an out of control government spending like drunken sailors, printing money like madmen, and nothing but debt for the rest of his life. He is advocating for starting over from the basic principles set forth by the Founders in the Constitution.
*Sniff* Made me so proud. *Sniff* Media can't get to him.
Giant
October 15, 2009 - 18:06 ET by cajun2Congratulations, sounds like you have done a good job with your son. Best of luck to him.
Thank you, cajun
October 15, 2009 - 19:37 ET by B-townGiantHe is off to CUA to play football and study Mechanical Engineering next year. Mom and I will miss is humor.
It'll take an hour of porn
October 15, 2009 - 17:58 ET by RR GOPIt'll take an hour of porn surfing to get the above image out of my mind. Thanks.
Just kidding. The first thing that came to my mind was a dart board, but I don't think that's legal or whatever...a year ago, sure, but not now.
One of the 34% who thinks George W. Bush was a great President. One of the 86% who wants to bring back the stock and pillory.
Those were the odds
October 16, 2009 - 15:03 ET by kmorrisonOdds are he'd be the 'cover of the year' since he's on so many covers. I'd love to see the stats on how many covers he's been on versus any other public or political figure in history.
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