The disturbing imagery of Barack Obama

With just hours left until the election, there's something that has really been bothering me, and that is how Barack Obama has gotten this far in this race. I can't quite put my finger on it, but there's definitely something that doesn't feel right about him. I don't know whether it's because he's a Socialist running as a Democrat or because we actually know so very little about him or because he seems to embrace imagery and symbolism that has run contrary to American ideals.

Don't get me wrong - I'm not a big McCain supporter either. In fact, I can't stand the guy, but I'm voting for him because at least with him we know what we'll be getting. And please save the "more Bush doctrine" crap. You know it's not true just as much as I do. McCain isn't a Bush guy - they've been bitter rivals since the 2000 primaries. "But he'll just tow the Republican line," you say? McCain is barely a Republican and certainly isn't a conservative. He's made a career of bucking his own party. Besides, the Republican party is in such an impotent state these days that there's not much of line to tow, anyway. The majority of Republican representatives and senators have compromised their principles at the alter of "bipartisanship" and have even outright betrayed their conservative principles, especially in the past few months. The lone exception is a representative - who happens to be my representative in Congress - named Michael McCaul.

But back to Obama. For months now I've been searching for words - trying to put my finger on exactly what it is that is so distressing to me about this guy. Being an artist - a visual guy, I was having a tough time. His marketing and delivery is slick, polished and more subtle than any I've ever seen before. People, the media especially, are treating him like a celebrity - like a rock star - like a god - and like a savior.


There are so many aspects to the marketing of this guy. The "heartland O" logo. The owning of the words "hope" and "change." The constant inspirational photography that pops up on the internet and in newspapers with the sun shining behind him or that shows him towering over the crowd while giving a speech. And the posters that carry his image. It's these posters that predate the logo and all the other imagery. And that's because I believe they were specifically designed to bring to mind, very subtly, other revolutionary images. It's the very core of his campaign, and it finally occurred to me why I'm so disturbed. his entire message, his entire philosophy is telegraphed in his imagery.



The images of him are reminiscent of Communist posters featuring radicals such as Stalin and Che Guevera. It's this kind of symbolism that I think is very telling, and very dangerous. Why am I so disturbed by simple imagery? Because i know that imagery can be very powerful, very evocative, very sly and very persuasive. I've also seen these posters hanging as banners and over-sized prints on the sides of buildings (in Austin) as far back as March. You haven't seen these things until you've seen them looming over you three stories tall like some kind of giant overseer - like Big Brother.

Even the day before the election, there's so much we don't know about Barack Obama. There's so much that feels like it's been off limits for whatever reason. As someone with a degree in journalism, it's unthinkable to me that reporters haven't asked Obama the really tough questions.

And it scares me.