Yesterday a friend posted a photo on Facebook--apparently a real one, not Photoshopped--of McCain gesturing insanely toward Obama's ass at one of the debates.
Once I got over the shock and disbelief that this wasn't a doctored picture, I remained strangely haunted by the photo...until finally, I realized why I found McCain's expression--and grabby gesture--so disturbing.
Folks, I bring you Exhibit A, the photo in question:
...and Exhibit B, this still from "Hyde and Hare," the classic Bugs Bunny cartoon:
Well, there you go. McCain has been secretly imbibing a toxic potion that transforms him into a red-eyed, green-complected, knuckle-dragging psychopath! Props to whoever's doing his makeup.
[See the whole cartoon here.]
UPDATE 10/19/08: Yeah, it's a real photo, taken by Reuters photographer Jim Bourg; he writes about it on his blog here.
5 comments:
I so don't believe that first photo! Is there a youtube clip that will put that gesture in context? (I know it's a stretch, but...?)
Whoops, sorry--I misspoke before. Apparently, this was at the end of the debate, and McCain was uncertain about which way to exit the stage. Neverthless, it is a real photo!
I actually empathize with the guy--I'm prone to making idiotic facial expressions when I'm flustered, too, and I'd *hate* to see a photo of that.
As the old parental threat goes, "What if your face freezes like that?!?" Well, here's what would actually happen.
Thanks for the extra background. I know McCain seems a little especially crazed these days, but I didn't think that he would have made that face and gesture in public with reference to his opponent!
I like your comparison to that classic Bugs Bunny cartoon. I don't get enough Bugs Bunny any more. When my brother and I were kids, we liked it, but it wasn't our favorite cartoon (we prefered the Superfriends or Scooby Doo.) But my father used to watch Looney Tunes with us and just laugh and laugh. Now I know! So much smarter than those cartoons which were just kid stuff.
Actually I think visually this belongs with the Nosferatu thread though Bugs does capture a certain quality of the McCain campaign. I heard John Hodgman (PC in the Mac commercials) describe the election as a "referendum on reality". I couldn't agree more and the more I think about it the more multifaceted and deep that comment becomes for me.
I saw that quote on your Facebook status, Phillip, and wondered about it--so I'm glad you explained it here. That is a very accurate representation of things, I think...what was your previous blog called? "Out of it," or something like that? I've been having that feeling more than ever lately, wondering what planet I seem to have woken up on.
And yeah, Steve was right: the look is more Nosferatu. Though I don't know whether that makes it funnier or scarier.
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