Portrait Update

Who needs this cut-and-paste when there is some really good portraiture out there.

In this obviously sympathetic cover, I wonder if RS felt it could best help out by giving prominent play -- Obama's glance also highlighting the region --  to the flag pin.  Also, I don't know what kind of touch up was involved, but this is the first time I've notice the gray hair.  Looks to close the calendar gap with Mac a bit.

And, a great example of how the Europeans feel free to see Mac for the crass act he is.

The real McCain (The Guardian)
A Conversation With Barack Obama (Jann Wenner - Rolling Stone)

(h/t: Michael. image 1: unattributed on-line. image 2: Mary Altaffer/AP. )

Comments

[boxcar]

Wow.

Great photo. Great capture.

On the plus side, it makes him look alive for a change. I am pretty sure McCain died years ago and nobody has had the decency to tell the poor fellow.
;)

peace
box

[DennisQ]

Even on an ordinary day, John McCain has the look of a crabby old guy who chases kids playing in front of his house. This picture shows the face of McCain provoked by the children's teasing. He goes to the gun rack to get his shotgun, declaring I will not be played for a fool! He takes the shotgun out front and makes a display of opening the breech and inserting a couple of shells. The kids run from the looney old dude.

Bush is petty and peevish, and woe betide anyone who crosses him. But bad as he is, he's not as scarey as McCain. Between now and the election, McCain will commit a temper gaffe. His underlings will scurry about trying to undo the damage. But it will have the same effect as McCain's use of the C-word to his wife.

[Karen]

I think the New York Summer Guide is hilarious....the Obama RS cover is a little weird when you figure he seems to be looking at that flag pin and laughing. As for the McCain pic, I think "McCaingry" will be a good narrative against McCain. At least it's not hard to come by.

[catfood]

The Rolling Stone portrait, while sympathetic, has a caricature quality that I am not (yet) entirely comfortable with. The effect is heightened by the featureless, cool gray background. It looks as if he is about to step out of a comic strip.

The McCain photo might have been taken during his last prostate exam.

[Scarabus]

I don't know. I suspect McCain would like this juxtaposition. Who's better equipped to kick "terraist" butt? A guy who thinks it's funny, or a guy who's obviously a mean M-F (one of the famous sever words--RIP George Carlin).

[black dog barking]

McCain looks like the southern sheriff explaining that your best interest is to move along, not come back, ever -- the role James Dickey played in the movie Deliverance:

Sheriff Bullard: Don't ever do nothin' like this again. Don't come back up here.
Bobby: You don't have to worry about that, Sheriff.

Sheriff McCain will sit the Sunnis and the Shias down and tell 'em to "Stop the bullshit". That'll fix it.

[Gasho]

Which world you want to live in may depend on how you perceive the world as it exists today.

If you believe that a return to sanity and goodness is possible, because that fundamental goodness exists in the hearts of us all.. then you'll vote to bring that goodness into office.

If you believe that the terrorists are plotting to rule the world and force everyone to convert to radical islam; unchallenged military dominance is the only guarantee of freedom; and the rich people know best what to do with all of the country's resources and wealth.. then you'll vote for a strong Daddy-type to hide behind.

[croatoan]

Cut off the top of his head if you want, but McCain's still bald.

[campbell]

The problem with the New York Summer Guide illustration is that you just know McCain would be wearing long black socks with those tennis shoes. They're at the beach, after all.

[Dog Slave]

The RS cover makes me uncomfortable. It's sympathetic, but weird, and it distorts his features in a cartoonish way that makes him look a bit like a simpleton, which he definitely is NOT. McCain always looks creepy to me. At least in this picture, he's not smiling that oily smile. Yeccch.

[jean]

Hmmm...the RS logo either looks like the devils' horns or a somewhat odd halo, however BO's expression is very beatific. More like very nice angel than a crusty old devil. Maybe that's McCain. I could see someone drawing horns on St John in this picture.

[Donut]

There seems to be two Obama images that dominate: 'smiling happy Barack' who wants to talk Dylan and Springsteen and shoot hoops, and 'serious staring off into the distance Barack' who wants to smoke pack of Winston's and drink coffee all night. I don't know if I like either one all that much, but that seems to be what photo editors are into picking right now.

The McCain shot...uh, just reminds me how much this guy makes me nervous. He looks avian to me - kind of like an emu or ostrich - stubborn and mean and kind of sociopathic.

[no drama]

i started to notice the gray before the oregon primary. courtesy of the clintons, i'm sure. actually, i wish he would hurry up and go more gray. it would be helpful to his image.

you can see the suggestion of gray in this slide collection of photos taken during the different months throughout the spring.

http://www.rollingstone.com/photos/gallery/19066990/barack_obama_a_photo_history/photo/1

[no drama]

huffpo likes to use the mccain photo where he's wearing a grimace and looks like popeye with one eye squinted.

I don't know. I suspect McCain would like this juxtaposition. Who's better equipped to kick "terraist" butt? A guy who thinks it's funny, or a guy who's obviously a mean M-F (one of the famous sever words--RIP George Carlin)

sorry, that's a 2004 mindset. now, with the economy the way it is, people want a leader with a positive vision. people in danger of losing their homes arent going to take comfort with mr. grumpy, who they suspect doesn't really care about them and who they feel is more interested in playing cowboys in indians in the middle east.

my first impression of the RS cover it somehow reminded me of a bendiction? or benedictful? is that a word? no, i'm not suggesting he's jesus. just that it exuded the suggestion of peace and good will towards men.