Do you consider political candidates 'fair game' for caricature, a time-honored American tradition ?

WEST PLAINS, Mo. | When Barack Obama ventured into the Missouri Ozarks on the campaign trail this summer, he acknowledged that some voters might wonder about his "funny name," and how he doesn't "look like all those other presidents on those dollar bills."

But thanks to a prominent highway sign depicting a turban-wearing, cartoon caricature of "Barack 'Hussein' Obama," a very public conversation on race, religion, politics and free speech has dominated this remote town of 10,000 people near the Arkansas border.

Some call the sign â€" which features an exaggerated image of a grinning Obama complete with full lips and oversized teeth â€" flat out racist. Others defend the anonymous creator's free speech rights, and suggest the focus should be directed toward the sign's political message.

http://www.kansascity.com/445/story/846745.html

i saw no outrage from the soros left when they did a buck tooth

aunt jemima type cartoon of Condi Rice over the Iraq nuclear program!

from memory i believe the caption was aluminum tubes? i's don't

know nuthin' bout' aluminum tubes!

i rest my case!

When a person sets out to run for any public office, then they become "fair game" for cartoonists of all stripes. Dubya hasn't gotten a free ride in this arena, nor has any candidate/elected official since there have been newspapers. Abe Lincoln was often depicted as an ape.

Some can say that there is a line that shouldn't be crossed, as in connecting Obama to a religion that many now consider to be nothing but terrorists, but who's to draw the line?

I'm voting for Obama, but as to the cartoons? Let 'em fly.

I am wondering where the state of KC is, this is about MO right? I think this is free speech, but remember Obama's campaign has been squelching that whenever it can. I don't consider his lips exaggerated like they could be and the man has always got that vaseline smile. I think they are playing on the Hussein with the Turban and quotes around his middle name. The truth is on the sign, maybe some may take heed.

The particular caricature you note is no more insulting or racist than the ones I have seen depicting GW as Alfred E. Newman.Personally I think we should have more respect for anyone running for, or in office.

Time honored tradition's-free speech, or not, I think the whole deal is seriously overdone and is just plain disrespectful.

Absolutely fair game. But to be successful and entertaining they have to be in good taste.

I think its all fair game,

but sometimes they cross the lines of bad taste.

you bet ye I do

You should come here to England if you want political caricatures. We've been doing political caricatures since the Romans invaded us. The Emperor is fat, etc, with a scratched image of a fat Roman tripping up over his Toga and shouting the imortal line, "I came, I got sore and fell over and broke my nose". etc.

Google Search - british political caracatures

http://images.google.com/images?q=british%20political%20caricatures&rls=com.microsoft:en-gb:IE-SearchBox&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7GEUA_en-GB&um=1&sa=N&tab=wi

When it comes to political caracatures, I believe in the "no holds barred" set of rules. In other words, a picture of Obama in a turban is not racist. Racist is an expression in words - no matter what.

I have seen on the Internet pictures of G.W.Bush dressed up like a member of the Taliban. So what? It's just someone's opinion.

There used to be a caricature TV show here in UK called "Spitting Image" - it was spot on and hard hitting. In fact it was so popular, it got to the point where politicans were asking, "why aren't I on there being lampooned?" Maybe people just don't like you enough.

Oh, absolutely....no doubt there are many which border on the absurb or even suggestive, but we all need a comic relief so to speak and that usually provides it. We know in our own hearts which way the artist leans politically and we know how we can sort out what we see with some sort of intelligence...but, maybe it sways a vote or two along the way!!