McCain and Obama: From Touching Hands to Kissing… A Picture is Still Worth 1,000 Words
October 28, 2008
The cover of New York magazine sporting the two presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama relaxing on a beach and touching hands received a lot of accolades from the media world (including yours truly). Now, The Progressive magazine takes that relationship one step further and produces a poster-like cover with no type showing the two candidates kissing. The cover begs the question how far is too far? Are the presidential candidates fair game? Part of me, mainly the magazine-person in me, likes the idea of covers that stops you in your tracks, such as The Progressive cover. However, another part of me, the professor-person in me , is bothered with this cover and feels that may seem that it is intended for nothing but the shock and awe effect. However, for a magazine that is ready to celebrate its 100th anniversary, I do not think that the editors or the magazine readers are interested in the “shock and awe” effects, but rather in the magazine content and its take on the issues. The Progressive is published by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and therefore can’t endorse candidates. I don’t know if this cover reflects their attempt not to endorse a candidate directly, but rather through the cover illustration a major endorsement is made without the need for words… Remember the old saying, “A picture is worth a 1,000 words!” Indeed it is.
Mr. Magazine 
Respectfully, you used the phrase “begs the question” incorrectly. “Begging the question” refers to a fallacy in syllogistic argument where the very thing you are trying to prove (your conclusion) is presupposed in the supporting argument (your premises). This is also known as “circular reasoning.”