During Easter week in 2009, Newsweek magazine made a remarkable pronouncement on its cover: “The Decline and Fall of Christian America.” The letters were shaped like a red cross for added emphasis.
Pretty dramatic.
Until, of course, a host of Christian groups pointed out that the number of self-described Christians here had actually increased from 151 million in 1990 to 173 million in 2009.
The headline on the magazine’s most recent edition might as well have declared the decline and fall of Newsweek magazine as a relevant source of information.
The controversial cover shows a glaze-eyed Michele Bachmann, Republican presidential candidate and tea party favorite, staring at something over her head. The shot was reportedly taken during a lighting check, and it looks like it.
Most people who have seen Bachmann on TV would describe her as an attractive, middle-aged woman with an engaging personality. As much as they might disagree with her views, they would be unlikely to describe her as “The Queen of Rage,” as Newsweek did on its cover.
She does not scream, rant or push people around, like some TV pundits. She actually seems like a nice lady who has some strongly held views.
Newsweek Editor Tina Brown was kind enough to Tweet a response to critics of the magazine’s photo: “Michele Bachmann’s intensity is galvanizing voters in Iowa right now and Newsweek’s cover captures that.”
Which is a lot of crap. The photo makes her look crazy, not intense, and Newsweek no doubt passed over dozens, perhaps hundreds, of photos to select this one.
The interesting question is why neither Bachmann nor Brown seems much displeased about the kerfuffle.
Newsweek’s circulation is now about half of what it was a decade ago. Last year the magazine was in bankruptcy after years of multimillion-dollar losses. It is but a shadow of its former self.
Throwing an obviously unflattering photo on its cover created a buzz, which got people talking about Newsweek, which rarely happens these days. It is, after all, difficult to sell week-old news and commentary for $5.95 a copy in a 24/7 news environment.
Bachmann, meanwhile, graciously brushed aside the controversy, certainly not what you would expect from “The Queen of Rage.”
From her perspective, it was perfectly timed to energize her supporters on the eve of the Iowa straw polls Saturday.
Bachmann is neither the first nor the last politician to be victimized by an intentionally selected bad photo.
Sarah Palin was portrayed by Newsweek in her running shorts. The go-to file photo used by some newspapers of Gov. Paul LePage shows him looking as if his head is about to explode.
An embarrassing photo can kill a candidate’s chances of winning an election. Think of the 1988 photo of Michael Dukakis wearing a tank helmet or the 1987 photo of candidate Gary Hart with a scantily clad woman on his lap wearing a T-shirt bearing the name of his boat, “Monkey Business.”
Hart went from front-runner to quitting the race in five days.
Bachmann, on the other hand, will only solidify her image as the enemy of the liberal media elite, and that never hurts in a Republican primary.
rrhoades@sunjournal.com
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