NY cartoon blamed for linking Obama to dead chimp

By KAREN MATTHEWS | Associated Press Writer
February 18, 2009

NEW YORK - A New York Post cartoon that appears to link President Obama to a violent chimpanzee drew criticism Wednesday on media Web sites and from civil rights activist the Rev. Al Sharpton…

The cartoon refers to Travis the chimp, who was shot to death by police in Stamford, Conn. on Monday after it mauled a friend of its owner.

It links the chimp to Obama, who signed his administration’s economic stimulus plan on Tuesday…

Col Allan, editor-in-chief of the New York Post, released a statement defending the work.

"The cartoon is a clear parody of a current news event, to wit the shooting of a violent chimpanzee in Connecticut. It broadly mocks Washington’s efforts to revive the economy. Again, Al Sharpton reveals himself as nothing more than a publicity opportunist."

Sharpton called the cartoon "troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys." He said the Post should clarify what point the cartoon was making…

This cartoon is hilarious and couldn't have come at a better time. That is, a time when the first black Attorney General called Americans "cowards" in reference to race relations. Perhaps the funniest thing about this, from my perspective, is the ignorance with regard to who actually wrote the Spendulus Bill. BHO did not write the bill so Sharpton and the other race-baiting fracktards who have tried to link this cartoon to BHO are the ones comparing the man to a chimp; not the artist.