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NY NEWSPAPER CARTOON LINKS OBAMA TO DEAD CHIMP: Sharpton says drawing in New York Post is offensive; picket line scheduled for noon today.

Scroll down to see controversial cartoon

(February 19, 2009)

*Rev. Al Sharpton is on the warpath after taking offense to a cartoon in Wednesday's New York Post that links President Barack Obama to the 200-pound chimp that was killed for attacking its owner's friend.

The cartoon by Sean Delonas shows a dead chimp and two police officers, one with a smoking gun. The caption reads, "They'll have to find someone else to write the next stimulus bill."

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.

Rev. Al Sharpton

Sharpton released a statement calling the cartoon offensive and divisive. It reads:

"The cartoon in today's New York Post is troubling at best given the historic racist attacks of African-Americans as being synonymous with monkeys," Sharpton said. "One has to question whether the cartoonist is making a less than casual reference to this when in the cartoon they have police saying after shooting a chimpanzee that "Now they will have to find someone else to write the stimulus bill.

"Being that the stimulus bill has been the first legislative victory of President Barack Obama (the first African American president) and has become synonymous with him it is not a reach to wonder are they inferring that a monkey wrote the last bill?"

Journal-isms' Richard Prince reports that via a statement, cartoonist Delonas responded to CNN, saying that the controversy was "absolutely friggin' ridiculous." He also said:

"Do you really think I'm saying Obama should be shot? I didn't see that in the cartoon," Delonas said his brief comment, read by anchor Kyra Phillips on "CNN Newsroom." "It's about the economic stimulus bill. If you're going to make that about anybody, it would be [House Speaker Nancy] Pelosi, which it's not."

The NY Post's 'monkey/stimulus' cartoon by Sean Delonas:

NY Post Editor-in-Chief Col Allan added:

"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."

But Rafael Olmeda, president of Unity: Journalists of Color, told Journal-isms:

"It's as politically insensitive and tone-deaf as anything I've ever seen. Any legitimate political point being made is erased by the racist imagery, whether intended or not."

Rev. Sharpton, members of his National Action Network and other leaders will picket in front of the New York Post headquarters (1211 6th Ave between 47th and 48th Sts.) today at 12 noon.

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