Two things strike me about this cartoon. One: it is not racist. It depicts the same size of ears GWB had for 8 years in the Newsweek cartoons. Mr O'Donnell, I never heard a peep from you then. Also, with regards to the first lady, she is made to appear slightly fuller than she actually is, but that is not inherently racist. However, not once under Bush do I remember Laura being caricatured in such a weird and demented way. Two: Michelle is trying to correct a HUGE problem in our society, and then this happens. Frankly, this cartoon doesnt make sense. I dont know what point these guys are trying to make, but lay off. The left let Laura be for 8 years, so the right should do the same with regards to Michelle. But please, the left wing needs to stop crying racism when there is some argument against the president, because it demeans the charge itself, and you lump decent people in with the real racist cowards still out there. its worse than when those opposed to the war were labeled unpatriotic. And Roger-3060109, people did not vote for Obama because he was black, but because he was a better candidate. To say his campaign was three words is to say McCain's campaign was vote for me Im a veteran. Its these assertions that demean the conservative movement in this country.

I am wondering what criteria he is claiming that Michelle is the most admired and respected african american woman , I twould think that title belongs to Rosa Parks , just to mention one , maybe Aretha Franklin , maybe he should have said in his opinion , because the 2 ladies I mentioned most likely have more that admire what they have done and respect , than does the First lady . yeah , i think the respect and admiration is in his opinion only , just as my opinion is the 2 i mentioned are far more worthy of my admiration and respect , one for her courage , and the other for her gifts .

Agreeing with Mark, I would say those two women plus Oprah Winfrey are more admirable than the First Lady simply because they did things themselves to get in that position. I love the First Lady, but to be totally honest the only reason she is as famous as she is is because of her husband. Maybe thats just me

Tonight, I heard Lawrence O'Donnell utter one of the most disingenuous commentaries I have ever been exposed to: I mean the Re-Write concerning Batton Lash and the political cartoon, Obama Nation. I say "disingenuous" purposely and carefully because I have grave difficulties believing O'Donnell to be a fool, a simpleton, or incapable of the hermeneutical skills required to decode a basic two panel gag.

It is one thing to dislike the content of a piece of writing or an illustration – to dislike the actual message or the execution. It is another thing entirely to feel the need to falsify or misrepresent the plain meaning of a work of art, even if it is a cartoon.

I am not certain what Mr. O'Donnell decided the payoff might be in recasting the Obama Nation strip as an example of right wing racism aside from the fact that it tied the theme of tonight's The Last Word up in a nice package.

To be sure, I was already horrified to learn that Nathan Bedford Forrest might wind up on Mississippi car tags and all the rest – insensitivities and prejudices are real enough and well documented on the political right, and rising. So when O'Donnell built up to a "racist cartoon of the First Couple," I was prepared for yet another outrage. Imagine my surprise when the perpetrator of the alleged horror was Batton Lash, a well-known illustrator and genuinely decent person. Worse, O'Donnell would only show one panel, speaking in conspiratorial, angry tones that the rest was too outrageous for his audience, that the President was depicted as a "half-man, half-animal," that the artist and the writer are "juvenile," at least, and doubtless "racist" in their insensitivities.

Being who I am, a liberal philosopher who is also a bit of a doubting Thomas who also knows Batton Lash's work, I immediately set off to find the offending strip. I was fully prepared to write Lash and inform him of my distinct displeasure and lack of use for racism . . . just before erasing him from my Friends List on Facebook. Thankfully, I had sense enough to go check for myself; what I found was a political cartoon with a sharp libertarian slant. There was nothing racist about it. And even though I found nothing to agree with in its message, neither was I appalled or disturbed in any way by this image and its words.

From O'Donnell's insinuations, I expected to find President Obama depicted as a monkey or some similar outrage, as we have seen on signs during Tea Party protests. Instead, the "animal" the President resembled, at most, might have been an elephant because he had large ears – which would have been poor symbolism as he is a Democrat and the symbol of the GOP is, of course, an elephant. Instead, what I saw was an absurdist exaggeration of President Obama's ears, which do stick out a bit; and this is the standard cartoonist depiction of Barak Obama. George W. Bush used to get the same treatment by Mike Luckovitch at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, and he was drawn as a child-sized midget in a cowboy costume besides. The point: political cartoons are always a little cruel; it cuts the high and mighty down to human size.

At this point, my thought was that Lawrence O'Donnell had a deprived childhood. He must never have been exposed to the satire and parody of public figures in MAD Magazine – much less the engravings of Hogarth or Cruikshank. Maybe he looked at Herblock's cartoons of Nixon and Agnew and just didn't get the point of an inky assault on the perceived weaknesses of our elected leaders and their entourage. Maybe this was all alien territory to O'Donnell.

Then I realized that an aide to Sen. Moynihan probably knew, at least in theory, the function of an editorial cartoon. It also didn't take long to grasp that a man with O'Donnell's resume could probably distinguish a truly racist attack on Michele and Barak Obama from a simple political cartoon with standard exaggerations.

So why did O'Donnell fly wild at this political cartoon and sling all manner of insults at the writer and artist – and not at the actual subject matter of the images which was alleged hypocrisy in the Obama menu (NOT some racist attack)? Wasn't it enough to be disdainful at Lash for exercising his First Amendment Rights without poisoning everyone's opinion of his good name in the process?

I'm unwilling to speculate about that at the moment other than to say it was mean-spirited and pointless. If not worse, but I'll get to that presently. We already have enough commentators on the mass airwaves fashioning conspiracy theories and pawning off irresponsible innuendoes for facts – we have a Glenn Beck, a Limbaugh, a Hannity, an O'Reilly: I, for one, don't tune in to MSNBC to see a left-leaning version of the same act. I used to tune in to see Keith Olbermann, but MSNBC ran him off; and I will be visiting him on his new station when he returns. Until then, there is Rachel Maddow, who is wonderful in intellect and approach, and Ed Schultz who is honest and in the trenches. I'd hoped O'Donnell might attempt to rise to the level of Olbermann in the latter's absence – but speaking without thinking isn't really going to accomplish that goal, if it is one in which O'Donnell is interested.

All that said, the thing that really angered me enough to write this letter and send it off to you to be ignored – and then to encourage everyone I know to do the same – was this: A month out from Rep. Gifford's shooting by a person who may have been prompted not only by voices in his head but by talking heads on the television using violent, aggressive language, Lawrence O'Donnell thought it just fine to tell people to harass Batton Lash and his wife for this "despicable" act of cartooning.

I checked Lash's Facebook page – immediately after O'Donnell's rant, Lash's wife was reporting they were receiving horrible e-mails and non-stop obscene phone calls. Who knows what they will encounter in this crazy, violent, uncivil country the next time they step out on the street or go to their market where O'Donnell seemed to suggest their neighbors should accost them. All so Lawrence O'Donnell could misrepresent an editorial cartoon he disagreed with (Hell, I disagree with it, too, but not because it embodies imaginary racism) and score a few easy points when there is actual racism and pure evil going on in this country every day more than worthy of Our Hero's attentions.

It must be nice to be powerful, well-known, and to be able to bully anyone that suits one's fancy through a mass medium. How utterly irresponsible. What an example. And Batton Lash and his family will pay the price while MSNBC doesn't even offer a direct e-mail address for O'Donnell, a phone number, nothing where one might have a word with this man. Indeed, one supposes this is how one gets "The Last Word."
Richard Van Ingram, Philosopher, Artist, Writer

Lawrence, I watched this and found the two so called comic strip writers to be highly offensive. Batton Lash and James Hudnell should be ashamed of themselves for depicting the President and First Lady in this manner. and to think that many americans don't find this offensive is just plain offensive and mean spirited.

Thank you for calling these two out. they need to be banned.

I would also like to thank you for your call outs on the many other people you do that on your show. That is why I will continue to watch your show. you're awesome.

My grandmother was the last in our family who was born into slavery. I heard her painful stories. I have lived all my life with racism in this nation I call home. I find this caricature of black president highly offensive and reminds me of the ugly cartoons and caricatures done of my people in the past.

All racial groups have been caricatured in this country, but none have been caricatured as often or in as many ways as have black Americans. Blacks have been portrayed in popular culture as pitiable exotics, cannibalistic savages, hypersexual deviants, childlike buffoons, obedient servants, self-loathing victims, and menaces to society. These anti-black depictions were routinely manifested in or on material objects: ashtrays, drinking glasses, banks, games, fishing lures, detergent boxes, and other everyday items. These objects, with racist representations, both reflected and shaped attitudes towards African Americans. Robbin Henderson, director of the Berkeley Art Center, said, "derogatory imagery enables people to absorb stereotypes; which in turn allows them to ignore and condone injustice, discrimination, segregation, and racism." She was right. Racist imagery is propaganda and that propaganda was used to support Jim Crow laws and customs.

O'Donnell is right. This is blatant racism!!

Anyone that does not agree with the liberal/socialist agenda is labeled a "racist" by MSNBC. What else is new?

Why would MSNBC replace a hateful, ranting, pathetic clownwith another hateful, ranting, pathetic clown? All of their substance has been completely replaced by FOX bashing. And the best part: Most of the time the folks on FOX don't even bother to dignify the spewage with a comment!

The cartoon is certainly ugly and offensive, but I'm not persuaded it's racist. What it is, in the end, is an abject failure, falling far short of "funny" by any knowable standard, and as caricatures go, Lash has failed miserably to lampoon the President. Yeah, yeah, any cartoonist is going to focus on his ears, but to properly satirize them, you've got to get the shape, and Lash wasn't even on the right planet.

And Lawrence, as big a fan as I am of yours, calling on people to acost Lash and Hudnall personally? Way, way way over the line! That's the sort of sleazy tactic I'd expect of Bill O'Reilly. You're better than that -- or at least, you should be.

The cheap shot at comic books as a whole was pretty unimpressive, as well. It's a medium, Lawrence, a way of telling stories. Those stories can be as complex and moving as any in prose, and as shallow and thoughtless as anything on television. Comics, in themselves, are not worthy of your scorn.

Laurence needs to lighten up and get a life. MSNBC'c soul purpose to to push a liberal, progressive agenda. The Presendent has not given them anything positive to hang there hat on so they resort to bashing and finding fault with the right. Compare there ratings againest Fox. The November elections were a huge embrassment for the left.

Are you friggin' kidding me? THIS is what gets Larry's panties in a bunch? Actually this is so painfully obvious a vain attempt to make something from nothing. I refuse to believe that Larry is so thin skinned as to be truly offended by this cartoon. He simply loves to drum up the drama but all he really has accomplished is to increase the viewership of bigjournalism.com, bighollywood.com, and biggovernment.com. Way to go moron.

I wonder how Larry would feel if people made his wife's and daughter's names public? Maybe their addresses too?

I salute you Laurence O'donnell for calmly, articulately, but with underlying disgust, excoriating this despicable racist comic strip of the President and the First Lady. It is not satirical and it is not funny or clever..it is just disgusting. Any five year old could have come up with this juvenile, in-the-gutter nonsense...nothing for these comic strip "artists" to be proud of. I applaud you Mr. O'donnell for not showing the strip in its entirety and not directing traffic to the website. I have posted this link on my fb wall with similar sentiments and suggest others who agree do the same. Like LO said time and time again, this has to stop.

Lawrence,

I abhor racism. I am a white woman, my husband is white, we adopted a bi-racial child who has dark skin, hair and eyes. We have experienced racism from both whites and blacks, we know all too well how it wounds.

While I agree that political cartoons depicting our President as an ape or monkey or having similar features to said animals certainly represents a racist stereotype and I share your outrage at the insensitivity and ignorance of the artists who create these caricatures, I must correct your suggestion that such political caricatures were abandoned years ago.

Throughout George W. Bush's presidency he was regularly depicted as a monkey or chimpanzee, with protruding ears and ape-like features. Those caricatures weren't demeaning his race, but were demeaning his intellect and ability to communicate. They were no less insensitive, ignorant and disrespectful as the current caricatures, but I do not recall any objections from 'left leaning' commentators, suggesting those artists should be embarrassed, or should be asked to grow up.

I am a registered Democrat that voted for President Obama, I must ask that we be honest in this discussion and acknowledge that left leaning cartoonists did the same thing, though it certainly has a more insidious meaning in regard to this President and the political climate in America today, it was no less disrespectful and demeaning when similar caricatures of former President Bush were published.

Lawrence, what are they doing to you? Yes, the cartoon was offensive, but the melodrama had me so upset for you. Next time the producers shove this stuff down your throat, give a nod to the Scottish play, look them in the eye and say, "Keith Olbermann lives. Why do you dress me in borrowed robes?"

Hey look all his listeners have commented.

My grandmother used to tell us that we were related to O'Donnell's wife, actress Kathryn Harrold. I used to think that was cool. Now not so much.

I'd call this guy a db but that'd insult dbs because at least their useful for something.

I thank Lawrence O'Donnell for discussing with passion his feelings about the racism against the President of the United States and his wife in the recent Hudnell and Lash cartoon. This is happening simultaneously while the birthers are still carrying on about the President not being a citizen of the US and accusing him of being a Muslim (as though that would be terrible were it true!-more racism). Certainly there is no humor in the cartoon whether you see it as racist or not. I think there is a great deal of envy of the President for his intelligence, grace, and character. What primitive, psychologically under-developed people do when they feel envy is they have to go after that person and try to spoil things for that person-so they don't have to feel envious. The GOP leadership is cowardly- as they refuse to rein in the lies and respect the office of the Presidency and the man who holds this office. They de-value the President-and they want him out of the White House so they won't have to feel such envy.

geeez Lawerence, don't take these comments as an example of what most who watch your show think. I agree with you and respect you for your position. You have a vast knowledge of the inter-workings of congress and I rely on your view. I was once told about a political stance I took locally, "if you get this kind of reaction you must be doing something right."

Here's another website that depicts obama with huge ears (and his nose in one case).

www.cagle.com

Everyone who thinks that Hudnall and Lash's cartoon is racist should condemn this as well. And they should also go after the website that posts his hateful cartoons.

BTW, the website that posts his hateful cartoons is www.msnbc.com. Please contact them. Tell them to stop. Tell them to just stop.

Why won't you show the cartoon. Why do you say they are dipicted as animals. How? I simply don't see that or racism. Where is your outrage at a black lefty blogger calling Herman Cain a minstral and a monkey? WHere was your outrage when they cartooned Condi Rice with big lips as Aunt Jemima? WHat hyppcrite.

Lawrence, Please! You went on for what seemed to be 30 minutes about a non-story. The look on your face was pathetic! It's a cartoon, get a flipping life! I don't expect Lawrence's show to last more than 30 days. What a sad piece of work. People who know you should be honest and tell you that you and your show are pathetic!

I HATE MSNBC.

I know their ratings are in the dumper, but this rant and the made up rant the night before are becoming quite boring. As a child of the sixties, i really need more meat on the bone than these made up issues. So sad!

Why would MSNBC so a lineup of shows that do nothing but attempt to debunk credible news outlets? MSNBC might be more successful if they just reported the news honestly. I guess they have to behave the way that they do to keep the few viewers that they have. I'm sure most of their audience just tunes in for a laugh as I do. If you really analyzed who your viewers are, you would realize that they just tune in for the comedy because it's certainly not the news.