Obama Country

On the evening of Nov. 4, 2008, America was proud. We elected Senator Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States, and the effect of this decision immediately reverberated around the world. Obama's name was the toast of the country Nov. 5, and he certainly received Front Page Treatment.

I'd like to take us through a few of these front pages and discuss them. The Press-Register, of Mobile, Ala., went a pretty safe route. I believe the paper has it right when under "Obama!" it has "CHANGE HAS COME" in red -- and all other headline text in black. This red is symbolic of change itself, as red is different than black; it also stands out. Presentation-wise, there is a nice info column on the left hand side of the page, and lots of newspapers did not do this. The "Press-Register" is right in trying to provide as much information as possible. Unfortunately, the front page, however, is very bland. The picture of Obama is not even a good one, and it's much too small for the enormity of the accomplishment and the change that has truly come to American culture and politics.

Plus, the very top of the page is about sports, which is completely inappropriate. The whole front page should be about the U.S. elections.

This next one is a matter of taste, but I completely love what the San Francisco Chronicle did for its front page. The entire page is a crystal-clear image of Barack Obama against the backdrop of a dark sky. The image is truly powerful and goes along with "CHANGE HAS COME TO AMERICA," as Obama symbolizes that change. The contrast of the white OBAMA letters to the rest of the image is creative. Smartly, there is a lot of negative space in the photograph, which makes the focus even more on the "change" (Obama) that has been vaulted to the most powerful position on the world.

To add, though, it's extremely obvious that Obama and the image have been airbrushed. If you look at it closely, you'd question if the image were literally Obama as he was. It's too shiny, too fake, and too perfect. The overreaction to trying to present Obama in a perfect light might cost the image's credibility -- but overall, the idea was grand.

Families are important in America and most other places, after all. The Washington Post did not forget about this fact, so it's appropriate that its dominant visual image for the front page was a marvelous photograph of Barack Obama, his wife and his two daughters -- amid American flags and a dark background. Barack Obama's tie and Michelle Obama's dress match up (regarding color) with the flags perfectly. Additionally, instead of using the word "change" like seemingly every front page headline, the top simply reads, "Obama Makes History." And the deck under it reads, "U.S. Decisively Elects First Black President" and on a second line "Democrats Expand Control Of Congress." All three of these lines are accurate -- and the order of them is perfect.

This front page does not go for glitz or too much style over substance. More impressive regarding this front page is the photograph below the dominant visual image. There is an image of the reaction of African Americans as CNN declares Obama the victor. This shot is touching and emotional, and it not only represented the joy of the individuals in the photograph -- but it represented a historical triumph that deserved the jubilation that ensued. The only criticism is one that will make my entry sound hypocritical. The front page seems formulaic and might not grab as much attention as others, but the decisions that were made were calculated and done right in a front page that will live on in history.

And finally, it's time to talk about the two main Chicago newspapers that can proudly call Obama their hometown fellow. The Chicago Sun-Times tried something bold, by having the photograph in black and white. The picture was just of Obama's face -- in a not particularly attractive shot. Now, if there's some kind of genius connection of how our history of "black and white" in our country (in an ugly way) is portrayed in the image, then it's genius. My guess is that was not the thinking, so it's pretty much a glorified mugshot that's kind of annoying. All it says is Mr. President, too. Well, this statement is not accurate, as Obama won't officially be the President until inauguration. I guess it wouldn't look as cool to write "Mr. President-Elect."

The Chicago Tribune's literal presentation was perfect -- and good thing, too, since the newspaper has the largest circulation in Illinois out of all the newspapers in the state. There is a colorful rectangular image that takes up 90 percent of the page, and under it there is a deck that explains Obama talking at Grant Park, emphasizing "Change has come to America." The image above is awesome, as it's a bit of an action shot with Obama moving his arm. It seems like one of those photographs that is literally a snapshot in time. Nostalgic, if you will. The image, with Obama's happiness but also his stare toward the future, brings back memories and more memories of the long journey -- and reminds me of the time "Good Riddance" was played in that final "Seinfeld" episode, with all of the images of the past. The image is emotional and makes you reminisce about the past, and at the bottom of the photo, on large letters taking up a whole line is OBAMA and on the next is "Our Next President." At the bottom section, I like the image of a mini American flag.

We should all be proud to be Americans, and for the most part, the newspapers should be proud, too.