Althouse: "Two's a Crowd" — a New Yorker cover by Barry Blitt.

January 10, 2025

"Two's a Crowd" — a New Yorker cover by Barry Blitt.

Nicely conceived and drawn.

The expressions are great — especially that one eye of Trump's.

91 comments:

tim maguire said...: I am getting a little tired, though, of the implication that it's inappropriate for private citizens to participate in government.

Nobody, not even the people making the argument, believe it.; 1/10/25, 12:27 PM
D.D. Driver said...: 🙄 Ah, yes. Trump is a Hitler-like, egomaniacal tyrant, and also a lapdog to Elon Musk, Putin, the "billionaires," and other Bad Men. Just like Joe Biden is a vegetable and also a criminal mastermind.

Good little boys and girls have been properly indoctrinated: "To know and not to know, to be conscious of complete truthfulness while telling carefully constructed lies, to hold simultaneously two opinions which cancelled out, knowing them to be contradictory and believing in both of them, to use logic against logic, to repudiate morality while laying claim to it, to believe that democracy was impossible and that the Party was the guardian of democracy, to forget whatever it was necessary to forget, then to draw it back into memory again at the moment when it was needed, and then promptly to forget it again: and above all, to apply the same process to the process itself."; 1/10/25, 12:28 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: You have to give the journolists credit, their ability to coordinate the consistency of their attacks and messaging is impressive....if it wasn't so fucking obvious to everyone outside their gay little echo-chamber.; 1/10/25, 12:29 PM
Peachy said...: Not a problem for George Soros to prop up the democrat party with insider schemes to install soft on crime DAs - all over the nation.; 1/10/25, 12:31 PM
Peachy said...: Joe Biden is an above the law Government for-life grifter. - who is now an old wilted vegetable. Sharpen your arguments.; 1/10/25, 12:33 PM
deepelemblues said...: It's funny as cope. They lost to Trump, and they're bitterly coping about it by fantasizing that Trump didn't really win because Musk is the real president-elect, and it will cause some huge blowup between the two, and blah blah blah. Anyone who has watched them interact knows very well who is the dominant person in that relationship. Hint: it's not Elon.; 1/10/25, 12:34 PM
NorthOfTheOneOhOne said...: They're just pissed because Trump's billionaire buddy has more money than their billionaire buddies.; 1/10/25, 12:38 PM
rehajm said...: Do we know what Democrats have been making decisions at the executive branch the last few years? They never took the oath. Advantage Elon...; 1/10/25, 12:38 PM
mccullough said...: A+ pop art; 1/10/25, 12:39 PM
Ice Nine said...: I said weeks ago that Trump and Elon are going to clash pretty soon after the inauguration. I give them a few months. That ecosystem is simply too small for two alpha males of such magnitude.

Elon is doing the DOGE thing as a good pissed off citizen and to indeed help save the country, but he is doing it in no small part for the lulz. He doesn't really need this and he's got men to put on Mars - he'll bail before too long and Vivek will have a major cabinet position all to himself.; 1/10/25, 12:40 PM
PM said...: Blitt's a stinging drawer for the hoities in decline.; 1/10/25, 12:40 PM
Wilbur said...: Is that bald-headed dude supposed to be the Chief Justice?; 1/10/25, 12:46 PM
rehajm said...: Kinda looks like Putin...; 1/10/25, 12:47 PM
tim maguire said...: And the Republican's immigrant billionaire is a better American than the Democrat's immigrant billionaire.; 1/10/25, 12:48 PM
Gusty Winds said...: There is zero truth in Musk controlling Trump. The New Yorker is just lying and trolling. This is so three weeks ago.; 1/10/25, 12:50 PM
narciso said...: Clever not but what do you expect from the new yawker; 1/10/25, 12:52 PM
boatbuilder said...: I think you are correct. Although Elon does have a well-earned reputation for following through on what he takes on.; 1/10/25, 12:53 PM
Ampersand said...: That's a great quote from 1984.
OTOH, I don't think too many people believe that bottom of his Syracuse Law School class Joe Biden was any sort of a mastermind. He's thought of by many righties as a clumsy crook who thought he was hiring cleverer corporate folks to hide his thefts. His helpers were in fact more clever than Joe, but still not clever enough.; 1/10/25, 12:59 PM
Big Mike said...: “Nicely conceived”? Says more about you and your alleged neutrality than you probably wanted us to figure out, Professor.; 1/10/25, 1:03 PM
Peachy said...: The left cannot be anything but collectively butthurt and whiny.
Trump Musk... Musk Trump! whaaaaaaaa.
The collective power elite democratics are inept and they require constant worship and adulation. Like Hollywood. Their loyalists - esp in the Soviet press - are happy to oblige.; 1/10/25, 1:05 PM
Yancey Ward said...: "They're just pissed because Trump's billionaire buddy has more money than their billionaire buddies." Not really true, though- the Democrats still have far more political backing of this sort- what Musk has, though, is a better sense on how to use the money in a political dimension- he seems to have cut the non-profit grifters out of the chain of spending.; 1/10/25, 1:06 PM
Kate said...: That was my thought, Wilbur. Roberts, whatever his faults, has a nice head of hair.

Also, if Musk elbows his way in too far, Melania will drop him with a stiletto. He shouldn't let the pilgrim collar fool him.; 1/10/25, 1:06 PM
Ampersand said...: The New Yorker is petrified by the idea that Trump now has an alliance with someone of Musk's intelligence, competence, and material resources. It's bad enough by itself, but the Musk alliance isn't standalone. Trump enters his second term with far more allies than he had in 2017. And nobody cares about pussy hats any more.; 1/10/25, 1:07 PM
Earnest Prole said...: The expressions are great — especially that one eye of Trump's.

Not to mention Trump’s darling little fingers.; 1/10/25, 1:10 PM
Howard said...: Get a grip, Nancy. Why don't you follow the lead of your lord and savior and show a little equanimity and calm in the face of conflict; 1/10/25, 1:11 PM
Howard said...: Hey, you guys won. It's time to stop acting like losers; 1/10/25, 1:12 PM
Laughing Fox said...: Should have done one in 2020 of Biden and Obama.; 1/10/25, 1:19 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Translation: "Could you please lessen the pugnacity that won Trump the election and might maintain the motivation to solve problems I don't want solved?"; 1/10/25, 1:23 PM
Matt said...: tim maguire said...
"I am getting a little tired, though, of the implication that it's inappropriate for private citizens to participate in government."

But you all are fine with George Soros or Hollywood millionaires putting money into politics? I see hypocrisy here. Either everyone is allowed to participate with cash or as citizen or only politicians should be allowed and money should be out of politics. We have to be consistent. Personally I dislike Musk but it is Trump's prerogative and Musk did certainly help raise millions in his reelection. However I would like to see less money in politics from both sides. It should not be so easy to buy influence.; 1/10/25, 1:25 PM
MadisonMan said...: The question is: Who would be (still is) standing next to Biden at his swearing in that no one knew about.; 1/10/25, 1:26 PM
Earnest Prole said...: Musk patiently explained to Steve Bannon that as co-president he’s just a talented immigrant doing the work of less-talented, native-born Americans, and that’s what’s always made America great.; 1/10/25, 1:27 PM
narciso said...: Elons a happy warrior kind of like tony stark; 1/10/25, 1:32 PM
Quaestor said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/10/25, 1:34 PM
Aggie said...: The real problem is that Elon Musk is competing with Trump for negative attention, and it's diffusing the energy of the efforts, draining all that determination. 'Sads' all around. Wait'll the 'winning' starts.; 1/10/25, 1:34 PM
Quaestor said...: D.D. Driver writes, "Ah, yes. Trump is a Hitler-like, egomaniacal tyrant..."

Keep pounding that puny pud of yours, and never let the futility frustrate your furious stroking. I foresee no other pleasure for you over the next 12 years. Thankfully, Dah Nooyawker will be publishing piles of political porno for you and your ilk, copious fuel for your fever dream fantasies. Any port in a storm, eh, DeeDee?; 1/10/25, 1:34 PM
effinayright said...: Hey! It can be propaganda, but artistically "nicely conceived" propaganda.

A lot of 1930's Soviet propagand posters are damn good art.; 1/10/25, 1:36 PM
Leland said...: Funny that Howard invokes the name of his lord and savior Nancy. We all know he follows her lead.; 1/10/25, 1:38 PM
Christopher B said...: I remember when both Reagan and W were by turns the cunning villainous masterminds of all sorts of despicable schemes and then dolts barely capable of tying their own shoelaces, depending on the narrative need of the moment.

The Regime Media recycles plots more than Hollywierd.; 1/10/25, 1:38 PM
effinayright said...: Erm....the claims about Musk and Trump are contemporary, while those about Joe's criminality refer to when he was not yet senile.

DERP; 1/10/25, 1:39 PM
Leland said...: I do think DD Driver, in this instance, was remarking satirically that Trump is called Hitler as if Hitler would then have let someone else rule in his place.; 1/10/25, 1:39 PM
Christopher B said...: That's a winner. In 2016 Trump was largely on his own with the GOPe sitting on their collective thumbs as the Democrats circled around him. He's coming back with allies now. An entirely different vibe.; 1/10/25, 1:42 PM
Christopher B said...: The complaints about Soros are the *impact* of his money on political outcomes, not his contributions. The Left complaints about citizen involvement in politics go far beyond campaign contributions, as well.; 1/10/25, 1:47 PM
jae said...: I am kind of enjoying the MSM's ploy here- trying to drive a wedge between Trump and Musk. It won't work, but it is amusing.; 1/10/25, 1:56 PM
rhhardin said...: Allow us to advertise our political bias to our potential readers. I'd say it's a bad reading of both Trump and Musk, so misses one of the things needed for humor, which is accuracy.; 1/10/25, 1:57 PM
rhhardin said...: I'd like them to elevate one of their old cartoons to the cover, wife to businessman at dinner table, "Now, don't try to reason with me."

That would cover their readers.; 1/10/25, 1:58 PM
n.n said...: American billionaires vs Democratic billionaires. The fretting is palpable.; 1/10/25, 1:58 PM
n.n said...: Musk is our first complementary African-American entrepreneur-in-chief. Mush little DOGE.; 1/10/25, 2:02 PM
n.n said...: #NoJudgment #NoLabels #MakeAmericaGreat... Again; 1/10/25, 2:04 PM
Matt said...: Billionaires supported by Republicans vs billionaires supported by Democrats. Fixed it for you…; 1/10/25, 2:05 PM
Matt said...: Christopher B - I would say that the *impact* that both Musk and Ramaswamy will definitely have political and social and environmental outcomes. Soros gives to numerous left/liberal political action committees and such to affect change. Musk and Ramaswamy will literally be part of Trump's government driving change. The issue here isn't left vs right. The issue is which billionaires will actually be in a position to make serious changes to America. Soros and his allies only wishes he had that opportunity. I frankly want to see neither with that much power.; 1/10/25, 2:12 PM
chuck said...: Nicely conceived and drawn.
Nonsense, there is no imagination involved in repeating a Democratic talking point. Slavish obedience to party propaganda would be more accurate.; 1/10/25, 2:28 PM
Joe Bar said...: Why are they afraid of a bonafied African-American?; 1/10/25, 2:30 PM
Joe Bar said...: Why are they afraid of a bonafied African-American?; 1/10/25, 2:30 PM
mindnumbrobot said...: The artwork is fine (although watercolor has never been my favorite) but is the Trump Is Elon's Puppet still a thing? It feels like that came and went weeks ago.; 1/10/25, 2:32 PM
Iman said...: Fuck these people nicely.; 1/10/25, 2:37 PM
gadfly said...: Blitt slipped Trump's small hand past all the commentators and Anne. Still, we had already heard all about his "smaller than average" Johnson shaped like a toadstool from Stormy Daniels during her salacious testimony during Donald's felony conviction in his hush money trial.; 1/10/25, 2:49 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: "but is the Trump Is Elon's Puppet still a thing? It feels like that came and went weeks ago."

It is "a thing" because the journolists need it to be. They're deperate for something, anything, that will maintain the morale of their cattle. And it will remain "a thing" until events humiliate them again.

The cows are fickle. They must bale the hay.; 1/10/25, 2:50 PM
Iman said...: ‘fly has lost a few too many spines in his lady’s ovipositor.; 1/10/25, 2:53 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Where would this blog be without all the queers to remind us of their obsession with Trump’s penis. Aren't we lucky.; 1/10/25, 2:54 PM
Keith said...: I'm as right wing as they come and I have to say it is a great picture and says what the artist wants to say. Obviously the artist is someone who not only hates Trump but sees him as a petty jealous small man. I adore the man, but I appreciate that lefties hate him.

With that said ...

When is the last time anyone read the New Yorker? In the 1970's? Isn't it something you put on your coffee table so people think you are sophisticated? When is the last time it mattered? I appreciate that although NYT is filled with lies and misinformation (real misinformation, not the truth about Covid), it sets the schedule for all of America's news. The Wash Post has become a blog like HuffPost or Slate. It no longer seems influential. It was influential before Bezos bought it maybe 20 Y ago. But I don't recall the last time the New Yorker was important and influential.; 1/10/25, 2:56 PM
Former Illinois resident said...: George Soros is enshrined within national Democratic Committee. His son is marrying into Clinton Dynasty, the bride being honorary 2nd daughter Huma. New Hillary 6.0 is newly svelte, hair washed, recent recipient of Presidential Medal of Freedom, and mobilized for 2028 campaign.

Musk is lots of flash, but exit stage after inauguration. He's stepped on some toes, his visa debacle noted.; 1/10/25, 3:00 PM
Original Mike said...: "I am getting a little tired, though, of the implication that it's inappropriate for private citizens to participate in government.
Nobody, not even the people making the argument, believe it."

The people making the argument believe that only the right kind of citizens are entitled to participate in government.; 1/10/25, 3:00 PM
Narayanan said...: when was buying a politician not norm in any part of USA?; 1/10/25, 3:08 PM
Mason G said...: "And it will remain "a thing" until events humiliate them again."

Maybe more of a regional story than a national one, but the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Management sent an evacuation warning to 9.6 million residents.

It was sent in error, the notice was intended for those impacted by the Kenneth Fire in Woodland Hills.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-14268985/la-county-fire-residents-false-evacuation-order.html; 1/10/25, 3:16 PM
Earnest Prole said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/10/25, 3:17 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Nicely drawn if you can ignore the lie and the propaganda attack. I dunno what it is about the Rightwing pundits and commenters. Unlike the Left, they dont understand how to personalize and attack. Alinksy wrote "Pick a target, freeze it, attack it". The left makes sure that you know its Murdoch's Fox News. Its Elon Musk's twitter. Its Alito and thomas making those SCOTUS decisions.

You can't even get Rightwingers to identify what Leftwing judge just ruled against them. For a while you couldn't even mention the name "Soros" on Fox News. Its the never ending question: Are they dumb, or in the tank?; 1/10/25, 3:18 PM
Earnest Prole said...: Wait, you’re telling me the New Yorker is not politically neutral? Well slap my ass and call me Sally.; 1/10/25, 3:18 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: I actually have on CD disks, every issue of the New Yorker from 1925-2000. They've always been on the Left side of the political spectrum. But the quality of the writing and the cartoons in the old days - pre 1970 - is truly amazing.

The decline started about 1980, and accelaterated after that. I read the last issue in the library, and Judas Priest what a dull rag. The cartoons are hit and miss.; 1/10/25, 3:24 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 1/10/25, 3:26 PM
Keith said...: Yeah that was my point. I remember them having the reputation of you need to read this to have your finger on the pulse of what is going on now. Now I think it's more discounted subscriptions to put in dentists' offices. I don't think important people read it at all.; 1/10/25, 3:27 PM
BUMBLE BEE said...: Musk is the most successful African American. That compels some to want to suck fingers.; 1/10/25, 3:28 PM
Earnest Prole said...: Judging from the butthurt I don’t think y’all are gonna make it another four years.; 1/10/25, 3:29 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: Oh please, we're discussing an illustration Nar. If circumstances were different and people believed in the slightest that Blitt would illustrate Harris with George Soros, Reid Hoffman, Ken Griffin or Marc Cuban swearing in on the same bible on the front page of the New Yorker there'd be little hubbub.

But everyone knows that wouldn't happen.; 1/10/25, 3:31 PM
Mason G said...: So- according to the New Yorker, Literally Hitler is going to let himself get pushed out of the way by Elon Musk? Is that about right?; 1/10/25, 3:37 PM
RideSpaceMountain said...: "pushed out of the way"

WORST. HITLER. EVER.; 1/10/25, 3:39 PM
wendybar said...: Winston Marshall
@MrWinMarshall
·
Follow
Shame on you @NewYorker

The question is not why does @elonmusk care about *on going* industrial scale rape and torture gangs in Britain.

The question is - why don’t you?
The New Yorker
@NewYorker
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has become fixated on child sexual exploitation in deindustrialized English towns—much of which took place more than a decade ago. What is he after?
http://nyer.cm/22KsiBh
7:28 AM · Jan 10, 2025; 1/10/25, 3:39 PM
James K said...: Rich continues to flog it here almost daily. It's all they've got.; 1/10/25, 3:51 PM
Leland said...: Gadfly, tell us why you are so fixated on Trump’s hand size and what that means. The rest of us are not so interested as you seem to be, so why does it excite you?; 1/10/25, 4:01 PM
RCOCEAN II said...: Exactly. What can you say about the Leftwing scum that write for our MSM and the British MSM? I don't think I can despise them more. To them its all politics and the pursuit of power for their side. "English girls being raped? A Government coverup? Well who cares. They were just white and working class. Hey, its not like they were POCs or Jews."

Elon Musk is putting pressure on them. And they hate him for it. Just one more reason to like him.; 1/10/25, 4:01 PM
Christopher B said...: I'm looking real hard at what I wrote, and I don't see where I claimed Musk would have no impact. I welcome his impact. Anybody who claims to 'not want money in politics' doesn't understand politics.; 1/10/25, 4:05 PM
Shouting Thomas said...: I don’t know. It’s supposed to make me, a Trump supporter, mad, I guess, but I’m not. The New Yorker was, after all, one of the worst villains pushing the Russia collusion hoax. It’s quite obviously a conduit for Intel propaganda. I haven’t been impressed by cleverness in graphic presentation for a long time. The real bitch against Musk is that he cleaned out the nest of Intel agents in the censor department at Twitter, and allowed free speech.; 1/10/25, 4:23 PM
Martin said...: They are trying to sow discord into the Trump et. al. coalition.; 1/10/25, 4:27 PM
Drago said...: The other thing Elon did that pissed off the Dem/left/ChiCom alliance is he single-handedly crushed the ChiCom's ability to dominate the global satelite launch business, and nothing pisses off our resident lefties than having their ChiCom allies cut out of the pattern. It angers our dems almost, almost, as much as Elon's opposition to the dems pro-groomer policies.; 1/10/25, 4:39 PM
Drago said...: Indeed. Its an already pathetic and, in terms of news cycles, ancient wishful thinking narrative of the left that is attempting to conjure up a "reality" out of thin air that they thinks will serve their purpose. Very much like the hilarious "convicted felon" ploy which hasn't worked for 2 full years now yet the usual Althouse suspects keep going back to it like a child and his security blanket.; 1/10/25, 4:42 PM
Jim at said...: This was a lazy, stupid meme 24 hours after they came up with it. It's still a lazy, stupid meme three weeks later.; 1/10/25, 4:45 PM
D.D. Driver said...: What's more likely? That Biden (who has been a fucking veg his whole life!) was a greedy stooge... or that his stupidity and laissez faire moral made him a great pawn for the actual masterminds. You guys have lost the plot.; 1/10/25, 4:49 PM
Rusty said...: Hey, Howard. You voted for him too. Don't be ashamed to admit it.; 1/10/25, 4:51 PM
Jim at said...: But you all are fine with George Soros or Hollywood millionaires putting money into politics?

You should probably go back and read his comment again. Because that's not what he's saying. He's pointing out the left's hypocrisy on the subject. And so are you.; 1/10/25, 4:51 PM
D.D. Driver said...: Yah. Leland has reading comprehension! Lol.; 1/10/25, 4:52 PM
Mason G said...: "yet the usual Althouse suspects keep going back to it like a child and his security blanket."

You misspelled "a dog and his vomit".

Just sayin'.; 1/10/25, 4:52 PM
Aggie said...: The Left can't meme, but this does elevate their efforts to 'almost'.; 1/10/25, 4:59 PM