David Cordero's Obama Jesus

It's Holy Week so that means Christians and Christianity are targets.

It's almost become a tradition, a sideshow accompanying the most Holy season when Christians observe the passion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

We've already had the Chocolate Jesus.

Now, it's the Obama Jesus.


A smiling, life-sized sculpture of Barack Obama with a blue neon halo circling his head is seen, Monday, April 2, 2007, in Chicago. The work by School of the Art Institute of Chicago senior David Cordero, made for his senior show, has the phones ringing at the Chicago school as word spreads of the undergrad's work depicting Obama as a messianic figure. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)

CHICAGO -- He wears Jesus' robes and a neon blue halo, looks like Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama and is causing a stir at a Chicago art school. An undergraduate student's papier mache sculpture of Obama as a messianic figure — entitled "Blessing" — went on display Saturday at a downtown gallery run by the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

Again, why Holy Week?

Why not put the work on display some other week?

It's difficult to believe that the timing isn't intentional.

...David Cordero, 24, made the sculpture for his senior show after noticing all the attention Obama has received since he first hinted he may run for the presidency.

"All of this is a response to what I've been witnessing and hearing, this idea that Barack is sort of a potential savior that might come and absolve the country of all its sins," Cordero said. "In a lot of ways it's about caution in assigning all these inflated expectations on one individual, and expecting them to change something that many hands have shaped."

I can understand Cordero's point and his artistic statement.

But he and the school need to understand that people offended by Cordero's work have the right to express themselves as well.

Obama's campaign worked Monday to distance the Illinois senator from the artwork.

"While we respect First Amendment rights and don't think the artist was trying to be offensive, Senator Obama, as a rule, isn't a fan of art that offends religious sensibilities," said Obama spokeswoman Jen Psaki.

I wonder how long it took for the Obama campaign to come up with a suitable response.

Obama is striking the right tone, at least partially. He's got it about half right.

It's not his fault that Cordero created the Obama Jesus. It's not like Obama posed for the guy.

Nevertheless, how Obama responds to it is his responsibility.

Obama should have included in the statement that he's not in the same league as Jesus when it comes to saviors.

In the end, I think an inflated ego may be Obama's downfall.

I know Jesus. Jesus is a friend of mine. Obama, you're no Jesus.

Cordero said the school had fielded plenty of calls about his work, "some of them from angry people." He also said he had heard from a few potential buyers.

A few buyers?

Let me guess--

Oprah

George Clooney

Barack Obama

Those are all possibilities.

From another angle, it could be Hillary who's trying to buy the Obama Jesus. She'd probably like to use it as a voodoo doll.

I bet Hillary's jealous that Cordero didn't dress her as Jesus.

She shouldn't be too upset. She has inspired artists before.

Do you recall Daniel Edwards' creation, "The Presidential Bust of Hillary Rodham Clinton: The First Woman President of the United States"?

It was displayed at the Museum of Sex in Manhattan.



That is ghastly; but I digress.

In my opinion, Cordero's piece is not impressive. It looks like a G.I. Joe, not Obama.

Bottom Line-- I wish these "artists" would lay off during Holy Week, out of respect for Christians and the Son of God.