The Washington Post’s Philip Kennicott had an interesting take on the flap over the surfacing of a photo of Obama dressed in African garb that relates directly to our new media world. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/25/AR2008022502784.html?referrer=emailarticle

His points about the altering of the potential power of “smear” photos by the Internet and digital photography are well taken and worth some consideration, if not discussion.

 It is so much easier to circulate (and manipulate) photos etc, but that ease seems to also soften the potential sting.   And when it surfaces quickly with little fanfare, it does raise deeper questions about the motivation of those who released it. Really turns the scrutiny back on them.

And Kennicott makes a very astute analogy at the end about the photo’s release as a parable of the two campaigns.   As a bonus, be sure to click on the slide show.

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Just as can be seen in the Dove Evolution commercial, we are living in the flood of manipulated images.

But fortunately many people know the image they are seeing may not be real these days.

They are actually enjoying the distorted images. (Just look at this Dove Evolution Parody!!)

As said in TC’s aforlinked report, the increasing sophistication in the public's ability to manipulate images has diluted the power of any single image. It also made people always doubt of what they are seeing in the Internet.

That is, users do not gather information from any single source anymore.

Now, their knowledge is collective from diverse sources.

And the most important thing to notice may bethat people are enjoying it.

It is certain that this is both challenge and opportunity for political campaign makers.