Bush is elitist. He comes from monied Kennebunkport and is a phony Texan. John McCain is elistist (ties in with rich corporations). The GOP has always been elitist and never on the side of the working person recently, except for maybe Eisenhower. The GOP is composed of elitist union busters.

Obama is not elitist but earned his stripes in the hard South side of Chicago. The idea that he is elitist is Republican bullshit.

The New Yorker cover may be a "weapons of mass deception" to avert the attention
to the "endless war syndrome" being advocated by the Pentagon and the current
lack of government in the US.

Whether it's impact will be negative remains to be seen.

It may have helped the New Yorker subscription inadvertently.

I think that this is not the time for satire. The public is too uninformed to appreciate it.
The negative campaigning and ad hominem attacks attacks on public officials or candidates make it a poor timing for this New Yorker cover.