Tacky Stuff: Current Events

Let me be clear: Michelle Obama is not tacky. I'm slightly obsessed with her fashion sense, her alma maters and how well-adjusted her children seem. I think she's smart and great. What is not smart and great is US weekly. US weekly, this week, is tacky (that is, more tacky than its normally acceptable hum of tackiness).

The problem? President Barack Obama was in this picture. He goes on the right where you see that unclaimed swatch of of white fabric. Where is he on this cover? Cabinet meeting? G8 Summit? Alfalfa club dinner? Using the White House basketball court? No. He's under Jessica Simpson's mom-jeans. US WEEKLY CROPPED OUT THE PRESIDENT TO CALL JSIMP FAT ON THE COVER OF THE MAGAZINE.

I'll repeat, the magazine cropped out the president to call a woman fat on the cover of the magazine. Its tacky to crop a man out of a family picture. Its tacky to call women fat. Its tacky to call a woman fat while publishing a wholesome article on a wholesome family. There is not enough expressions of tackiness to cover this one.