Obama Poster Artist Arrested

Artist tried to conceal mistake with false evidence

(NEWSER) - An unexpected twist in the Shepard Fairey copyright fight: The artist admits that he lied about which AP photo he used for his Obama Hope poster and submitted fake evidence to support his claim. His lawyers have now dropped him as the legal fight continues. "I am very sorry to have hurt and disappointed colleagues, friends, and family," said Fairey, who added that his actions shouldn't detract from the larger issue of an artist's right to fair use. More»

(NEWSER) - Street artist Shephard Fairey plead guilty today to three counts of vandalism for displaying stickers and posters around Boston without permission, the Globe reports. He must pay a fine and is prohibited from carrying the tools of his trade—like wheat paste and brushes—in the county for 2 years. Fairey is most famous for his Obama “Hope” poster, though his trademark image is a stenciled likeness of wrestler Andre the Giant and the word “Obey.” More»

LA graphic designer says image boosted power of art

(NEWSER) - The iconic Hope image of Barack Obama helped get the Illinois senator elected president, says the graphic designer who created the image. “It has exceeded my expectations almost from the get-go,” Shepard Fairey told Smithsonian magazine, adding that Obama’s “unique” look was an inspiration for him and the public. “That it’s not just another 65-year-old white guy helps.” More»

(NEWSER) - The campaigns would have you believe that lots of states are still in play, but only five really matter at this point, writes Nate Silver at FiveThirtyEight.com. They are Pennsylvania, Virginia, Colorado, Nevada, and Ohio. Silver emphasizes that "by far the most likely scenario" is that Barack Obama will cruise to victory with somewhere between 300 and 400 electoral votes. But if the national polls tighten—and he doesn't think they will—some combination of these five states will decide the day. More»

'Core point' correct that president will be tested no matter who wins

(NEWSER) - Barack Obama sought to blunt criticism of Joe Biden today, saying that though his running mate “engages in rhetorical flourishes,” he was right in saying “the next administration is going to be tested, regardless of who it is,” reports the Chicago Tribune. Critics in the McCain campaign had used Biden’s prediction of imminent international crises to underscore Obama’s foreign-policy inexperience. More»