The cover of the latest issue of The New Yorker has caused a lot of consternation among liberals and political progressives. Staff artist Barry Blitt portrayed Barack and Michelle Obama as revolutionaries whose true nature will reveal itself only after they are fist-bumping in the White House under a portrait of Osama bin Laden.

The New Yorker's editor defended the cover as a satire on the rumors spread on the Internet by the right wing that Mr. Obama is a Muslim and his wife hates America. The rumors aren't true, but a minority of inattentive Americans believe otherwise.

It is feared, especially in Democratic circles, that The New Yorker cover pours accelerant on biases that are already burning. Those who are most outraged fear that the humor will be lost on too many readers who don't understand satire. That's selling the American public short.

It's true that some will misunderstand the magazine's intent, but the controversy accomplishes a very good thing for the Obama campaign -- it gives these absurd rumors about the candidate a thorough public airing.

If a minority of voters choose to believe the rumors after this week, then they are willfully stupid. What's the point of coveting their vote?