GQ December 2008 : Men of the Year by Mark Seliger

[kimair]

Time is being coy about the inevitable naming of Barack Obama as Person of the Year, but GQ is all set to unveil its choice. The president-elect appears on the December cover as a Man of the Year, though he has to share in a rotation with Michael Phelps (that other winner this year), Leonardo DiCaprio and Jon Hamm of “Mad Men.” The tribute to Obama is written by Sen. Ted Kennedy, who endorsed Obama for the Democratic nomination at a crucial stage.

Some titles (including GQ rival Esquire) have made do with pick-up art throughout the campaign season and since Obama won, but GQ sent Mark Seliger to join the candidate’s press corps and hope for two minutes access. He got just under that time in Philadelphia, shooting Obama in front of a white sheet hung in a doorway after a rally. “It was very guerrilla,” Seliger told WWD.

GQ put Obama on its cover in September 2007, selling 245,105 copies on the newsstand, slightly down from the comparable issue in 2006. In the story, chief strategist David Axelrod told Ryan Lizza, “Frankly, I could do with fewer cover stories generally....It can get overdone. This is a really profound guy in many ways, and you don’t want him trivialized.” These days, Obama has created his own newsstand bounce among weeklies and commemorative editions bearing his face.

Compared to the more boyish and eager cover last year, Seliger said, “I think he looks really like a man. He looks a little bit more mature and he certainly looks wiser and strong.”

One of last year’s Men of the Year was Bill Clinton, who reportedly threatened to yank access if GQ did not kill an unfavorable story by Joshua Green about his wife’s campaign. At the time, GQ editor in chief Jim Nelson told the Washington Post, “I guarantee and promise you, if I’d have had a great Hillary piece, I would have run it.” Much of the material ended up running in The Atlantic, by that point illuminating the internal squabbles that helped derail her campaign.

wwd / november 16, 2008

[TheGlassAngel]

He looks a bit Denzel Washington-ish on the cover

[kahlilg]

those teeth are pearly white

[kroqjock]

There are three additional covers featuring nothing interesting. I read the issue and I swear, I would've fallen asleep right there.

Unless you are a total fan of the awesome President-elect or Leonardo DiCrapio or Michael "Windowlicker" Phelps or John Hamm, expect only absolute disappointment.

[cato.]

^ Oh really? The issue sounds pretty interesting. I'm actually quite curious about it.

[crosidan]

Barack Obama, Aaron Eckhart, Jon Hamm, and Jason Statham? I'M THERE.

[Faith Akiyama]

^Agreed - I'm very fascinated by all the names!

[kevinnn]

he looks... different on that cover idk

[Urban Stylin]

definite best seller!

[Flashbang]

i don't recognize him with that grey hair and different smile..

Phelps's really deserved the title! even though i hope Heath get it too

[bluedolphin]

he looks like white guy

[Moonchild]

Source | Ebay

Jon Hamm looks delicious! The Obama cover is going to sell like hotcakes.

[Bahiyya]

Originally Posted by kevinnn

he looks... different on that cover idk

Yeah. I don't know if it's airbrushing or...or what...but that looks like a very good Obama impersonator. It's weird .

[Luxx]

That cover looks like a composite image of Obama and Denzel Washington, the title should read Barzel Washbama.

I wish they'd gotten Leo, Jon & Obama on one cover.
I also wish Aaron Eckhart got a cover but that's just me. I can live happily without ever seeing Micheal Phelps' face again...

[Miss Dalloway]

Jon looks fantastic and yes Obama looks very different, but still great.