Photo Op '08: What's Your Sign?

With Super Tuesday tomorrow, presidential candidates are jostling for the all-important art and design vote. Well, not really, but we can dream. Barack Obama managed to get an endorsement from graphic artist Shepard Fairey of Obey Giant Art in the form of a way-too-cool poster design. Fairley's poster and more very hip Obama graphics appeared in this photo by Valierie Macon of AFP.

Speaking of campaign visuals, check out the photos above (by Whitney Curtis of the AP, left, and John Gress of Reuters). Is Mitt Romney's campaign shamelessly copying Obama's graphic identity or what?

- At the end of this post, check out my list of press pool photographers for each of the major candidates, as well as our weekly charts tracking photo coverage. You'll see that John McCain, who at one point was nearly written off by the press, is finally getting respect in the form of vast volumes of news photographs. Yet it's still not as much coverage as the Democratic candidates.

- McCain finally made the cover of Newsweek this week with a portrait by Karen Pearson (and an archival photo).

- Hillary Clinton looks to be cheering for the New York Giants (who technically play outside of her home state, in New Jersey).

- Mike Huckabee: Last seen playing guitar, stumping with Chuck, failing to win.

- Recognize any of the photographers in this picture?

- Here is my effort to identify the press pools currently traveling with the remaining major candidates.  There are many more who are covering the campaign (including the political photographers for the newsweeklies), but a relatively small number actually on the candidates' planes. Apologies in advance for any oversights – e-mail dlang@pdnonline.com with any additions.

Clinton
Elise Amendola, AP   
Robyn Beck, AFP
Brian Snyder, Reuters   
Justin Sullivan, Getty
Todd Heisler, The New York Times

Obama
Charles Rex Arbogast, AP
Emmanuel Dunand, AFP
Jason Reed, Reuters
Chip Somodevilla, Getty
Damon Winter, The New York Times

McCain
Charles Dharapak, AP
Don Emmert, AFP
Jim Young, Reuters
Mario Tama, Getty
Stephen Crowley, The New York Times

Romney
LM Otero, AP
Joe Raedle, Getty
Richard Perry, The New York Times

- And here are this week's coverage charts (methodology). Goodbye John Edwards, farewell Rudy Giuliani. It's been real.