The Obama campaign's new re-election slogan for 2012 is "Forward." It's related to MSNBC's "Lean Forward," and, of course, to Mao Zedong's "Great Leap Forward," which had the opposite result.

The seven-minute video accompanying the release of the new slogan revisits the familiar argument that Barack Obama inherited a mess--and that he is responsible for signs of progress in the economy. We can go forward--or give up all of that progress (such as it is) by putting a Republican back in the White House.

Animal Farm isn't really that great since the pigs took over--but you don't want Farmer Brown back, do you?

The communist themes of the "forward" slogan are not the first time a member of the Obama team has expressed admiration for Chairman Mao. Former White House communications director Anita Dunn--who has continued to advise the White House after she left in 2009--famously listed Mao as one of her "favorite philosophers."

Perhaps President Obama would have done better to take campaign advice from his friend and White House guest, Paul McCartney: as the Beatles once said: "But when you go carryin' pictures of Chairman Mao/You aint' gonna make it with anyone anyhow."

Poster source: Chineseposters.net