THE WEEK IN EDITORIAL CARTOONS
This weekly diary takes a look at the past week's important news stories from the perspective of our leading editorial cartoonists (including a few foreign ones) with analysis and commentary added in by me.
When evaluating a cartoon, ask yourself these questions:
- Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?
- Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?
- Is the cartoonist reflecting prevailing public opinion or trying to shape it?
The answers will help determine the effectiveness of the cartoonist's message.
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In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act. George Orwell
Jim Morin, Miami Herald
1. CARTOONS OF THE WEEK
The political system we have was deliberately constructed well over two hundred years ago to not only check political power but also to prevent egregious abuses, common under European monarchies at the time. Long suspected of extra-constitutional activities throughout his tenure, former Vice President Dick Cheney -- who had assumed office in 2001 after a disputed (read stolen) election -- has displayed an arrogant and prickly attitude contemptuous of the laws and traditions of this country. The disdain with which he consistently dismissed such accusations of impropriety was perhaps absent even during the Nixon years.
Of the many ethics breaches, unconstitutional activities, and illegalities uncovered during the Watergate Scandal in the 1970's -- the biggest casualty of the investigation being the resignation of our 37th President, Richard Milhous Nixon -- one important lesson emerged from it all: in the conduct of government business, no one was above the law.
Not even the President of the United States!
In fact, the investigation also led to to the indictment and conviction of many of the top aides to President Nixon, including Attorney General John Mitchell and White House Chief of Staff Bob Haldeman.
The day of reckoning may have finally arrived for this roguish, despicable character that we unfortunately had as the second-highest elected official for eight long years in this country. With late-breaking news yesterday that Cheney had concealed a secret intelligence plan from the U.S. Congress for eight years, we will find out soon the answer to the same question that was definitively answered during the Watergate Scandal: are we a nation of laws and, if so, what will Congress do to affirm that conviction?
No. More. Excuses!
R.J. Matson, Roll Call
Dwane Powell, Raleigh News & Observer
Jimmy Margulies, New Jersey Record
Bruce Plante, Chattanooga Times Free Press
Out in Left Field
John Darkow, Columbia Daily Tribune
M. E. Cohen, Freelance Cartoonist
M. E. Cohen, Freelance Cartoonist
Note: I dug up most of these editorial cartoons from the 2005-2008 period. The information reflected in some of these is even worse for the criminal Bush Regime when analyzed several years later.
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2. CIA Lies and More Lies
To perhaps no one's surprise on this web site, it was revealed earlier this week that the Central Intelligence Agency had not only lied to the U.S. Congress but also withheld information since 2001 that it should have provided to key members of the House Intelligence Committee
House Intelligence Chairman Silvestre Reyes has suggested Republicans would be well advised to avoid politicizing the intelligence authorizaton bill later this week in light of evidence that, he says, shows that the CIA "affirmatively lied to" the panel.
In a Tuesday letter to his committee’s top-ranking Republican, Peter Hoekstra of Michigan, that was obtained by Congressional Quarterly, Reyes, D-Texas, wrote that the committee has recently received information that reveals significant problems with the intelligence agency’s reporting to the panel.
"These notifications have led me to conclude this committee has been misled, has not been provided full and complete notifications, and (in at least one occasion) was affirmatively lied to," Reyes wrote.
Read more about this story in Congressional Quarterly
Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press
Paul Szep, Creators Syndicate
Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com
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3. As the GOP Turns: H-Y-P-O-C-R-I-S-Y
Brooks: GOP Senator Touched My Inner Thigh
Times columnist David Brooks says he has first-hand knowledge of senatorial libidos — referencing an unnamed, presumably male Republican Senator who planted a hand near his personal no-fly zone.
Brooks had MSNBC's John Harwood leaping out of his seat earlier today:
BROOKS: You know, all three of us spend a lot of time covering politicians and I don’t know about you guys, but in my view, they’re all emotional freaks of one sort or another. They’re guaranteed to invade your personal space, touch you. I sat next to a Republican senator once at dinner and he had his hand on my inner thigh the whole time. I was like, ehh, get me out of here.
HARWOOD: What?
BROOKS: I can only imagine what happens to you guys.
O’DONNELL: Sorry, who was that?
BROOKS: I’m not telling you, I’m not telling you.
David Horsey, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press
Note: cartoon submitted by Kossack Sandy on Signal.
Ben Sargent, Universal Press Syndicate
Rick McKee, Augusta Chronicle (GA)
Chip Bok, Akron Beacon-Journal
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4. Sarah, John, and Mark: Three's Company
With the NBA and NHL seasons recently over and professional/college football games a few weeks away, the terrific trio of Governor Sarah Palin (R-AK), Senator John Ensign (R-NV), and Governor Mark Sanford (R-SC) have filled in admirably to provide daily thrills for all of us. Every day reveals a new twist and another turn which exacerbates the Republican Party's task of making a political comeback.
Who said these were the dog days of summer?
J.D. Crowe, Mobile Register
Trading Places
Mike Lester, Rome News-Tribune (GA)
David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Daily Star
Jim Morin, Miami Herald
Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
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Note: See more Bailin' Palin cartoons in this diary I wrote a few days ago, iQuit: For Palin, The Hits Just Keep on Coming.
Gold Rush In Alaska
When you're up to your waders in barracuda, blame the media.
And quit your job.
And say you did it for the people.
And hire an agent.
And try to keep a straight face.
On your way to the bank.
Nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American public, H.L. Mencken once said. Terribly elitist fellow, that Mencken. If only he were alive to witness the phenomenon of Sarah Palin, whose biography validates every cynical thought that ever found expression in his prolific prose...
As a public speaker, Palin will be golden. Other rumors circulating suggest a television show, a possible newspaper column (but remember, Palin hates the mainstream media), and fundraising gigs where the erstwhile vice presidential candidate can retain her hot spot on center stage.
If that is altruism, there's a lakeside house in Wasilla with a fabulous view of Russia you're just gonna love.
Gary Varvel, Indianapolis Star
Steve Sack, Minneapolis Star-Tribune
Nick Anderson, Houston Chronicle
Ed Stein, United Media
David Horsey, Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Jeff Stahler, Columbus Dispatch
R.J. Matson, St. Louis Post Dispatch
Dana Summers, Orlando Sentinel
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Read more in the following stories:
- Ensign O' The Times in National Journal.
- Ensign's Apology to Mistress in the Las Vegas Sun.
- Ensign's Mistress Paid $100K in Politico.
- Pressure Grows on Ensign in Political Wire.
- Reading Between the Lines of Palin's Book in Political Wire.
- 'Palin Still Has Deep Base of Support' in a new USA Today/Gallup poll as reported by Gallup.
- Renegade or Train Wreck? in Time magazine and the New York Daily News.
- 'Palin Blames Obama for Troubles' in Time magazine.
- Peggy Noonan's 'A Farewell to Harms' in the Wall Street Journal.
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5. From Russia With Love and Obama's Excellent Adventure
President Barack Obama took a multi-country trip which involved a nuclear weapons reduction deal in Russia, attending the minimalist G-8 Summit (as BBC News referred to it) in Rome, having an audience with Pope Benedict, and delivering an anti-corruption speech in Ghana
Kevin Kallaugher (KAL), The Economist (U.K.)
Alexandr Zudin, Obshaya Gazeta (St. Petersburg, Russia)
Jeff Koterba, Omaha World Herald
Chris Britt, State Journal-Register (IL)
R.J. Matson, St. Louis Post Dispatch
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6. Issues of the Day: Economy, Healthcare, and Climate Change
Obama's approval ratings and confidence in his leadership abilities remains high but reviving the economy, enacting meaningful healthcare reform, and passing Climate Change legislation remains at the top of his domestic agenda.
What are the prospects for success for these three major issues of concern to the average person?
The next six months will be a crucial time for the White House and for both political parties.
While the nation’s economic problems have not been resolved, there is now a general sense among many, certainly in the public at large, that things have stabilized...
If the outlook for climate legislation is uncertain, the prospect of Congress producing a broadly acceptable health care reform bill that will fundamentally alter the nation’s health care system is even cloudier.
That’s not to say Congress won’t pass something in both areas, only that it’s still quite possible the president and Democratic Congressional leaders may ultimately have to accept half a loaf if they want something at all.
Lloyd Dangle, Troubletown
Ben Sargent, Universal Press Syndicate
Tony Auth, Philadelphia Inquirer
Dan Wasserman, Boston Globe
Mike Luckovich, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune
Bill Day, Memphis Commercial-Appeal
Mike Lane, Baltimore Sun
Dan Wasserman, Boston Globe
Tony Auth, Philadelphia Inquirer
"We fail far more often by timidity than by over-daring." David Gayson
Ted Rall, Universal Press Syndicate
Bob Englehart, Hartford Courant
Mike Lane, Baltimore Sun
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7. Trouble Brewing in Iran, China, and Afghanistan
Cam Cardow, Ottawa Citizen
Signe Wilkinson, Philadelphia Daily News
Peter Bromhead, Dominion-Post (Wellington, NZ)
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8. One of the Best and the Brightest: Robert McNamara
By most standards, Robert McNamara was a brilliant individual. Even though he was President of Ford Motors, Secretary of Defense, and Head of the World Bank, he will be most remembered as being the "architect" of the disaster that was the Vietnam War.
To his credit, he recognized his mistakes late in life and for that, he should be applauded. Will anyone in the Bush Regime follow his lead in doing so? I seriously doubt it.
Read these comments after McNamara's death by Tom Hayden, Jimmy Carter, Henry Kissinger, Doris Kearns Goodwin, and others in this Washington Post article
Pat Oliphant, Universal Press Syndicate
Mark Streeter, Savannah Morning News
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9. A Resurgent General Motors?
General Motors, which emerged from bankruptcy on Friday, now must tackle its next thorny problem — its own management team.
Story continues in this New York Times article
Henry Payne, Detroit News
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10. Gone But Perhaps Not Forgotten by The Mainstream Media: Michael Jackson
Now that the Jackson Funeral is over, will the media let go of this story? Or, not unlike the O.J. Simpson saga, will we have to endure months, even years of speculative reporting? That Jackson was a brilliantly talented entertainer is not much in dispute. Still, aren't issues more relevant to our lives (such as the economy, healthcare, Iran, Afghanistan, and Climate Change) worthy of greater media coverage?
Kevin Siers, Charlotte Observer
Stuart Carlson, Universal Press Syndicate
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11. Final Thoughts
Finally, in a story as outrageous as Dick Cheney's arrogance and behavior, insurance giant AIG is considering offering millions in additional bonuses to its incompetent executives. This after receiving over $180 billion in federal bailout money.
Stuart Carlson, Universal Press Syndicate
Read more on this story in the Atlantic Monthly
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A Note About the Diary Poll
As much as I like reading political blogs, newspapers, magazines, and journals online, for me nothing beats reading the daily newspaper over coffee in the morning. It is sad to see so many newspapers folding and going under.
What did Thomas Jefferson say about newspapers and government? He actually said a lot about freedom of the press.
All the News You Can Use
Matt Bors, Idiot Box