The Week in Editorial Cartoons – Comedy Central Presents… Michele Bachmann

(9 pm. – promoted by ek hornbeck)

Crossposted at Daily Kos and Docudharma

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:

1. Does a cartoon add to my existing knowledge base and help crystallize my thinking about the issue depicted?

2. Does the cartoonist have any obvious biases that distort reality?

3. 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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INTRODUCTION

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Lowe doesn’t think much of Michele Bachmann and considers her a mini-me version of Sarah Palin

Just as we are becoming oversaturated with Sarah Palin, her tweets, her Facebook postings, her bull’s-eyes, her surveyor’s marks, her book signings, her narcissism, we learn that — like a female version of John the Baptist — she has only been preparing the way for one to follow.

For a couple of years now, Michele Bachmann has lurked on the lunatic fringe, not exactly a household name.  But she whose unabashed and unapologetic verbal bombs make Ms. Palin, by comparison, seem like a model of statesmanship is about to catapult herself onto the national stage in the form of a Tea Party (she is its self-proclaimed Grande Dame) rebuttal to both the President and the Republican establishment…

It’s hard to top calling for a federal investigation of the subversive, anti-patriotic tendencies of Democrats in Congress, but if Ms. Bachmann really wants to run for president, as she has been hinting, she’ll have to one-up herself and deliver the cheesecake.  Like all good politicians, Ms. Bachmann is fully aware that her real enemy is audience boredom.

As for Sarah Palin, we thank her for softening up the American people so that they can truly appreciate Rep. Bachmann’s gifts.  Nevertheless, she’s had more than her fifteen minutes, and her act has gone stale.  It’s time for her to take her millions and shuffle off into the obscurity she so well deserves… there’s a new girl in town.

Given how intensely they are hyped, most State of the Union speeches are largely forgotten within a few days.  Imagine if you are the patsy who has to give a response to this speech but absent the nation’s attention and the majesty of the House chamber on Capitol Hill.  

Now imagine if your speech is the (kinda) response to the response.  Well, let Daryl Cagle of Cagle Cartoons explain it

Find a politician who hangs out on the fringe and says crazy things (like the founding fathers ended slavery), and you’ll often find a local political cartoonist making a living lampooning her.

Bachmann has the misfortune of sharing a state with the talented Steve Sack, the terrific cartoonist at the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.  Steve has been a long-time contributor on Cagle.com, and we thought in light of Bachmann’s remarks tonight to share some of his funniest cartoons about the right’s second-favorite female politician.

Steve Sack, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Buy these cartoons

Click this link to see larger cartoon images

I have deliberately kept my commentary to a minimum in this diary as many of these exquisite cartoons speak quite loudly and clearly.  I literally have hundreds of never-posted editorial cartoons and posted 10-15 more cartoons in the comments section of this diary over at Daily Kos.  

Comments encouraged.  Hope you enjoy this week’s edition.  

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1. Cartoons of the Week

Brainwashing Unpatriotic Nutrition Plan by Clay Jones, Freelance-Star (Fredericksburg, VA), Buy this cartoon

It’s not a secret I’m no big fan of Fox News.  I think it’s irresponsible, reckless and dangerous to the country by giving out misinformation.  In the past there were bumper stickers that read “annoy the media.  Vote Republican.”  Well now the media is Republican as Fox News leads the way with viewers, which is another consternation of mine.  Why does the majority of people who watch news choose a source that’s so biased?

People argue that it balances out since CNN, MSNBC, ABC and CBS are so biased.  No it doesn’t balance out.

— While not a huge fan of Keith Olbermann, Jones has a strong dislike for Fox News, a “news” organization he has graphically mocked on many occasions in the past

Strong Personality by Nick Anderson, see reader comments in the Houston Chronicle

Jeff Darcy, Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Buy this cartoon

Sarah Palin in the Crosshairs by Taylor Jones, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon

Martyn Turner, Irish Times (Ireland), Buy this cartoon

Mike Luckovich, Comics.com (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

Jeff Danziger, Yahoo Comics/New York Times Syndicate and Joe Lieberman by Taylor Jones, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon  

(click link to enlarge cartoon)

Joe Lieberman Monument by Andy Singer, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon  

Guns & Ammo by Clay Bennett, Comics.com, see the large number of reader comments in the Chattanooga Times Free Press

Arizona Gun Laws by Bob Englehart, see reader comments in the Hartford Courant, Buy this cartoon

I hope an investigation sheds light on how that Tucson killer was able to buy a gun.  He has a long record of disturbing behavior behind him.  Don’t they keep track of the nut cases in Arizona, or would it be too much to ask for.  

— Englehart recognizing loopholes in existing laws and calling for states to improve background checks on potential gun buyers who are mentally unstable

Steele-Toe Shoes by Nate Beeler, Washington Examiner, Buy this cartoon

Jeff Danziger, Yahoo Comics/New York Times Syndicate

(click link to enlarge cartoon)

The House GOP’s First Act of Recklessness by Chris Britt, Comics.com, see reader comments in the State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

Damien Glez, Journal du Jeudi (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso), Buy this cartoon

Tunisian Dictator Overthrown by Arend van Dam (The Netherlands), Buy this cartoon

Emanuel Court Ruling by Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon

Scott Stantis, Comics.com (Chicago Tribune)

Hu Jintao in America by Patrick Chappatte, International Herald Tribune, Buy this cartoon

Rob Rogers, Comics.com (Pittsburgh Post-Gazette)

President Hu of China is in town for a big state dinner at the White House.  The sad thing is, we’re probably using money we borrowed from China to pull the whole thing off.

— Rogers stating the obvious, i.e., China holds a large amount of U.S. debt and, thus, that makes it difficult for many Americans to, say, lecture China on other issues of concern like human rights abuses

Obama and Hu Playing Poker by Riber Hansson (Sweden), Buy this cartoon

Polar Bears by Bob Englehart, see reader comments in the Hartford Courant, Buy this cartoon

Gas Price Formula by Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon

Baby Doc Comes Home by Randall Enos, Cagle Cartoons, Buy this cartoon

Baby Doc Duvalier by Jimmy Margulies, New Jersey Record, Buy this cartoon

Jeff Darcy, Cleveland Plain-Dealer, Buy this cartoon

Rex Babin, Sacramento Bee, Buy this cartoon

Mama Griz by David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Star, Buy this cartoon

Tim Eagan, Deep Cover, Buy this cartoon

Chasm by David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Star, Buy this cartoon

Steve Benson, Comics.com (Arizona Republic)

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2. More on the SOTU Speech: Who’s Crying Now

Speaker Boehner by Clay Bennett, Comics.com, see reader comments in the Chattanooga Times Free Press

The U.S. House of Representatives has become the Theater of the Absurd, starring John of Orange, aka ‘The Weeper.’  Can anyone describe a scenario where the new Speaker of the House would ever introduce a bill that would actually help out working class people?  How about a bill that would address unemployment? Job creation was a favorite republican political mantra last Fall.

Can you think of one proposal the GOP is currently kicking around that would not benefit millionaires or mult-national corporations?  Hell no, you can’t.

Political Discourse by David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Star, Buy this cartoon

David Horsey, see reader comments in the

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

(click link to enlarge cartoon)

Spending Freeze by Nick Anderson, Comics.com, see reader comments in the Houston Chronicle

Mike Luckovich, Comics.com (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)

The Report by Clay Bennett, Comics.com, see reader comments in the Chattanooga Times Free Press

Jeff Koterba, Omaha World Herald, Buy this cartoon

Sputnik Moment by RJ Matson, St. Louis Post Dispatch, Buy this cartoon

The New Congressional Civility by Bruce Plante, see the large number of reader comments in Tulsa World, Buy this cartoon

Super Serious Sarah by Milt Priggee, www.miltpriggee.com, Buy this cartoon

Paul Szep, Comics.com

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3. Super Bowl Shuffle: Congratulations to the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers

Scott Stantis, Comics.com (Chicago Tribune)

Scott Stantis, Comics.com (Chicago Tribune)

There’s always next year, Bears by Chris Britt, Comics.com, see reader comments in the State Journal-Register (Springfield, IL)

Smash Talk by Rob Rogers, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Buy this cartoon

Granted, Rex Ryan was much quieter than normal during the week between the Patriots and the Steelers.  Why… who knows?  But for an entire season (and more if you watched the HBO reality show) we’ve been hearing him go on and on about the Jets winning the Super Bowl and trash-talking everybody else.  I understand that some of that stuff is part of the game.  But it gets old after a while.

— Rogers himself engaging in a bit of trash talk after his Steelers made it to the Super Bowl for (along with the Dallas Cowboys) a record-tying 8th time

Steelers Vs the Jets by Randy Bish, Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, Buy this cartoon

Jets Fans by Jimmy Margulies, New Jersey Record, Buy this cartoon

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4. RIP Sargent Shriver (1915-2011), Jack LaLanne (1914-2011), and Remembering Christa McAuliffe (1948-1986)

Sargent Shriver by Steve Greenberg, Freelance Cartoonist (Los Angeles, CA), Buy this cartoon

Deb Milbrath, milbrathdraws.com

(click cartoon to enlarge it)

Jeff Stahler, Comics.com (Columbus Dispatch)

Mark Streeter, Savannah Morning News, Buy this cartoon

Christa McAuliffe Tribute by Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon

Christa McAuliffe Illustration by Dave Granlund, Politicalcartoons.com, Buy this cartoon

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5. Final Thoughts

Jeff Koterba, Omaha World Herald, Buy this cartoon

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In the Garden of Eden, do you wonder if Adam and Eve ever talked about the forbidden fruit?  Given that they were tekkies, I bet the chit chat even included some mention of Steve Jobs.  Maybe even of the dreaded DK4!

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A Note About the Diary Poll

There have been many great speeches given over the course of history.  What makes for a memorable speech?

These speeches lifted hearts in dark times, gave hope in despair, refined the characters of men, inspired brave feats, gave courage to the weary, honored the dead, and changed the course of history…

Great oratory has three components: style, substance, and impact.

Style: A great speech must be masterfully constructed. The best orators are masters of both the written and spoken word, and use words to create texts that are beautiful to both hear and read.

Substance: A speech may be flowery and charismatically presented, and yet lack any true substance at all. Great oratory must center on a worthy theme; it must appeal to and inspire the audience’s finest values and ideals.

Impact: Great oratory always seeks to persuade the audience of some fact or idea. The very best speeches change hearts and minds and seem as revelatory several decades or centuries removed as when they were first given.

I have only included a few of history’s great speeches and addresses in the diary poll.  It is not the definitive list of its kind.  If your favorite one is missing, mention it in the comments section.  And you might even be able to find it on one of these lists

• American Rhetoric: Top 100 Speeches of the 20th Century
• Great Speeches Collection
• The 35 Greatest Speeches in History
• Famous Speeches in History

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