Hat tip: Grouchy Old Cripple:
Cartoonists draw blank on Obama
After poking fun at George W. Bush for eight years — often drawing him with big ears and a severe overbite, or as a gung-ho Joe College type, or simply as a clueless doofus — political cartoonists are finding Barack Obama a more elusive target.
Bush’s emotive facial expressions, easy-to-caricature physical features and, most of, all his deeply unpopular political decisions were fodder for liberal-leaning cartoonists. But the cool and detached Obama enters the White House at a time of considerable economic anxiety, bolstered by wishes of goodwill even from some political opponents.
“I had all my villains in place for eight years and they’ve been taken away,” lamented Pulitzer Prize winner Pat Oliphant, one of the most widely syndicated cartoonists. “I don’t know that I’ve ever had this experience before, of a president I maybe like. This is an antagonistic art. We’re supposed to concentrate on finding things wrong. There’s no point in drawing a cartoon that’s favorable.”
Amid a worsening recession, there is the question of what appetite exists for ridiculing a chief executive seen as earnestly trying to guide the country toward recovery.
Oh, “woe is me”….and President Bush wasn’t “earnest” in trying to guide this country toward recovery (post-9/11)? Cartoonists, like the late-night (liberal) comedians and producers are having a tough time “finding things wrong” with The One?! Give me a frakkin’ break!
Editorial cartoonists are feeling their way through the uncharted territory, slowly drawing a bead on satire that will singe but not burn.
“It always takes a while to get a handle on new administrations, getting to know the players and working on developing effective caricatures,” said Ann Telnaes, who draws the animated cartoons for Washington Post online and won the 2001 Pulitzer Prize.
President Obama was the media darling for- what? 2 years hitting the campaign trail? And you’re having trouble “getting to know” The Obamessiah effectively enough for caricaturization? Hmmm…these conservative cartoonists didn’t seem to have a problem of doing it one bit:
Can’t find anything funny about Barack Obama?….Heh.
A former fetus, the “wordsmith from nantucket” was born in Phoenix, Arizona in 1968. Adopted at birth, wordsmith grew up a military brat. He achieved his B.A. in English from the University of California, Los Angeles (graduating in the top 97% of his class), where he also competed rings for the UCLA mens gymnastics team. The events of 9/11 woke him from his political slumber and malaise. Currently a personal trainer and gymnastics coach.
The wordsmith has never been to Nantucket.