Do cartoonists have special rules for drawing Clinton, Obama?

[flowomo]

Interesting question posed to several cartoonists by Pam Platt of the Louisville Courier-Journal. She asks, "If you're an editorial cartoonist, are there any special guidelines or sensitivities when it comes to drawing Clinton and Obama? How do you use exaggeration and caricature with these candidates, who are shattering gender and race ceilings, without falling in to sexist or racist traps?"

The answers she got and more at: http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080210/COLUMNISTS10/802100428/1022

What have you noticed?

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

1. K & R. Those editorial cartoonists are sharp!

:kick:

[Atman]

2. I have a cartoon of Obama titled "The Big Dance."

People on DU freaked out over it. The only thing in my mind when I drew it was Obama hittin' the big time, his appearance dancing with Ellen, good things, or at least not bad things. But yes...DUers chastised me for drawing a black man dancing. You see, it meant I was a racist, and was portraying Obama as nothing but a dancin' Negro.

Here, you can decide...



.

[flowomo]

3. I don't question your motives at all....

but as a former editorial-page editor for a daily newspaper, I wouldn't run it. I just don't think your intent is clear without your explanation -- leaving open the possibility of negative interpretations. For example, I thought that was a sink and vanity behind Obama ("Is he in a bathroom," I wondered). But then I looked and thought again and saw that it was a podium and microphones. A lot of readers won't take that second look. I also wondered what kind of dance he's doing. Probably irrelevant, but again, you can't leave that uncertainty. Just my opinion, offered in the friendliest way.

[DaveJ]

4. You're not alone, I saw it as a bathroom too

I also think it was racially insensitive. Great skill at drawing though.

[Atman]

8. So again, why is it "racially insensitive" to draw a black man dancing?

Black men don't dance? Barack's danced on the Ellen Degeneres show, for cripes sake. It's what in YOUR mind that is causing you to think a dancing black man is "racially insensitive." Would you deem it a racial slur if I showed a picture of a white guy dancing poorly? If not, how come? Barack dances. He's done so at more than one public appearance. And now he's a winner and really has something to dance about. But you'd rather I just draw him standing there smiling? I promise you, someone on DU would say a black man smiling would appear to be racially insensitive.

.

[cali]

9. I like it, Atman!

I like it a lot and I say that as an Obama supporter. I think it's brilliant. god, you're talented.

[kirby]

7. LOL

I thought it was just a cartoon trying to make a point that some call him a 'superstar'. I guess I dont see all the racist hoopla like most people. I usually give people the benefit of the doubt rather than assume a sinister motive.

[BleedingHeartPatriot]

5. Our candidates are looking pretty tame compared to Bush. In most editorial cartoons, Bush's

head is tiny, while his ears are large and his facial features close together and usually lines.

IIRC, he's usually proportionally smaller than anyone around him.

[TexasObserver]

6. They are EDITORIAL cartoonists, and therefore have OPINIONS on TOPICS

I'm thinking this is about free speech and the expression of ideas. Since racism and sexism are often in the eye of the beholder, it stands to reason that some persons will view a cartoon and find it either of those, where another person would not.

We all see what we want to see, more often than not.

Caricature is the essence of cartoonists' political efforts. They draw exaggerated features. For Barack, that means big lips, a big forehead, a tall, skinny body, and a huge smiling grill. For Hillary, it means a big head with bulging eyes, on tiny shoulders and big hips, dressed in a pantsuit.