Cartoons: Gingrich, Trump, Pawlenty -- they coulda been contenders?
Political wannabes and has-beens constantly test the winds and dip their toes in the water. Then they weather the inevitable storm of criticism from home-state cartoonists who knew them when. To Atlanta's Mike Luckovich, Newt Gingrich is no peach -- a candidate with legs, maybe, but twice-divorced from reality. Jersey boy Jimmy Margulies fired off a dismissal of The Donald's presidential casting call, panning the Palin reality show in the process. And Steve Sack saw only the lighter side of Minnesota's favorite son, refusing to toot the horn of (groan) Pawlenty.
-- Joel Pett
Editorial cartoon by Mike Luckovich / Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Editorial cartoon by Jimmy Margulies / Kings Feature Syndicate
Editorial cartoon by Steve Sack / Minneapolis Star-Tribune
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Joel Pett is the Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist for the Lexington Herald-Leader in Kentucky. His work also appears in USA Today.
Pawlenty,
He cuts budgets and large bridges fall and his state's football stadium collapses.
Considering our economic status I don't think we can afford a guy who will run the country like he is planning the next space shuttle disaster.
Brian
Posted by: Brian Richards | March 11, 2011 at 07:48 PM
Addressing Brian Richards comment: Get your facts straight. It is well-documented that the collapse of the bridge in Mpls was due to a design flaw. When the Metrodome was built, Tim Pawlenty wasn't even in politics and the worst blizzard in twenty years certainly is not a body that can be laid at his door.
In the midst of radical Republicans with high-powered and volatile rhetoric, Pawlenty is a breath of fresh air with his calming controlled style.
Posted by: Ivan | March 12, 2011 at 06:09 AM
Hi Joel gee whatta ya know no dem being mocked hmm how come?
How 'bout one showin' Joey Biden using four letter words with his hair plugs'a blown' in the wind?'
Michael 'Michelle' Moore changing into his costume (t-shirt, baseball cap, three day growth of beard and his 'no bath bouquet') outside the university hall before he rips capitalism?
One you really should have nailed was Jonnie Edwards 'the Breck boy' grinnin' cause he thinks someone else will take the fall - hey that's what all dems do - from 'Jack our Jack' - bro 'Teddy' - rapist Kllintonska on and on
Posted by: rusoviet | March 12, 2011 at 12:24 PM
A politician is a like lawyer who represents himself, except he may not be a lawyer and we may be the clients.
Posted by: Michael | March 13, 2011 at 08:07 AM
Why should I do this? I've never seen any of my posts/comments/replies show up on y0ur site.
Posted by: leslie piper | March 13, 2011 at 01:58 PM
How often do you see a candidate from the Left ridiculed in such a manner? You don't.
Just another explanation how we ended up with an inexperienced kid with no functional foreign, domestic, energy, educational, budgetary, business, or health care policy in charge.
Posted by: Big JIm Slade | March 14, 2011 at 08:19 AM
Ivan has never been to Minnesota then. As a life long California resident, I moved out here a few years ago and this is what I can say about Pawlenty.
First off, every year in Minnesota we spent too much and had to have emergency sessions to balance the budget. Even Jesse had a balanced budget in this state, Pawlenty could never get it done. Then it was well noted that the bridge was reviewed before the collapse, and there were warnings about it. Not surprisingly, after the bridge collapse Pawlenty tried to cover his butt but it was out there, he knew the bridge was defective and never acted on it. Now the state was forced to review all bridges again and fix the ones that are trouble, which turned out to be many.
Bottom line, if he ran, I highly doubt he'd even win his own state against Obama.
Posted by: Martin Olague | March 14, 2011 at 12:07 PM
Most candidates for president, it is not about actually wanting to be president...it is more about having "US Presidential Candiate" on their resume so they can line up lucrative speaking gigs for the rest of their life.
Gringrich knows he can't win, but his ego won't let others (like Palin) suck all the $$ out of the GOP speaking circuit.
Pawlenty is a boring lightweight...obviously. He's looking to be a VP choice at best, but more likely score a cabinet position if a Republican does win in 2012.
Trump...it's all about expanding his brand. While I would think he would be good to have in an administration for negotiating trade deals with other countries...he's too much of a coward to actually take on a role like "President of the United States".
Posted by: Mulholland | March 14, 2011 at 01:02 PM
Ah, Newt Gingrich ..... the man who has had three religions, three wives and now sports three chins..........
Posted by: The O of Delphi | March 14, 2011 at 01:33 PM
No man is a hero to his valet.
Posted by: Colin Flaherty -- San Diego public relations guy | March 14, 2011 at 02:50 PM