There may be no better way to capture the drama, politics, and tension of the 2008 Democratic primary race than through cartoons. Entertaining, insightful, and clever, the political cartoons in this collection are sharp and humorous companions to an election year otherwise fraught with scandal, slander, and of course, superdelegates.
With an informed reflection on each of the candidates, this cartoon compilation follows the Democratic campaign trail from candidacy announcements in 2006 through its two-person race to the party's nominating convention in Denver. The early Democratic debates among the candidates, from Joe Biden's five-point plan on Iraq to Alaskan senator Mike Gravel's struggle to raise funds, are all explored in this clever collection, not to mention the seemingly endless Hillary-Obama fight for the nomination.
From Dennis Kucinich and UFOs to Obama and Oprah, the cartoons offer a biting and intelligent look at the most important issues facing the country today. From the war in Iraq to immigration, and education and environmental issues, "change" has been on the minds and in the slogans of most candidates in the race for the 2008 Democratic nomination.
Noting the events leading up to and the outcomes of each primary, this collection examines John Edwards' universal health care plan, Bill Richardson's energy policies, Chris Dodd's short but strong run, the Michigan and Florida primary debacles, and of course, the suspenseful spring primary season from Pennsylvania to Oregon. Balancing the big issues with the candidate's individual and laughable foibles, this cartoon compendium is the best place this election year to find a thoughtful political critique of international relations adjacent to a lighthearted response to the report that John Edwards spent four hundred dollars on a haircut not once, but twice. Astute and amusing, this collection is a timely and valuable volume for the fall 2008 election season.
ABOUT THE EDITOR
Eric Appleman is the founder of Democracy in Action, a Web site providing a framework for citizens to follow presidential campaigns. Appleman has also produced several political CD-ROMs, including his self-published Field Guide to the 1992 Presidential Campaign.
