I don’t need to explain this cartoon, but I think I need to explain why I drew it. If you want to yell at me, go ahead. I don’t mind, and I can take it. Please don’t unsubscribe. That I can’t take.
Most cartoonists preach to their choirs, and that includes me. I’m very liberal, but I’m NOT a Democrat. I vote Democratic, but I don’t think journalists should join political parties. A couple of times a year, I will draw something critical of the Democratic Party or one of its members, like President Joe Biden, and then Democrats will scream at me, “HOW COULD YOU?”. I got a lot of yells when I hit Biden for breaking a campaign promise not to meet with MBS, which I did TWICE.
People think I betrayed them, but I’ve never pledged my loyalty to a party or any groups. My loyalty lies with democracy, free speech, a free press, journalism, etc, etc. And I have to stand with those principles even when, or especially, when Democrats break them.
I’m not that nice. If you want nice and sugary saccharine with this issue, then check out Joe Heller’s cartoon.
When I got this idea, I told myself I had to do it even though it scared me. Yeah, this scared me. But a lot of you have called me a brave cartoonist. I think this is brave because I’m risking losing some readers. I’m also risking being called a Trump supporter by someone reading my work for the very first time, or by someone who’s just dishonest or an idiot.
What I hate about this cartoon is that it will give some comfort to MAGAts. I was going to do something critical toward all the MAGAts rejoicing over Jake Tapper’s new book about Democrats covering up President Biden’s health, and point out that MAGAts are covering up Donald Trump’s dementia. It would have been a response to the hypocritical cartoons by Al Goodwyn, Dana Summer, Eric Allie, Gary Varvel, Lisa Benson, Steve Breen, and Steve Kelley. There will be more by the guys like Ramirez who need a week to respond to issues. These MAGAts love to hit Biden even when there’s not an issue about Biden (you know, because he’s not president anymore), but Jake Tapper gave them a gift with this one.
There will be cheers for this cartoon from some MAGAt readers who’ll forget it in a day or two when they once again claim that I only criticize Trump. But idiots come with the territory.
This cartoon is not a hit on President Joe Biden. It’s a hit on the Democrats who enabled him to commit to a second term and helped hide his health issues. The question here is whether Democrats enabled it or if they just stuck their heads in the sand. The lack of a primary in the Democratic Party may have led to a second Trump presidency (sic). Kamala Harris may have been president today if she had more than three months to campaign. Don’t get mad at me for pointing that out. Get mad at the DNC. And maybe, just maybe, also get mad at Joe Biden. In 2020, he did state, “I view myself as a transition candidate,” and “I view myself as a bridge, not as anything else.”
This is what a good cartoonist is supposed to do. Risk angering his readers and drawing what most would consider “too soon.” I always have to tell MAGAts that I don’t believe in “too soon.” I hate to tell that to liberals.
When Proofer Laura saw this, she was supportive and said, “What I objected to last week was the focus on Biden’s decline and the Democratic denial of it, because who the hell cares when the alternative is fascism? But I feel different about this. Biden did announce his cancer, so it’s a legitimate current event. And it rightly does jab Democrats for not having any strong next step or even a coherent response to what’s happening right now.”
I would have still voted for Biden if he were on the ballot last November.
My friend Quannah said, “I think everything around Joe Biden has been botched since 2020. We had better candidates. Democrats piss me off. They always find ways to try to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. I feel sorry for Joe. He deserves better than what he got from people around him, and that rests squarely on the party leaders who are really SHITTY at leading anything.”
Proofer Hilary said, “Yeesh!”
I’m already being howled at for this on Facebook.
I think I’ve explained why I drew this. Again, please don’t kick me to the curb. I do invite your comments, and that means ALL comments. I won’t get mad at you. Friends can disagree.
Upon hearing that President Joe Biden was diagnosed with prostate cancer, President Bill Clinton said, “My friend Joe Biden’s always been a fighter," and "Hillary and I are rooting for him and are keeping him, Jill, and the entire family in our thoughts.”
President Obama said, “Michelle and I are thinking of the entire Biden family. Nobody has done more to find breakthrough treatments for cancer in all its forms than Joe, and I am certain he will fight this challenge with his trademark resolve and grace. We pray for a fast and full recovery.”
Even Donald Trump was gracious enough to approve a Truth Social post obviously written by someone else, which said, “Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden’s recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.”
You can’t take Trump’s well-wishes seriously when he’s attacked Biden daily over the past six years, blamed him for all his failures, and has even spread lies about his health.
Donald Trump Jr. tweeted, “What I want to know is how did Dr. Jill Biden miss stage five metastatic cancer or is this yet another coverup???”
Dr. Jill Biden is NOT a medical doctor. Whether Sniffy Jr. knows this or not, this is still a shitty post, even for a piece of shit like him. Later, he retweeted someone else’s well-wishes (with the worst photo he could find of Biden), but it’s way too late for that.
When people show you who they are, believe them. Donald Trump Sr. has shown us who he is for years and soon, he’ll start echoing his sons vile bullshit.
I wish President Biden the best. He’s a hero. He saved us from MAGA for at least four years. He saved the economy. He may have saved Ukraine. President Biden was a very good president. In fact, he was such a good president that Donald Trump has been taking credit for his accomplishments.
This nation owes President Joe Biden a huge debt.
I’m making the comments public today because I want to allow everyone to speak on this today.
Music note: I listened to the Pixies.
Drawn in 30 seconds:
Timelapse:
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I get it...but I would have voted for Biden if he was given last rites...He did a ton of good for this country and the world.
Clay - you be you, not who I or anyone else thinks you should be. Love your cartoons and really enjoy your blogs where you explain and inform.
I'm not a D and not a R. I'm a Radically Independent Moderate who has voted for candidates and positions of both parties when THEY align with ME.
I want to see the R party implode and explode, because they've totally forgotten their primary beliefs and platforms and allowed them to become the RICO (Republican In Claim Only) party.
I'm perfectly fine with the D party going through a major renovation. Pelosi finally, finally, finally bowed out gracefully. Joe bowed out way too late and without any grace or timing. Chuck is still hanging on past his prime. Hakeem seems to have some new energy and an ability to speak. I like Pete. I like many of the middle and younger leaders. But the older ones who are hanging on because they've rigged the system to their own benefit? Not.
I want a multi party system, no more of this binary option of D or R.
I want Ranked Choice Voting.
I want to get rid of Gerrymandering and allowing professional politicians to select the voters in THEIR district, oops....OUR district.
Democracy is hard work and we aren't entitled to anything more than the situations we find ourselves in and how we deal with them.