Commentary

I am not a regular follower of Doonesbury, the leftist satirical cartoon created by Garry Trudeau, but I occasionally look to see what he’s up to while I scan the Sunday comics section.

Trudeau’s dislike of former President Trump is not only captured by showing his overweight frame and large mop of orange hair – that’s fair, but during his time in office, he has depicted Trump’s in many over-the-top situations, and it continues.

In Trudeau’s latest strip, unbelievably, it begins with a scene depicting the state funeral for the 45th president.  In the first panel, a bearded academic-type fellow turns to the man next to him saying, “Quite a turnout, huh? No one recognizable except Kanye, but still …”

The man responds, “Uh huh. And you are?”  To which the bearded one answers, “Fake media,” adding “Mind if I ask you why you’re here? I mean, whoever you are, he can no longer hurt you.  You can say whatever you like.”

The man says, “I know that.  I guess I’m here out of … well not respect exactly … curiosity?  Something.”   After a panel of silence, the man says, “Look, I’m just a paid extra.”  To which the fake news guy responds, “I guessed.”

Don’t think Trump’s funeral is the end.

I first became familiar with Doonesbury in the seventies, and recall the controversy over his “cartoons,” when readers began telling newspaper editors it belonged on the editorial page, not next to Peanuts and Dagwood.  Although his strip was dropped by a number of papers, the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal Star became the first to move it to the editorial page in 1973.

I admire the talent of many editorial cartoonists, some of which I publish with my blog – Ramirez, Varvel, and Branco, to name a few. Depending on one’s political leaning, they usually capture the news in their own creative way. 

Over the years, Trudeau has taken rare shots at prominent Democrats, like Teddy Kennedy, but with the daily humor emanating from the White House – think Biden, Harris and Psaki – which I am sure hasn’t gone unnoticed by Trudeau, one has to wonder why he is passing up the opportunity. Pity for the old man?

Of late, Saturday Night Live has had some fun with Biden, and even Bill Maher, host of Real Time with Bill Maher on HBO, has been taking advantage of his antics.

Of course, Gutfeld, on Fox News Channel never passes up an opportunity to poke fun at the Biden White House.  Standup comic Tom Shillue does a passable Biden impersonation.

Hey … all we can do between now and November is laugh, but we can’t rely on Trudeau to give us something to laugh about.

Now, more than ever … may God continue to bless the United States of America.