Benjamin Franklin’s masterpiece wasn’t funny, but it made a point, the ultimate goal of an editorial cartoon.
Don’t get me wrong. There is many fine people who work at the Argus Leader. Columnist Matt Okerlund writes brilliant populist editorials. Ellis always trys to get both sides of the story and the stark differences between both parties involved. But when I open the paper every Sunday morning, there is always something that makes my head shake. This morning did not disappoint, as usual.
I will confess, I am a news junky. I would read the AL if it was written by monkeys (ironically an ad campaign Career Builder had in there newspaper) I have to get local news somewhere, and it is not coming from our local Radio or TV stations.
I have concerns though that the editorial staff is extremely out of touch, just like our government is, with the pulse of the community. Their ED Board opinions are often 90% incorrect, take today’s column for instance, they were able to get in a jab at the Union (no surprise, the GANNET corporation has often had disdain for Unions) while condeming raises to city management. In fact, this is a good example of what the AL does. Walk a fine line between there duty to the people as the Fourth Estate and there duty to there advertisers as gigantic, pathetic asskissers. Think about it. On one side they were condeming government for overspending, but just could not resist to drag the ‘Evil’ Unions into the mix. If they think a 3% cost of living increase is a Union overstepping there bounds, they are nuts. If anything, the Union is not doing there job. The 9% management raises (they are not represented by Unions) needed to be the focus of the editorial.
But I digress.
Okay, back to where I started. Not getting it. Today the AL printed an editorial cartoon by a local cartoonist. Not only was it horribly written (as usual) but the drawing was ‘weird’. Am I a great editorial cartoonist? Not at all, (anybody who only spends 10-15 minutes on a toon isn’t exactly a person who worries about detail) but I am a Hell of a critic. Besides the fact that the cartoon wasn’t funny, or made a point, it had a weird Jesus on a donkey feel about it (It was Daschle on a Donkey leaving Washington wishing he still had his LIMO service- which kind of made me chuckle- considering the rage neo-cons would feel comparing Daschle to Jesus, which I am positive wasn’t the cartoonist’s intention) Where do I begin. First off, it had Daschle going back to SD. Guess what, he does not live here, and hasn’t for a long time, secondly, it was done by a cartoonist who has been pointed out to the Argus several times that he is a PLAGIARIST! Yet they continue to print his toons?!?!
They just don’t get it.