The Handoff
-
- January
- 18
To be candid, I’m not terribly hot on this cartoon. My executive editor, Henry Freeman, who is always inclined to hang back and let me rip, said he was a little uncomfortable with the image of the floating plane-in-the-Hudson metaphor and offered a few suggestions, which I didn’t use.
Because the event was miraculously injury/fatality free, I didn’t think twice about whether it was in poor taste or not. I still feel that way, but I am more concerned with the fact it simply isn’t a particularly clever cartoon. In retrospect, a far better misuse of the metaphor would have been a plane floating, with saved Democrats on the wings, Obama wearing the pilot’s uniform and one of the donkeys saying “How did he pull that off?” or something like that.
No matter. Could be my last stab at Dubya. (Sniff.)
This entry was posted
on Sunday, January 18th, 2009 at 12:03 pm by Matt Davies.
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“My executive editor, Henry Freeman, who is always inclined to hang back and let me rip, said he was a little uncomfortable with the image of the floating plane-in-the-Hudson metaphor and offered a few suggestions, which I didn’t use.”
Which you didn’t use? That’s ballsy. You do realize that unemployment numbers are on the rise, don’t you?
No, no, Matt, this was perfect! It’s going on my wall. Pretty soon my house is going to turn into a Davies Gallery.
Usually, I love your work. Today’s was sub-par. It seems that you are obsessed with modes of transportation lately. Bush was driving the “economy car” just days ago and today is handing off the keys to Air Force One which he crashed. Sorry, this borders on trite and you are much much better than trite.
Maybe it’s the pain drugs…
Matt: This cartoon is choice! I loved it and laughed my head off. A wonderful partying shot at Dubya. I am collecting them and this will be stuck on my already over-crowded wall.
Bitsy
I agree Matt, it isn’t your usual best. But hey, you just busted a major bone… I’ll let it slide…. this time
Seriously though, my issue with it is that it implies that W pulled off a major Hail Mary at the end like the pilot(who totally rocks btw) did—and W CLEARLY didn’t do that. I understand the metaphor of “I broke it but now it’s your problem”, but the story being paralleled is too different from the reality of Bush (is that an oxymoron?).
I am inclined to agree with Lalas on the potential for literal translation of the metaphor.
And Topgunner, if I was on pain meds, I’d be drawing incomprehensible, wobbly stick figures! The pain in my shoulder is a constant hum that I must confess is awfully distracting, but this is the wrong time in history (in many, many ways) for me to be sitting home, luxuriously recuperating. So I am mustering through as best I can…
Matt,
The cartoon you describe but didn’t use sounds hilarious!But you’ve already taken a great parting shot at Bush: your “Four More Days”.
Did you purposely associate the word ‘miraculous’ w/a cartoon featuring Obama? Yes, you used it re:the pilot’s landing the plane, but there are already the beginnings of religious imagery centered on Obama himself.
I’m religious, but even 1 of those Christmas-time jokes didn’t go too far for me: the one about visiting Obama’s birthplace, the manger in Bethlehem.
Much like Capt. Sullenberger, Bush delivered the passengers and crew safely, without any attacks in 7 years.
Let’s hope your secular messiah can pull it off too.
1-20-09 – the beginning of America’s decline to third world nation.
Perhaps it is because I live in California but I didn’t think of the plane going down in the Hudson. I just saw a “sinking ship” and thought that Air Force One going under was symbolic of the universal wreckage that Bush is leaving behind. I will not miss Bush’s reckless leadership style but I will miss your chimp-ish, schoolboy-ish rendition of him. Your drawings are simply the best. I don’t know how you do it…but I am glad that you!
do!
But at what cost, Joe? We now are a nation that attacks and occupies other countries that did not attack us, similar to Imperial Japan. We are now a nation that tortures, similar to Stalinist Russia. We are now a nation that needs no reason to throw people in prison or to prove their guilt, similar to Nazi Germany.
No expert, and this includes defense experts in the Bush administration, says we are safer today than we were prior to 9/11. Terrorism has increased dramatically in the past seven years. We may have had no attacks in the U.S., and to you this is all you need to know, but the hatred and desire to attack has increased.
Your statement also ignores the 4,200 American deaths in Iraq since 9/11. It seems to me that al-Qaida is killing plenty of Americans. Three thousand on 9/11; 4,200 since then — hand delivered by Bush right to al-Qaida’s door.
Matt:
What’s with the censorship? Most of my reply is being deleted.
Do you honestly think that’s going to stop me?
>> Bush delivered the passengers and crew safely, without any attacks in 7 years. < <
Yes, a great accolade for Bush: We haven’t been horribly attacked by terrorists for a SECOND time in 7 years.
Make no mistake, “Joe”, Bush has rallied many more terrorists to the cause, many of whom now have free roam in Iraq, and will do their best to pull of the next big attack, which will no doubt nuclear material.
>> Let’s hope your secular messiah can pull it off too. < <
Secular: Without religious affiliation.
Obama is a church-going Christian.
Bashea = Idiot. I can’t stand Bush but i don’t have much faith in Mr. amnesty Obama. The gravy train in this country has run out. The economy stinks and unless this guy tightens the belt and clamps down on free loaders(ours and
the illegal ones) WE WILL be a third world nation by the time he leaves office. Oh yea, and any nations leader that just wants to put terrorists on trial instead of killing them will be attacked no doubt. Don’t worry though Obama
appointed an open borders and amnesty advocate as our homeland security advisor. I feel real safe now. The end is near!!!!
Bashea, there is no censorship on this site. You are just too angry to type. Computers can feel what you are feeling. Just calm down and push one key at a time. You will be ok. talk to your cat if you need to, but just relax.
>> ...there is no censorship on this site. You are just too angry to type. < <
Dear Tech Support:
Oh, don’t worry, I’m a very calm person. It’s just that when I clicked “Submit Comment” it only posted random sections of my entire comment.
As for “Bulldog”: I wasn’t talking to you. Mind your own business.
bashea, The problem you were having was due to the result of a gen-you-wine technical glitch that is now resolved. I couldn’t fathom censoring anyone (though please keep the insults of other posters more G-rated, as there are a LOT of schoolkids that read and use this blog.)
You are a coward and a wimp bashea. You still won’t come
out of the closet to dicuss the issues in a civilized public
setting. That’s ok buddy just keep typing in that dark deep
corner of yours.
FYI – I was asked by my paper’s web administrator to delete a couple of comments in this thread that contained “offensive” language. I repeat my promise to all posters that I will NEVER delete a comment because of the author’s stated opinion – The whole point of the comments section is that it’s a place to read the cartoon and vent/debate/fight and I don’t expect everyone to wander in here and pat me on the back. But please don’t waste your and my time by employing offensive language. As I said before, there are schoolkids reading this. (And Besides, bad language makes one’s opinion look laughably weak.)
Thank you for your kindness and understanding. Now back to the game.
Lets all check the alleged “bad language” in the dictionary, Matt. And other websites of reporting as well. I feel that your use of this site to “cartoon” people is offensive and that you use the constitution to hide behind as you spew political hatred. You have degraded such selfless people as Dr. Rice, and President Bush needlessly and endlessly. You hide behind your “humor” and your “rights”. You would never write a letter or telephone either and speak the details and all the emotions and feelings that you conjur in you “cartoons”. For you I have a great big boooooooooooooooo. I would say more, but I would be censored by the bully pulpit… you have no respect from me. It has been written in many a wise place that one should not post a message online that they would not say directly to the person that is intended to receive the message. Can you honestly say that about your cartoons?
Matt, as an aside, you should save this cartoon in your crayon box and use it at a later date. When the time comes, change the heads to your own and your department head, rename the plane Gannett Newspapers, and change the caption to “here’s your pink slip Matt..rise above it and keep it dry”
Someone’s having trouble accepting that the “Republican years” are gone.
Matt-
Me again. I’m writing this time to say I’m sorry. I was angry with my mom because she forgot to fold my laundry again. I guess I was just taking it out on you. I’m also angry because you are an award winning cartoonist with a great life and I’m still working sweeping up clippings at the all night Asian nail salon at the mall. My therapist said that I needed to get out some of my anger. This time instead of kicking my dog or yelling at my mom ( who I still live with ). I took it out on you. I am sorry for all I said.
P.S. George Bush was the worst president ever. And I love feet!!