Editorial Cartoonist

Spanning from "Vietnam and the Johnson Years" to "Clinton and Everyone Else," the editorial cartoons of Paul Szep showcase his biting wit and scathing social commentary. At the Boston Globe since 1966, Szep, as he is simply known to his thousands of loyal fans, has had more than three decades to hone the razor edge of his ironic, sarcastic humor. No one is immune from his criticism. Boston's beloved Red Sox, O. J. Simpson, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Bob Dole, and the British royal family have all been targets for his pen. Social issues including Ebonics, violence on television, and race relations fail to escape unscathed. Paul Szep was born in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, and graduated from the Ontario College of Art. Before joining the Boston Globe, he played hockey and worked part-time in Canadian steel mills, which helped to shape his views and opinions. These, combined with his talent as an editorial cartooninst, have earned him two Pulitzer Prizes and numerous other awards. His cartoons have been featured in many issues of Best Editorial Cartoons of the Year, published by Pelican.

In his introduction, Ed Gamble points out the intriguing relationship of political cartoonist and politician. It is a relationship that can range from downright antagonistic to one of mutual praise. While political cartoonists would have a hard time making a livelihood without politicians, politicians often do wish that they were living without editorial cartoonists. It is a sentiment one might infer from the forewords by former presidents George Bush and Gerald Ford. President Bush discusses how you have to "take the good with the bad" in the world of editorial cartoons. "Grin and bear it," he says, "that's the best way." President Ford feels that humor is "indispensible to democracy" and the "clearest and most resounding expression of freedom that we have," although he too has felt the sting of cartoonist attacks. Overall, his best advice after nearly three decades of political service in the nation's capital is to "smile; maybe the next one will be nicer." In this collection of cartoons, the editorial cartoonist for the Florida Times-Union focuses on the ups, downs, and pitfalls of the political world. The title refers to Bill and Hillary Clinton, the subject of the first seven chapters. These chapters include: "In the Beginning: The Campaign," "Bill and Hillary Take Over," "Foreign Affairs: The New Confused Order," "Domestic Affairs: More Disorder!," "Hillary's Health Care," "Whitewater, and Foreign Affairs II: Help!" Other chapters discuss topics from the O. J. Simpson trial to the November 1994 elections to the new Republican agenda.

The syndicated editorial cartoonist of the Gazette Telegraph (Colorado Springs) expresses outrage at the assaults on our freedom, at the loss of liberties, and at the destruction of the very fabric of our society. The cartoons are grouped in thirteen different categories: big government, justice, the presidency, church-state issues, defense, education, environment, equal rights, life and death, media, medical, the Second Amendment, and world events. Before the American revolution, American Colonists disagreed with mandates coming from England, and some took up their pens to protest those attempts to limit their freedom. Asay Doodles Goes to Town continues in this time-honored tradition, exposing the current threat and sounding a clarion call for Americans to wake from their slumber and repossess the land.

Bill Clinton. Bob Dole. Hillary Rodham Clinton. Newt Gingrich. For John R. Rose, it's politics as usual. His editorial cartoons illuminate, enlighten, and tickle the funny bone. His is a special brand of political cartooning: hilarious, yet oftentimes poignant and moving. In “Cartoons That Fit the Bill: An Editorial Cartoon Collection about Washington and Beyond”, he lampoons the antics of Pres. Bill Clinton and Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich with equal fervor. No Republican, Democrat, or Independent is safe from the wit and pen of Rose. National issues are not the only ones he tackles. He also offers his commentary on local issues that create a national interest such as Disney's proposed American history theme park in his native Virginia. “Cartoons That Fit the Bill” is just the ticket (no pun intended) to take a light-hearted look at the cast of characters in the political arena.