Trump cartoon idea: "It is what it is"

/Patricia Leslie


He leaps into his own grave where a tombstone sits nearby with the words:  "It is what it is" above the birth and death years, 2017-2021.

He wears a suit with long tie (almost to his feet, nearly causing him to trip) and long hair flying. He hugs an American flag, taking it down with him.

In this cemetery at Mar-A-Lago are a few palm trees and grave holes, waiting for the stacked caskets nearby to be lowered inside them. In front of hearses outlining the scene, stand notable Republicans (McConnell, Graham, Pence, Collins) with their heads bowed. A flag waves on a pole:  "RIP, Republican Party."

patricialesli@gmail.com

Censored! Trump cartoon show at the Corcoran

At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Everybody who keeps up with politics knows about the firing of editorial cartoonist Rob Rogers after his 25-year tenure at the Pittsburg Post-Gazette. Speaking on behalf of newspaper management, they just couldn't take them any more.

 Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.

Management spiked or killed several of Mr. Rogers's cartoons and ideas about Trump. His drawings went too far, capturing in perfect pencil and words, Trump today.

Too much!  Cried the bosses and finally, Mr. Rogers was shown the door.

Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.

Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.Immigrant Children, 6-1-18

Had they tried, they would have been unable to quash the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists from celebrating the opening last Wednesday of an exhibition of Mr. Rogers's cut works in a display at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design (formerly the Corcoran Gallery of Art).  

Eighteen cartoons or ideas the newspaper "spiked" hang on the walls.

 Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.

Image ©2018 Rob Rogers. Image courtesy of Rob Rogers, Andrews McMeel Syndication.

At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie

How wonderful it all was to be back at the Corcoran with Rogers's powerful renderings, to admire the marble of the halls, the columns, the size of the place, the soaring ceiling. 

It's been a too-long absence for the public while the Corcoran's collections and building were batted around by D.C. deciders who laid claims on this and that. (Thankfully, the National Gallery of Art got the pick of the $2 billion collection and has placed many of the works on public display with credit always to the Corcoran. You may search its collection of the thousands of Corcoran pieces by entering "Corcoran" on the "Search the Collection" tab.)  

At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie

At the Spiked opening reception at the Corcoran School of the Arts and Design/Photo by Patricia Leslie

Two critical elements in an open society, bulwarks in the artistic world, celebrate their debuts and dedication to their respective causes in a place where the people hope the exhibitions keep on coming.

This fall with the AAEC and George Washington University's School for Media and Public Affairs, the Corcoran School (owned by GWU) will host a series about censorship, freedom of the press, journalistic integrity, and the consequences of nationalism to a democracy.

Organizers of Spiked are the University Art Gallery and the University of Pittsburgh in association with the AAEC. This fall the show moves to the University of Pittsburgh for a bigger installation. 

Do you think the newspaper will list the exhibition when it comes to town?

What: Spiked:  The Unpublished Political Cartoons of Rob Rogers

When: Now through October 14, 2018; Tuesday through Friday, 10 a.m. - 6 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1 - 6 p.m.

Where: Corcoran School of the Arts and Design at George Washington University, Atrium Galleries at Flagg Building, 500 17th St. N.W. Washington, D.C. 20006

How much: Admission is free.

For more information: 202-994-1700

patricialesli@gmail.com

Cartoon idea: Temper Tantrum Trump and Twittybird in the sandbox

Mar-A-Lago, South Elevation showing owner's suite and Baby House, 1100 S. Ocean Blvd., Palm Beach, FL, April, 1967/Photo from Library of Congress, Jack E. Boucher

Now, picture this:

He's in the throes of the Terrible Twos (or is it the Terrible First 100 Days, or, the Terrible First 100 Dazed?)

Whatever it is, he wears only a diaper and sits in his little sandbox, screaming and yelling, his hair flying, his arms flailing, while he tosses overboard many of his new toys (a plastic "Barbie" (aka Kellyanne Conway, in a very short (above knees) white dress while crouched on a sofa), Sean Spicer, Reince, Sessions).

Big tears splash from his eyes and roll down his cheeks, and spoiled Trump screams: "My way!  My way! I want my Twittybird!!" Waa-waa-waa

Secret Service agents in hip sunglasses, suits, crew cuts, all looking alike and holding AK47 rifles, stand nearby and eye Melania lustily.  She is seated under an umbrella in big sunglasses and provocative clothing.

Pecking away at a computer and wearing a hidden earpiece and no shirt, who but Putin, with a sly smile, in a beach chair, on a horse, or under the umbrella with grinning Melania.

The sandbox sits on the shores of Mar-A-Lago, yonder with palm trees standing erect, leaves blowing.

Off the coast a Russian ship (with flag) runs up and down the waters while Russian aircraft hover in the sky.

Standing at the sandbox watching the temper tantrum escalate are Bad Bannon (Grim Reaper per SNL) and Ivanka (in dress suit in heels in the sand) holding the Big Baby's favorite toy, Twittybird.

Says Bannon to the spoiled child: 

"You can have Twittybird back if you promise to behave and not click the Twitty too much! You've already broken your finger, and run down Twitty's battery and since you've thrown away all the environmental rules, we have no batteryless powered Twittys to give you!" 

Ivanka nods in agreement.

(Better punch lines, please write here.)

patricialesli@gmail.com

Cartoon idea: Hurricane Trump

Ezilon.com

I wish I knew how to draw.

Picture a map of Florida with (if room) the major cities  (Miami, Orlando, Jax); seas gnashing on both sides.

Off the southeastern coast comes Hurricane Trump, blowing and going, his silhouetted huge bust loaded with strong winds aimed at Florida.  And/or looking like a shark.  Maybe his hair becomes a shark's fin.

Hanging on to a palm tree with both hands, mid-state and flying parallel to the ground is a smaller Hillary in pants suit (natch), necklace (natch), hair blowing backward.

Caption:  "Blowin' in the Wind."

patricialesli@gmail.com

Cartoon idea: Trump the Titanic

"Untergang der Titanic", as conceived by Willy Stöwer, 1912
Created: 31 December 1911
Willy Stöwer, died on 31st May 1931 - Magazine Die Gartenlaube, en:Die Gartenlaube and de:Die Gartenlaube/Wikipedia

I imagine someone's already done this.  I wish I knew how to draw.

How about Trump's huge bust as the bow of the sinking ship? Raised in the air. His big image (hair, blowing in the wind and covering part of the ship)  consumes the entirety of the bow and behind him, on and off deck, are little men in suits and flopping ties (the wind; members of Congress) jumping ship and crying for help. Trump wears a tilted sailor's cap.

Can't you just see it?

Floating nearby in choppy waters (filled with likenesses of Hillary as shark heads) are struggling passengers and life boats loaded with humans.  On the slanting deck (the ship's going down) is the band seated and nonchalantly playing "God Save the U.S.A."

The ship has just crashed into a HUGE ("this is huge, folks!") iceberg on which a smirking (is she anything but?) Hillary looms large and/or carries the date: November 8.

Caption:  "We're going down! It's a sinking ship!  All hands overboard!"

patricialesli@gmail.com