That darn Toles, continued

Political Bias Seen, One Way or Another
Washington Post Saturday, September 20, 2008; Page A17

Ideally, a newspaper's cartoonist would show some degree of nonpartisanship and address topics with an even hand. Not so in the case of Tom Toles. He wears his Democratic Party hat almost every time he picks up his pen.

Once in a while it would be nice to see him sling a little mud in the other direction, let's say, maybe one out of five cartoons, or would that result in his being drummed out of the party?

-- Jack McIntyre

Ashburn

Oliphant's Palin cartoon on Post website shakes teapot

Ken Gurley in his "Cartoonist Lampoons Palin's Pentecostal Faith," Houston Chronicle Houston Belief blog 9/15/2008, takes issue with a cartoon by Pat Oliphant that ran on the Post's website.

He wrote, Palin's Pentecostal faith is now being lampooned by Pat Oliphant, Washington Post cartoonist. Oliphant has been called by the New York Times Magazine the "most influential editorial cartoonist" now working.

Sadly, Oliphant is not a Washington Post cartoonist, but works for a syndicate.

Continuing his misrepresentation and misapprehensions, he concludes,

Speaking of the Danish cartoonist, the editor of that newspaper issued an apology for its extreme insensitivity to the Muslim faith. What about it Washington Post? Do you want to go down this slippery slope in the pick-and-choose mode of offending religions? Even your own ombudsman said this was beyond the pale. Why not pony up an apology?

Well, no, the Danish editor didn't apologize. In a Radio Free Europe interview from March 29, 2008, Fleming Rose said, And in fact, one of the leading Muslims who had tried to take me and my newspaper to court, and who had said at the time that this would never end until Flemming Rose apologized to 1.5 billion Muslims, this time came forward saying: "OK, we now know from the court decision that we live in a country where it is allowed to ridicule and defame our religion. We don't like it but we have to accept it."

In any event, one wonders why Ken Gurley would like his religion compared to one whose members, after months of inciting to be sure, rioted over cartoon depictions. Perhaps he'd like a story on Radio Free Europe about it.

And the Post, again, is not Oliphant's newspaper. What the ombudsman said was, "Readers were right to complain; I will deal with political cartooning in another column. Political cartoons and comics aren't selected at washingtonpost.com the way they are for The Post in print; they are automatically posted." I think Howell is wrong about the "right to complain" remark, but she says she'll address the issue of political cartoons in another article. The Post had... 350 complaints! Shocking! I wonder how many of them actually even buy the paper since the cartoon only ran online. I certainly didn't see it until people started complaining about it, so I appreciate the fact that they did and I could then enjoy the cartoon.

Christianity Today also blogged on the tempest "Readers say Washington Post cartoon lampooned their faith," by Sarah Pulliam.

Also, in That Darn Toles news, the Wall Street Journal's John Fund noted on his blog "A better riposte might have been to note that Mr. Obama seemed to be channeling a hard-left newspaper cartoonist named Tom Toles." Toles was not actually identified, but he is the Washington Post's cartoonist.

More on Toles-quoting Obama speeches

Toles was contacted for this story and is quoted in it - "Obama Repeatedly Quotes Cartoonist While on Campaign Trail," by FOXNews.com, Wednesday, September 10, 2008.

Editor and Publisher on local cartoonists

Dave Astor's got a few articles on local guys. It's good to hear that Richard's got 200 papers - now he can't afford not to do the strip:

One Year and 200 Newspapers for Popular 'Cul de Sac' Comic
By E&P Staff
Published: September 10, 2008 3:32 PM ET

Obama Uses the Anti-McCain Words of a Tom Toles Cartoon
By E&P Staff
Published: September 09, 2008 4:56 PM ET

New Harvey Pekar Book Is Edited by ComicsDC Blogger Mike Rhode
By Dave Astor
Published: September 08, 2008 11:11 AM ET

Tornoe spots Obama borrowing from Toles

Rob sent in this note and link to his blog:

Obama borrows line from Tom Toles cartoon

"Maybe what they're saying is, 'Watch out George Bush,'" Obama said with sarcasm, according to the Boston Globe. "Except for economic policies, and tax policies, and energy policies, and health care policies, and education policies, and Karl Rove-style politics -- except for all that, we're really going to bring change to Washington! We’re really going to shake things up!"

Great line. Too bad it came from Friday's cartoon by Washington Post cartoonist Tom Toles.

http://www.politicker.com/obama-borrows-line-tom-toles-cartoon

That darn Toles

A letter in today's Post criticizes this cartoon for mocking McCain's "religious experiences." Umm. Ok.

Feiffer calls Toles "brilliant"

Brian Heater interviewed Jules Feiffer for his Daily Cross Hatch and has put it up in two parts, the first of which is here. In part 2, Feiffer said, "Though there are still some brilliant political cartoonists. There’s my friend Tony Auth, for The Philadelphia Inquirer and Tom Toles in The Washington Post and Pat Oliphant in syndication. These guys are extraordinary. They’re brilliant."

Feiffer is one of the great political cartoonists of the twentieth century, although most wouldn't categorize him that way.

Toles picks up Oregon newspaper

Tom Toles will be in Astoria, Oregon's paper the Daily Astorian, which will be using his syndicated strips. The article doesn't mention who they dropped.

Tom Toles, superhero cartoonist?

Tom Spurgeon dug this blog post from Scott Edelman up - "Tom Toles, Superhero." What's that it says on the National Archives? "The Past is Present?"

Toles goes MAD

Tom Toles' editorial cartoon today is based on the fold-in by famed MAD cartoonist Al Jaffee. Here's a good article on Jaffee from the NY Times, and some online fold-ins.

Jaffee is nominated for the National Cartoonists Society's Reuben award this weekend (and Richard Thompson's up for best strip) and I believe he will win it. I don't know if Toles was making a prediction, or just was reminded of Jaffee's work, but according to Dave Astor, Wiley's made a bet who'll win by doing an early Sunday strip - check the Post on Sunday and see if either of us was right.

And for those reading it online, with less fold-in experience than us long-time Mad readers, here's what it looks like folded:

Toles video on Post site

See "Timelapse: From Sketch to Cartoon," by Whitney Shefte, Washingtonpost.com May 15 2008. Watch as today's cartoon by Tom Toles, the Post's Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist, takes shape.

This is of the May 16th cartoon.

That darn Toles

Another letter to the editor...

Deserving of Impeachment
Washington Post Thursday, May 15, 2008; Page A14

I applaud Tom Toles for his May 9 cartoon on the Bush White House's illegal destruction of e-mail records. This makes Mr. Toles the first of The Post's editorial commentators to take seriously the array of impeachable offenses with which President Bush could be charged.

Impeachment has been attempted at the presidential level three times in the nation's history. Two -- of Andrew Johnson and Bill Clinton -- were patently political. The attempt to impeach Richard M. Nixon was appropriate, to protect us from an out-of-control presidency, and it would have gone further had it not been for his resignation and pardon.

Mr. Bush's tenure has been marked by high crimes and misdemeanors far more extreme even than President Nixon's. The Post has taken note of many of them, but never, until now, has one of its commentators seen the matter to its appropriate conclusion.

WARREN KORNBERG
Garrett Park

That darn Toles

Another letter to the editor...
Bush Was Right
Washington Post May 10 2008, p. A13

Does Tom Toles know what a recession is? His May 1 cartoon depicted President Bush denying the existence of a recession.

The president is correct. Economists' definition of recession is two consecutive quarters of negative growth. Our economy has not even come close to that.

It would behoove Toles and the media to stop using terms irresponsibly.

-- David Sherer

That darn Toles

This time he's making fun of dementia!

Dementia Is Not a Prop
Washington Post April 12 2008

Tom Toles's March 28 cartoon based on the report linking being overweight with dementia was in extremely poor taste. It is incomprehensible that you would allow a political cartoon to make fun of dementia.

Dementia is a serious condition affecting our aging population and is the leading reason for placing elderly people in institutions such as nursing homes. Surely you could use something benign to make your political points without making a medical condition a prop.

-- John Fuller

Fairfax

The writer is the diversity and equal employment opportunity officer for Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and a consultant for the National Council for Support of Disability Issues.

In Saturday's Post ... Toles criticism, Superhero Movie, Candorville

Ok, I can't find it online just like last week as the Free For All section doesn't appear in searches or on the opinion webpage, but there's a letter to the editor criticizing Tom Toles for this cartoon. Surprise, surprise.

Also, Superhero Movie got a lousy review in "Spoofs Like 'Superhero' Make Anyone Climb the Walls," By John Anderson, Washington Post Saturday, March 29, 2008; C01.

Finally, Darrin Bell in Candorville is definitely criticizing the Post in Friday and Saturday's strips for not running his strips about Obama's security.

Tom Toles video on Post website

See Tom Toles in timelapse photography from sketch to finished drawing in "Timelapse: From Sketch to Cartoon."

Another Tom Toles letter

Overlooked Again
Washington Post (February 2, 2008): A13
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/01/AR2008020103008_3.html

Shame on Tom Toles for excluding Ron Paul from his humorous Jan. 24 "2008 Candidate Guide" and shame on The Post for letting him get away with it.

How could you regard Fred Thompson, who had dropped out, and Mike Huckabee as serious candidates but not Ron Paul, a Republican who has raised a lot of money and has many sincere, hardworking supporters? He is the only candidate who promises a genuine change in the death spiral of American politics.

Regardless of how you regard Paul's prospects, he deserved to be treated with the same disrespect as the other candidates in a political cartoon.

-- Gene Fellner

Tom Toles' favorite Washington space

Actually I really agree with him on this, although I have a lot of favorite spaces. It's the bonsai collection at the Botanic Gardens - see "Conversation Pieces" by Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post Staff Writer, Friday, December 14, 2007; Page WE25. The Daumier pieces he mentions are actually sculptures in the National Gallery of Art's West building in the ground floor sculpture area.

Toles smacks Post 's Obama coverage

See "'Wash Post' Cartoonist Mocks Own Paper Over Obama Story," By Greg Mitchell, with Dave Astor, E and P Online November 30, 2007.

This was actually useful as I had no idea what today's cartoon referred to before reading this. However, it's worth noting that last week's Doonesbury strips referred to the same issue, and might be useful to look at for anyone interested in this issue.

Tom Toles taken to task

The letter:

Caricature Run Amok, Washington Post November 10, 2007

While I have found Tom Toles's cartoons often trivial and sometimes annoying, the Nov. 7 submission left me infuriated. To suggest that Vice President Cheney supports or dreams of taking dictatorial actions of the type in Pakistan indicated in the cartoon is disgusting and beneath The Post's standards of fairness.

There are legitimate arguments about the president's wartime powers, but our basic freedoms remain intact, as evidenced by the ability of Toles and all journalists and citizens to freely express their views, however repugnant, without fear of governmental retribution.

-- Lawrence L. Thompson
Washington

and the cartoon: