July 27, 2017

Morbid cartoon about John McCain.

Published in The Nation.

It's very well drawn and written. You might not like the message, but it's excellent work by Matt Bors.

And as long as I'm talking about cartoons in magazines I know many of you disdain, I really liked "Reasons Your Creative Type Has Broken Up with You," by Ruby Elliot.

46 comments:

Unknown said...

Sorry, but I think this is SICK. And I am not a McCain fan.

Humperdink said...

We're making progress here. No mention of Trump or Russia, Russia, Russia.

Curious George said...

"It's very well drawn and written. You might not like the message, but it's excellent work by Matt Bors."

Well, if you are misinformed product of a life working in a government bubble maybe. McCain voted against repeal of Obamacare. So Bors is a fucking liar. Excellent work, comrade.

David Begley said...

As an Omaha resident, I'm doubly offended.

Ralph L said...

Good to know we don't need a lower jaw to speak.

The stupid part is that McCain likely won't vote to repeal Obamacare if it has a chance of passing.

Ralph L said...

The video below the NYer cartoons is about their Grim Reaper cartoons. Of course, Trump is on the title one.

Ken B said...

And teens laughing at a drowning man aren't so bad.

mockturtle said...

While I greatly enjoyed many of the cartoonists from the old New Yorker magazine, notably Gahan Wilson, I didn't see much to amuse me here. Senses of humor differ.

traditionalguy said...

That was a Master Piece of political cartooning. No matter what side he is on, that cartoonist wins my applause.

Mr. Majestyk said...

False but funny. Of course, not nearly as funny or insightful as Michaek K's "Chuck, show us on the electoral map where the bad orange man touched you" comment from the other thread. That was epic.

Ann Althouse said...

"Well, if you are misinformed product of a life working in a government bubble maybe. McCain voted against repeal of Obamacare. So Bors is a fucking liar. Excellent work, comrade."

He voted for it before he voted against it.

JaimeRoberto said...

Putting aside the fact that the cartoon misrepresents McCain's vote, it's nice to know that thanks to Obamacare nobody ever dies now.

Sebastian said...

The funniest part of the cartoon was that I first got a pop-up ad for The Nation that said, "Defend Freedom"! Now that made me laugh.

Michael K said...

About what I would expect from bunch that took tours of the Soviet Union before it went kaput.

Fernandinande said...

I don't like the awkward drawing style and the message was completely inane because insurance isn't healthcare.

The Godfather said...

Can anyone help me find the cartoon where the Grim Reaper gives Obama a pass because of all the deaths that his policies and programs will cause?

Molly said...

Don't think this is well drawn.

Don't think it's well written.

Don't like McCain.

But what the heck, it's The Nation, so no surprise there.

buwaya said...

The "creative types breakups" is pretty good.

They draw what they know I guess.

I am learning to be the novelist that hates himself. Tough business after a life as a non-creative type.

clint said...

So many things wrong with this.

John McCain is dying. That's not usually something we joke about unless it's the death of someone like Bin Laden or Ted Bundy.

And the joke is wrapped around the notions that repealing the ACA would cause mass death, that independent of that McCain has historically caused a ton of death, and that people are going to die because McCain hasn't died yet.

And the expectation appears to be that Nation readers will agree -- and laugh. Because all of that ugliness is wrapped up in cutesy cartoon skeletons.

Am I misunderstanding the joke somehow?

I predict that the Nation's commenters interpret this cartoon as an invitation to insult and attack the dying guy. Does anyone disagree?

Mary Beth said...

Mr. Majestyk said...

False but funny. Of course, not nearly as funny or insightful as Michaek K's "Chuck, show us on the electoral map where the bad orange man touched you" comment from the other thread. That was epic.

7/27/17, 9:19 PM


This?

Susan said...

Show us on the electoral map where the orange man hurt you.

7/26/17, 3:15 PM

Jason said...

Liberalism is a mental disorder.

This cartoon is ghoulish.

Achilles said...

You might not like the message, but it's excellent work by Matt Bors.

Matt Bors' message: People who oppose Obamacare just want other people to die.

You are right, I do not like the message. It is a lie told by a piece of shit. And I also do not like that supporters of Obamacare like Matt Bors think it is alright to target me and mine with violence. They have acted on this belief repeatedly.

I understand exactly what Matt Bors and his fellow travelers are saying: It is us or them.

Prepare.

Birkel said...

I don't like many of McCain's public actions.
I have resisted commenting on his illness because I believe such comments are in poor taste.

Once again I find myself in disagreement with The Nation.

Ty said...

Well drawn? Meh ok. Well written? Not so much. Not sure why they had to spell it out for their audience. Maybe they don't follow the news. One simple improvement would be to change panel 2:

"Let's see... oh a Senator! A rush order too!"

Oscar: "Lucky."

Brevity is the soul of wit. -Bill Shakespeare

harkin said...

Not often you see a complete lie described by Althouse as "excellent work".

Ridiculous.

Earnest Prole said...

Your commenters are revolting.

dwick said...

It's very well drawn and written. You might not like the message, but it's excellent work by Matt Bors.

Right...
Such praise is akin to saying Mein Kampf is well-reasoned and beautifully written - even though we may not like the message.

Such analyses can only come from those who spend far too much time with their nose up the The New Yorker and NYT.

Michael Fitzgerald said...

I don't find it well drawn at all. Pretty typical comic book illustration. Slightly better than Ted Rall's drawing. I miss political cartooning that was actually well drawn, artistically intelligent, and clever. This was none of that.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editorial_cartoon#/media/File:Lincoln_and_Johnsond.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editorial_cartoon#/media/File:Caricature_gillray_plumpudding.jpg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Editorial_cartoon#/media/File:Tammany_Ring,_Nast_crop.jpg

Matt said...

He's no Caesar Rodney.

Guildofcannonballs said...

Why would anyone not Stalin or Mao glance at The Nation?

You think you get credit for being reasonable or open-minded or for following links?

YOU GET NOTHING!*

In the Gene Wilder Willy Wonka tour de force meaning moreso than the Judge Smails/Spaulding Caddyshack interaction.

*if luck be your lady tonight

Laslo Spatula said...

""Reasons Your Creative Type Has Broken Up with You," by Ruby Elliot."

She forgot to include cartoonist.

"I can't be with someone who doesn't laugh at my cartoons."

I am Laslo.

Guildofcannonballs said...

"The best example I know that gives insights into the functioning of a complex system is with the following situation. It suffices for an intransigent minority –a certain type of intransigent minorities –to reach a minutely small level, say three or four percent of the total population, for the entire population to have to submit to their preferences. Further, an optical illusion comes with the dominance of the minority: a naive observer would be under the impression that the choices and preferences are those of the majority. If it seems absurd, it is because our scientific intuitions aren’t calibrated for that (fughedabout scientific and academic intuitions and snap judgments; they don’t work and your standard intellectualization fails with complex systems, though not your grandmothers’ wisdom)."

https://medium.com/incerto/the-most-intolerant-wins-the-dictatorship-of-the-small-minority-3f1f83ce4e15

This cartoon in text style/form seems to be wary of saying outright all the world's problems as currently ideated massively in broadcast or social media, or anecdotely one presumes, are because of religion.

Islam, Judaism, Christianity: meat-eating (that is bad protein is an undercurrent) dullards too closed-minded to be merely described as close-minded, rightly so.

This is funnier than Laslo, albeit not by much did he miss it.

Pinandpuller said...

I almost choked on a pretzel.

readering said...

Looking forward to next Nation take on McCain.

Curious George said...

"Ann Althouse said...
"Well, if you are misinformed product of a life working in a government bubble maybe. McCain voted against repeal of Obamacare. So Bors is a fucking liar. Excellent work, comrade."

He voted for it before he voted against it."

Not clever, or funny. The comic was about present day, so strike one. Regardless, McCain has never voted to take away health care or insurance when he knew his vote would count.

AllenS said...

I've become convinced that McCain is a Manchurian Candidate. His flashbacks aren't doing any of us any good.

Bill, Republic of Texas said...

Your commenters are revolting.

You said it. They stink on ice!

Birkel said...

Well done, Bill.

Unknown said...

In light of McCain's shameful actions which will destroy our country, I withdraw my condemnation of this cartoon.

Sadly, McCain deserves any pillorying he gets.

harkin said...

"About what I would expect from bunch that took tours of the Soviet Union before it went kaput."

And on these tours of the worker's paradise they were told it would be a good idea to bring their own coffee, toilet paper and aspirin.

"Imagine, if you will, someone who read only the Reader’s Digest between 1950 and 1970, and someone in the same period who read only The Nation or the New Statesman. Which reader would have been better informed about the realities of Communism? The answer, I think, should give us pause." - Susan Sontag

SukieTawdry said...

"Imagine, if you will, someone who read only the Reader’s Digest between 1950 and 1970, and someone in the same period who read only The Nation or the New Statesman. Which reader would have been better informed about the realities of Communism? The answer, I think, should give us pause." - Susan Sontag

So, what's the answer? I need to know if I should take pause.

vanderleun said...

"as long as I'm talking about cartoons in magazines I know many of you disdain...."

So smart and yet.... so dim. It's the "School-Marm Effect" and it is more unattractive than cellulite.

Kevin said...

Am I misunderstanding the joke somehow?

Once you deem someone deplorable, you can say anything you want about them. They're not a real human being anymore.

That's the joke half the country seems to be in on.

Jim at said...

Maybe some sooper smart leftist can tell me how letting millions of people to OPT OUT of being forced to buy a product they don't want is somehow 'kicking them off' health care.

Do tell.

mockturtle said...

I've become convinced that McCain is a Manchurian Candidate. His flashbacks aren't doing any of us any good.

They probably implanted a chip in his brain that programmed his vote.

Lauderdale Vet said...

Here is another one for you.