Powell's Stature

The same political cartoonists who're attacking Condoleezza Rice are tripping over one another to praise Colin Powell. That's fine with me -- I wouldn't want them to attack him.

But, as I argued in the post below, Powell's positive image rests primarily on his much-vaunted disagreements with the Bush administration. He is, therefore, depicted by the liberal elite as authentically black in a way Rice and other black conservatives will never be.

Most of the cartoons linked to below share the view that Powell is an honest man among thieves; his integrity ensured a poor fit with this administration. Some of them are more neutral or simply complimentary.

Thus far, I've found only one political cartoon that's unambiguously complimentary to Rice, although there may well be some that I haven't yet come across. It's by Jonathan Brown of the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, a paper owned by the LDS. Two white high school girls walk along as one quips, "Forget Hillary . . . Now I want to be Condoleezza Rice!"

I'll update this list throughout the day, so please check back.

Cartoons about Colin Powell:

Steve Benson: Powell, towering over Bush, holds a report titled "False Pretenses for War Speech," as does Bush. Powell says: "At least I had the decency to eventually resign."

John Cole: Powell's a square peg, the White House a round hole. One of the more neutral cartoons I've seen.

Mike Lane: "Colin Powell's Honey Pots" Powell as Pooh Bear eating honey, i.e. money, from pots labeled "speaking fees" and the like. As cartoons of Powell go, one of the less positive, if not negative.

Gary Markstein: Powell as victim of conservatives, sitting in broom closet, thinking "I quit."

R.J. Matson: Powell as MacArthur fleeing the Philippines (a flooded Pennsylvania Avenue), saying "I shall return." This White House is going down, and Powell will have to return to save those who were unwelcoming to him.

John Morin: Powell leaving State Department, footprint on backsides, with trio of Bush (as dwarf), Cheney, and Rice pose as Bush says, "Did he remember to pack everything?" Implication: Uniform distaste for Powell.

Patrick O'Connor: Rice is arranging pots in the window of "Powell's Pottery Barn." Bush, at doorway, shows Powell a large broken pot labeled "Iraq," as Powell says, "You broke it, you own it."

Henry Payne: A couple admires an enormous portrait of Powell that is breaking out of its frame. Caption: "We'll need a bigger frame."

Bill Schorr: Powell scurries down a rope from an old wooden sailing ship labeled "Bush" as a deck full of rats waves and says "See ya." The ship of state is sinking with Bush at the helm, and the smart men (he's no rat) are jumping ship.

Update: Addition Powell cartoons:

John Trever: Powell, standing on dock, hands oar to Rice, in a small boat with huge engines marked "Rumsfeld" and "Cheney." Neutral on both Powell and Rice.

Kirk Walters: Rumsfeld, grinning mischievously, reads paper with headline "Powell Out." Huge banner behind reads "Mission Accomplished"; obligatory dart board with Powell's likeness and pin cushion Powell doll (with pins) round out picture.

Don Wright: Powell walks into the sunset. Strings tied to him drag tin cans marked Iraq and War clang loudly as he remarks, "This is the way I always wanted to leave -- do your job and then walk quietly into the sunset." My take is that he's been pushed out before his job is done and will, therefore, be haunted by his incomplete record.

Guy Badeaux: Portrait of Powell with caption, "Black Dove Down." Powell of course is no dove, and his race should be irrelevant.

Andy Donato: Bush spoon-feeds Powell from bowl marked "Bush Foreign Policy" as Powell spits it out. Of course Powell didn't do this, but I take this as more a swipe at Bush than at the Secretary.

Mike Graston: Powell, with cynical smirk, says "I have come up with an Iraq exit strategy that works . . . for me, anyway." He holds his letter of resignation. Leaving the job undone?

Cartoons about Condoleezza Rice:

J.D. Crowe: Statue of Liberty with Rice's face and "Condi" inscribed on her book; caption, "America's face to the world." Neutral tending to the positive.

Matt Davies: Titled "The Concert Pianist," Rice sits at a grand, back to us, with arms raised to play. But there's only one key -- i.e., Bush disdains dissent, and Rice is a sure-bet to say what he wants to hear.

Dana Summers: Rice being shown into her office by Bush; on wall is a dart board with Rumsfeld's face on it and several darts sticking from it and the wall. Neutral on Rice.

Jonathan Brown (also noted above): Two white high school girls walk along as one quips, "Forget Hillary . . . Now I want to be Condoleezza Rice!" By far the most positive Rice cartoon I've found.

Update: Additional Rice cartoons.

Ann Telnaes: Bush introduces Rice, who's wearing ancient armor (think Xenia) with shield emblazoned: Warrior Princes. Bush: "America's face to the world." Rice is a warmonger, which is why she's been chosen.

Corky Trinidad: With caption "America's face to the world," Rice is in combat fatigues, including battle helmet. Our face = war, seemingly as an end in itself.

Dan Wasserman: In four panels, Bush introduces Rice with this little ditty: "Condi's had some intel bumps, missed terror memos, ammo dumps. But I send her to state without a fear, she tells me what I want to hear!" Message: She's a screw up, but who cares?