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Presidents

The Presidential Placemat update

November 10, 2024 by Graeme MacKay

New and updated for 2025

Sunday November 10, 2024, By Graeme MacKay, The Hall of Presidents

As has become my tradition for the past three Presidential Elections, I have updated my chart of Presidential caricatures, a project I began during Barack Obama’s second term. My fascination with these placemat portraits, which condense history into a series of tiny images and years, dates back to my childhood. The most memorable piece from my early years was the chart found in the “Presidents of the United States of America” section of the World Book Encyclopedia. Long before Google and the Internet existed, this encyclopedia served as my personal search engine. The family edition we kept on our living room bookshelf included volumes that extended only to 1978, leaving Jimmy Carter as the last President featured, and I distinctly remember a rather unflattering photo of him.

This morning, the official results from Arizona confirmed that its electoral votes will go to Trump, marking a clean sweep of all six battleground states in the 2024 election.

Over the past few days, I’ve been immersed in the aftermath of last Wednesday morning when a victorious Trump proclaimed the dawn of America’s golden age—a sentiment whose resonance I remain uncertain about. I’ve engaged with a continuous stream of analysis through articles, videos, and podcasts.

Among the commentary, three articles particularly stood out to me.

Trump’s election is a crisis like no other, not only for the U.S. but the world, By Andrew Coyne, The Globe and Mail

Starting in my home country of Canada, in his Globe & Mail op-Ed, Andrew Coyne argues that Donald Trump’s election represents an unprecedented crisis not just for the U.S., but for the entire world. Despite his questionable character and history of misconduct, Trump has garnered support, leading to a situation where a “gangster” now governs with a focus on vengeance and self-preservation. The implications of his presidency are dire, threatening NATO’s stability and potentially emboldening adversaries like Russia and China. Domestically, Trump is expected to consolidate power by replacing civil servants with loyalists and intimidating dissenters, undermining the rule of law. His policies, including significant tariffs and a controversial plan to deport millions of undocumented immigrants, are predicted to destabilize the economy and societal order. Coyne expresses concern that many Americans may become desensitized to these actions, further eroding democratic norms, while Canada may also experience repercussions, from an influx of refugees to a degradation of its own political landscape. Ultimately, Coyne conveys a deep sense of fear and disillusionment regarding the current state of American politics and its future trajectory.

Why Does No One Understand the Real Reason Trump Won? By Michael Tomasky, The New Republic

In the New Republic, Michael Tomasky’s argues that the real reason Donald Trump won isn’t rooted in the economy or specific issues but rather in the pervasive influence of right-wing media, which shapes public perception and sets the news agenda. Despite Trump’s criminal history and controversial statements, many voters failed to recognize these disqualifications, largely due to a media landscape dominated by outlets like Fox News, Newsmax, and others that promote a distorted reality. This media ecosystem presents Trump as a defender against perceived threats, while painting Democrats as elitist adversaries. Tomasky emphasizes that the right-wing media not only amplifies Trump’s messages but often originates them, creating a feedback loop that legitimizes his narrative. He warns that unless liberals recognize and counter this media dominance, the Democratic Party’s brand will continue to suffer, and the political landscape will remain skewed against them.

I’m a rare Democrat who admits the loss is our fault By Hadley Freeman, The Sunday Times

Lastly, from the London Sunday Times, Hadley Freeman’s reflects on the Democratic Party’s failure to connect with voters, particularly in light of Donald Trump’s recent victory. She admits that while she has long been a Democrat, her reactions to Trump’s initial election in 2016—such as joining activist groups and expressing outrage—were ultimately unproductive. Freeman argues that the left’s focus on moral superiority rather than practical solutions to pressing issues like the economy and immigration has alienated many voters, including minorities who shifted towards Trump. She criticizes the tendency to attribute electoral losses to racism or misogyny while ignoring the importance of tangible policies that resonate with everyday concerns. Freeman emphasizes that the Democrats must prioritize addressing real problems rather than retreating into self-righteousness, as doing so could lead to further electoral failures and a disconnection from the electorate’s needs.

As a new/old portrait gets added to the Presidential placemat chart, we find ourselves facing the reality of Trump 2.0—a phenomenon rooted not just in his controversial persona but also in the profound influence of right-wing media and the Democratic Party’s disconnect from voters. This new era is defined by a political landscape where moral posturing often overshadows practical solutions, and where perception shapes reality far more than policy. As we stagger into this unsettling chapter, I invite readers to share any compelling forensic analyses that might shed further light on our current political climate. Got any? Your recommendations could help us better grasp the complexities at play as we chart the course ahead.

Link to the new Donald J. Trump 2.0. design

Posted in: Cartooning, USA Tagged: 2024-20, commentary, Donald Trump, placemat, Presidents, Substack

Saturday January 14, 2023

January 14, 2023 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday January 14, 2023

How the Trump, Biden classified documents cases compare

The revelation that classified materials were discovered at think tank offices formerly used by President Joe Biden, as well as at the president’s Delaware home, has prompted questions on how the circumstances compare with the seizure last year of hundreds of documents marked as classified from Mar-a-Lago, the Florida residence of former President Donald Trump.

May 27, 2020

A side-by-side look at the similarities and differences between the two situations:

How many classified documents are we talking about?

BIDEN: It’s unclear precisely how many classified materials have been obtained from Biden’s office and home. Richard Sauber, special counsel to the president, said Monday that “a small number of documents with classified markings” were discovered on Nov. 2, 2022, in a locked closet at the Penn Biden Center for Diplomacy and Global Engagement, a think tank in Washington, as Biden’s personal attorneys were clearing out the offices.

Biden kept an office at the Penn Center after he left the vice presidency in 2017 until shortly before he launched his 2020 presidential campaign. It was affiliated with the University of Pennsylvania and continued to operate independently of the Biden administration.

On Thursday, Sauber said a second batch of documents with classified markings — a “small number,” he said — had been found in a storage space in Biden’s garage in Wilmington, Delaware, with one document being located in Biden’s personal library in his home.

TRUMP: Roughly 300 documents with classification markings — including some at the top secret level — have been recovered from Trump since he left office in January 2021.

Wednesday August 10, 2022

In January 2022, the National Archives and Records Administration retrieved 15 boxes of documents, telling Justice Department officials they contained “a lot” of classified material. In August, FBI agents took about 33 boxes and containers of 11,000 documents from Mar-a-Lago, including roughly 100 with classification markings found in a storage room and an office.

How quickly were the classified documents turned over?

BIDEN: After the materials were discovered at the think tank, Biden’s personal attorneys immediately alerted the White House counsel’s office, which notified NARA, which took custody of the documents the next day, Sauber said.

“Since that discovery, the President’s personal attorneys have cooperated with the Archives and the Department of Justice in a process to ensure that any Obama-Biden Administration records are appropriately in the possession of the Archives,” Sauber said in a statement.

Part of that cooperation, Sauber said this week, included Biden’s personal lawyers examining other locations where records might have been shipped after Biden left the vice presidency in 2017. That search concluded Wednesday night, Biden told reporters at the White House on Thursday, though he did not say when the second batch of documents was found.

Sauber said the Justice Department was “immediately notified” after the documents were found at Biden’s home and that department lawyers took custody of the records.

February 11, 2021

The revelation that additional classified documents were uncovered by Biden’s attorneys came hours after White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre dodged questions about Biden’s handling of classified information and the West Wing’s management of the discovery. She said the White House was committed to handling the matter in the “right way,” pointing to Biden’s personal attorneys’ immediate notification of the National Archives.

TRUMP: A Trump representative told NARA in December 2021 that presidential records had been found at Mar-a-Lago, nearly a year after Trump left office. Fifteen boxes of records containing some classified material were transferred from Mar-Lago to NARA in January.

A few months later, investigators from the Justice Department and FBI visited Mar-a-Lago to get more information about classified materials taken to Florida. Federal officials also served a subpoena for some documents believed to be at the estate.

In August 2022, FBI agents conducting a search retrieved 33 boxes from Mar-a-Lago. The search came after lawyers for Trump provided a sworn certification that all government records had been returned. (Continued: PBS) 

 

Posted in: USA Tagged: 2023-01, Classified, documents, Donald Trump, Elephant, fire, GOP, Joe Biden, Presidents, USA

Sock it to ’em

November 17, 2020 by Graeme MacKay

Dazzling Socks of Canadian Prime Ministers

Above: Robert Borden, William Lyon Mackenzie King, John A. Macdonald

 

Above: Canada’s Prime Ministers, Pierre Trudeau, The Trudeaus: father & son

Above: Brian Mulroney, Macdonald and Laurier, Stephen Harper

Canadian Rebels and Fighters

Above: Emily Stowe, Nellie McClung, Louis Riel

Above: Rene Levesque, William Lyon MacKenzie, Young Doug Ford

Many many more Prime Minister & Rebel socks at Redbubble

Presidential Socks

Above: Presidents – Republicans, Democratic, and Mixed

Above: Abraham Lincoln, Founding Fathers, Theodore Roosevelt

Many Many more socks of Presidents of the United States at Redbubble

Monarchy Socks

Above: British Kings and Queens of all eras

Elizabeth II, George IV, House of Windsor

Many many more Monarchy socks at Redbubble

…And many more socks of personalities from the past

 

 

Posted in: Canada, International, Redbubble, USA Tagged: history, Monarchy, Presidents, Prime Ministers, Redbubble, socks

Wednesday January 9, 2019

January 16, 2019 by Graeme MacKay

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday January 9, 2019

Trump doubles down on push for border wall in televised address

U.S. President Donald Trump blamed unauthorized immigrants for killing Americans, taking their jobs and flooding his country with drugs as he doubled down on demands that Congress hand over US$5.7-billion for a wall on the border with Mexico in a nationally televised address.

In a 10-minute Oval Office speech, Mr. Trump tried to rally his base and hold his Republican Party together amid a government shutdown he triggered over congressional refusal to fund the wall.

August 29, 2013

“Some have suggested a barrier is immoral,” Mr. Trump said. “The only thing that is immoral is for the politicians to do nothing and continue to allow more innocent people to be so horribly victimized.”

Democratic leaders on Tuesday rejected the President’s demands, and accused him of unfairly targeting asylum-seekers.

“The women and children at the border are not a security threat,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a televised rebuttal, as she accused Mr. Trump of “manufacturing a crisis.” Added Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer: “The symbol of America should be the Statue of Liberty, not a 30-foot wall.”

In his speech, the President described several murders committed by immigrants, lamented the quantities of heroin arriving from Mexico and claimed that “all Americans are hurt” by migrants coming to work in the U.S.

In fact, a study by the libertarian Cato Institute last year found that crime rates among immigrants in Texas – both legal and unauthorized – were lower than those among native-born Americans. The U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency found that 90 per cent of smuggled heroin went through designated ports of entry such as border crossings, and air or seaports, which means it would not be stopped by a wall.

The President also repeated an assertion that the wall will be paid for by Mexico through the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. The trade pact contains no provision for Mexico to pay for the wall.

Mr. Trump, however, stopped short of declaring a state of emergency that would give him the power to divert money from the military to build the wall. Such a move would likely be met with a court challenge. (Source: Globe & Mail) 

 

Posted in: USA Tagged: 2019-01, border security, Donald Trump, Immigration, JFK, John F. Kennedy, Mexico, moon, Presidents, USA, Vision, wall

Trailer – The Presidents

December 27, 2015 by Graeme MacKay

Coming in January 2016, The Presidents, a new set of caricatures available on a wide range of products on Redbubble. If you were enchanted Graeme MacKay’s Canadian Prime Minister series, you’ll enjoy the full set of American leaders to come. Now this teaser:

Posted in: Cartooning, USA Tagged: animation, Presidents, Redbubble

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