Tom Toles Cartoon Asserted as Racist? I could be wrong, but I think seeing this cartoon at right (click through for a larger image) as racist simply because of Alberto Gonzales' ethnic identity is kind of a stretch. I actually thought the joke was that the preparation would have to be like this to make such rudimentary talking points last long enough to match the time claimed for it. Basically, though, it just seems to me in most cases like this there are usually a dozen or so explanations more likely than the cartoonist flipping his lid and making an unsavory joke. Cartoons take time; it's not a TV appearance where a slip of the tongue is possible.
The additional issue asserted here that this joke would have been seen differently if it were submitted by a conservative cartoonist sounds logical on the surface, like it's something that could happen, particularly if you see the world a certain way. Still, I'm not aware of actual instances where the public has ignored racially charged statements from a cartoonist based on political preference. Certainly a good amount of time was spent kicking Pat Oliphant in the nuts by people that didn't like the way he chose to depict Secretary of State Rice.
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