Larger Questions
Monday’s Question of the Week was about the President’s new policy of “prolonged detention” for terror suspects who seemingly cannot be tried and cannot be released, and what larger implications this practice might have in the future. So far, nobody has touched it. It’s possible some are still pondering this question, while others are composing their carefully-worded responses. However, it’s also possible that I chose the wrong question. Let’s try another angle…
What icon will Doonesbury use to represent President Obama? In the past, Bill Clinton was represented as a waffle, while first-term George W. Bush was represented as an asterisk in a cowboy hat (later changed to a helmet from the Roman empire). The Doonesbury FAQ offers the following:
We appreciate the interest of the hundreds of readers who have written to ask — with varying degrees of impatience — whether there will be a Doonesbury icon for President Obama. Suggestions for an image have been generously forthcoming — halo, basketball, Ray-Bans, Blackberry, teleprompter.
My vote is coins. This represents “change” in one sense, and in another the financial challenges he inherited. What do you think?
What icon should Doonesbury use to represent Obama?
May 28th, 2009 at 1:55 pm
I have to say that given the critical nature of previous icons, I think the halo would be apt. The “change” idea is excellent, but I think more of how a sympathetic viewer would see him. Also, I don’t know that he will “change” things so much as reintroduce competence. The halo is a fair criticism and reminder of the vast and desperate faith we’ve all placed in him – for understandable reasons – but I think it’s a wise reminder that we can’t actually deify him and that he’s certainly human and fallible.
June 1st, 2009 at 6:57 am
Good points, DeLisa.
Trudeau actually made reference to the lack of an icon in Saturday’s strip.