Political cartooning has long been a part--even a respected part--of the backdrop of political elections and the political process in America. And though Sunday comics don't often arise to that category, there are at least a couple that do. For us '60's folks, there has always been Doonesbury. But for some time now, there has been another: Opus, the successor strip to Outland, by Berkeley Breathed. And this week's Sunday offering really grabbed my attention.
But it may have been a long time since you have read the "funny papers," and you may not even be familiar with Opus (a penguin, actually). So I am sending it along to you via Salon.com and the link below.
One of the recurring themes is Opus' sleep anxieties that reside in his bedroom closet, from which they make their various unwelcome appearances during the night. Inspired by the Democratic primary, this one takes a new turn, raising everything to a new level. In the continuing--some would say protracted--race between Clinton and Obama, some have suggested that Clinton's unwillingness to concede likely defeat is polarizing their respective supporters and risks alienating supporters of the losing candidate in the general election. Others suggest it is a healthy process that will energize the Democratic party and independents for the general election. I don't know if you would call Breathed's statement here more polarized or energized, but it surely reflects the strong opinions and dug-in tactics this primary process has engendered.
http://www.salon.com/comics/opus/2008/04/06/opus/
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