Team Member Name: __Taldon Bressel_________
Publication_______The Buffalo News__________Date:__12/17/2011__
Cartoonist:_______Adam Zyglis____________U.S./International (circle)
Title of the cartoon:__________Newt’s Policies_____________Cartoon#_1_
What action is taking place in the cartoon? The cartoon depicts the policies of Newt Gengrich. On the left side is a book on global history, calling it his “greatest strength.” On the other side is another book with his personal history, calling it his “greatest weakness.” One thing that is noticeable about the two books is there neatness and size. The book on the left is rather average size and clean. The other book is full of old numbers, policies and corporate spending. The book also is tied together in order to hold it all together.
1) positive or negative framing of the candidate(s)
2) framing is supportive or opposed to the candidate(s)
What “reality” is constructed/framed about the candidate(s)? The books are representative of public views of Newts personal and political views. Newt is politically well known for his world policies. He has done many things that have helped the world economy. However, his personal history has been under much question. For one, he was involved with mortgage giant Freddie Mac. Gingrich was very adamant that his fellow candidate, Mitt Romney, release his documents with Goldman Sacs. Along with his Freddie Mac documents, newt was also accused of receiving special treatment from Tiffany & Co. for receiving a line of credit for his wife. Other pieces of paper that are hanging out of the book is a paper with “Call Me” on it. There is also a pearl necklace in the book as well. This all refers to the fact that newt does not have the most sable marriages. He as had two previous wives before his most current one.
Team Member Name: ________Taldon Bressel______________
Publication_______Salt Lake Tribune_____________Date:_Nov. 26, 201l__
Cartoonist:________Pat Bagley______________U.S./International (circle)
Title of the cartoon:___________Pay no Attention_____________Cartoon#_2_
What action is taking place in the cartoon? This is a recreation of the Wizard of Oz where the characters discover who the actual wizard actually is. Instead of the wizard, it is Newt Gingrich. On the control panel, there are bottoms that read “Hypocrisy, Infidelity, Big Words, and Big Money.” These all have to do with his ego and his life before he ran for the republican ticket.
Tone of the cartoon:
1) positive or negative framing of the candidate(s) (circle answer)
2) framing is supportive or opposed to the candidate(s) (Circle answer)
What “reality” is constructed/framed about the candidate(s)? There is a lot going on in this cartoon. The cartoon is based of the seen in the movie “Wizard of Oz,” where the group discovers who the wizard actually is. The ghostish figure is a giant head of Newt. In many cartoons, Newt is typically drawn having an abnormally big head. Newt is also very typically known for having a very large ego. In many of the debates, he will question the speaker and say that he is always the right one. As in the movie, Toto pulls the curtain back to reveal the wizard working a machine. Not only is it Newt on the machine, but also there are some unusual buttons on the control panel. The buttons read “Hypocrisy, Infidelity, Big Words, and Big Money.” These are all traits that Newt is known for. In the debate before the South Carolina primary, Gingrich took offence when asked about his “open marriage” with his wives. There was much hypocrisy in his words because of his past as a Speaker of the House. The infidelity is also due to his multiple wives and wanting to be able to sleep around. The big words and big money are used be because he will often use big words that have nothing to do with what he is trying to get across. He is been throwing money around with his Super PAC.
@Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press, May 2011Team Member Name: __________Family Values__________________
Publication____Chattanooga Times Free Press___________Date:__May 2011___
Cartoonist:_______Clay Bennett______________U.S./International (circle)
Title of the cartoon:_________Family Values_______________Cartoon#_3_
What action is taking place in the cartoon? The cartoon is of a wedding ring. On the front are the words “Family Values.” On the inside is Newts name along with his previous wives. Two of the three names are crossed out.
Tone of the cartoon:
1) positive or negative framing of the candidate(s) (circle answer)
2) framing is supportive or opposed to the candidate(s) (Circle answer)
What “reality” is constructed/framed about the candidate(s)? Newt has always had his personal views under fire. Yet he has not done much to help prevent that image. In many of the primaries that he has been in, he has been asked about him wanting an open marriage with his wives. According to ABC News, he had opened up about him cheating on his then second wife, Marianne Ginther, while he was leading the charge against president Clinton over his sex life. On the inside of the ring are the names of the three wives that Newt has had over the years. John Stewart has even called Newt a “hypocrite” because of his personal and family values, and how he judges others for their wrongs.
Team Member Name: ________Taldon Bressel____________________
Publication_______St. Louis Post Dispatch_______________Date:__Jan 2012__
Cartoonist:_________R.J. Matson______________U.S./International (circle)
Title of the cartoon:___________Mutually Assured______________Cartoon#_4_
What action is taking place in the cartoon? Newt and Mitt stand face-to-face shaking hands. In their other hands, each holds a type of bomb. Behind both of the men are canons that have “Super-PAC,” and “Attack Ads”
Tone of the cartoon:
1) positive or negative framing of the candidate(s) (circle answer)
2) framing is supportive or opposed to the candidate(s) (Circle answer)
What “reality” is constructed/framed about the candidate(s)? This cartoon is based off of the comic that is run in the magazine MAD. In the comic, there are always two spies, the black and white spies, trying to kill each other. At the start of every comic, the two spies are always shaking hands face-to-face while holding some type of weapon behind there back. This comic was drawn after the South Carolina primary. In that primary, Newt won by close to 12 points in the polls, beating the thought-to-be front-runner Mitt Romney. After the primary, many annalists said that it was going to be a showdown between Mitt and Newt for the republican candidate. Behind the characters are cannons that say “Super PAC,” and “Attack Ads.” During the early primaries, both Mitt and Newt’s Super PAC’s put out attack ads against each other. There was also much debate as to weather they were coordinating with their PAC’s, which is against the rules.
(Pic for Chapter intro)
Conclusion
In most cases, political cartoons are drawn in order to make a point on something that is being covered in the news. Most times they make a situation look bad or negative in order to get a point across. When is comes to politics, it tends to be much easier for a cartoon to be read a negative. Part of the reason for this is that everyone has an opinion in some type of form. As for Newt Gingrich, there is no exception.
In the past few months, the Republican Party has had many changes in how is the bad guy and who is the front-runner at the time. Early on in the primary season, Newt Gingrich was a threat to Mitt Romney for leading the polls. Many of the big news stations were back and forth on who was the better representative. When looking at Newt, there is a lot to take in and consider about his policies and how the media views him.
In many cases, Newt is a seen as having a very big ego. When being drawn in cartoons, he having a big head represents this. When he talks in debates, he uses big words and to make himself a sound bigger and better then the other candidates. The problem is that many times he is pointing blame at others when he has done many of the same things. Case and point; his marriages.
Before he ran as a Republican candidate, he was Speaker of the House during the Clinton era. It was reported that during the time of the charges being brought up against the president, Gingrich was having an affair with another woman during his second marriage. The problem, besides it being completely immoral, was that he was on of the major players trying to get the president impeached. His personal values are often viewed by the media as “poor and immoral.”
During the fist part of the primary season, Newt was accused as having “illegally” coordinated with his Super PAC for the types of attack ads against his opponents. At the same time, Mitt Romney’s Super PAC was also launching attack ads against Gingrich. And after Gingrich’s win in South Carolina, he seemed to be the only one that could defeat Romney. Since then, Gingrich has not done as well and has fallen far from where he was at the start of the primary season.
When looking at the framing of Gingrich, many would say that he is seen in a negative light. Yet, this is common for many of the candidates this year. With the constant change in views of the candidates, people feel that it is hurting their chances of taking the white house in November. In most cases, the front-runner will be the one that receives most of the brunt of the negative coverage, but everyone comes under fire as well. With Gingrich, he will be better known as the Speaker of the House during the Clinton era. Even more so, Gingrich has really come under fire for his personal life with his wives and his family views. In almost all cartoons, one of the two is referred to at some point. What makes him more of a target is his ego. He is not afraid to call others out on there wrongs, but will take offence when he his on the receiving side of the attacks.
About the Author:
Name – Taldon Bressel
Major – Journalism (Print)
Year – Junior
About – Taldon Bressel hails from the golden coast of California. He comes to Utah State as a transfer student in order to further his education. Besides being a wonderful and “god send” student in the JCOM 2010 class, he was a Semi-professional snowboarder. He also is known as DJ Tank, due to him also being a DJ back home.
