The pre-primary vote
Presidential campaigns appear to begin earlier with each election,
and the races for the 2000 election were in full swing by mid 1999.
Long before the presidential primaries, candidates and both parties
had amassed unprecedentedly large war chests. These consist largely
of "soft money," contributions to political parties, which can be
raised and used in any way that does not actually mention a candidate
by name. The direct primaries, which were designed to eliminate
nominations by "party bosses" in "smoke-filled rooms" did not anticipate
the ever-increasing effects of money in determining national candidates
before conventions. For decades, Herb Block has been a constant,
uncompromising advocate for controlling campaign funds.
The pre-primary
vote, June 11, 1999
Ink, crayon, porous point pen, opaque white, and overlays over blue
pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (119)
LC-USZ62-126899
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"Said Alice . . . 'It's the stupidest tea-party I ever was at
in all my life'"
In October 1999, presidential candidate Patrick Buchanan switched
from the Republican Party to the Reform Party, creating divisiveness
within the emerging third party as his political platform differed
markedly from that of founder Ross Perot. In the meantime, real
estate magnate Donald Trump had formally established his Reform
Party candidacy. Trump was favored as the "Stop Buchanan" candidate,
but in February 2000, he withdrew from the race. In August 2000,
Patrick Buchanan accepted the presidential nomination from one wing
of a decidedly split Reform Party. For Herb Block, the situation
evoked one of Sir John Tenniel's famous illustrations for Lewis
Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
"Said Alice
. . . 'It's the stupidest tea-party I ever was at in all my life'",
October 31, 1999
Ink, crayon, porous point pen, opaque white, and overlays over blue
pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (120)
LC-USZ62-126894
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"‘A house divided' -- 'Preserve the Union' -- when does he get
to the important thing -- telling us all about his personal religion?"
Personal religion has become a central issue during the 2000 presidential
campaign, as most candidates have announced their religion and their
beliefs. In this cartoon, Herb Block contrasts today's candidates
with Abraham Lincoln, a man who could quote the Bible, but who kept
his religious preferences to himself.
"‘A house divided'--‘Preserve
the Union'--when does he get to the important thing--telling us
all about his personal religion?" February 10, 2000
Ink, crayon, porous point pen, opaque white, and overlays over blue
pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (123)
LC-USZ62-126924
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"It's still a representative form of government -- they
represent us"
The unlimited "soft money" raised by national party organizations
can be spent on advertisements that skirt the campaign finance reforms
brought on by the excess of the Watergate era. Herb Block has consistently
pointed out that the skyrocketing campaign contributions and expenditures
threaten "government by the people and for the people." As for "free
speech" arguments, he says "that there is nothing free about
sales of public office to high bidders, who buy and pay for elections
and influence."
"It's still
a representative form of government--they represent us,"
May 18, 2000
Ink, crayon, porous point pen, opaque white, and overlays over blue
pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (138)
LC-USZ62-127456
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Hare and Tortoise 2000
Aesop's fable about the tortoise and the hare became a metaphor
for the 2000 pre-convention presidential campaign. Although faster,
Al Gore, the hare, seemed to bounce around, while George W. Bush,
the tortoise, wheeled steadily ahead. A Bush lead in the polls dropped
after Gore's appearance at the midsummer Democratic Convention.
Hare and Tortoise
2000, June 18, 2000
Ink, crayon, porous point pen, opaque white, and overlays over blue
pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (139)
LC-USZ62-127457
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Blaze Congress, Stripper
On June 29, 2000, the Senate approved a House measure to force
the disclosure of contributions and expenditures used by so-called
"Section 527 Stealth Police Action Committees" to influence elections.
The new law stipulated that Section 527 groups must register with
the IRS, providing a modest measure of disclosure. Herb Block was
not impressed by this limited effort to curb some secrecy in campaign
finance and continued to believe that congressional big-money politics
was not baring much of anything.
Blaze Congress,
Stripper, June 30, 2000
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pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (142)
LC-USZ62-127452
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I made my decision after listening to ...
Many voters had felt enthusiasm for such candidates as Democrat
Bill Bradley and Republican John McCain. But by mid-summer, George
W. Bush and Al Gore solidified their hold on the major party presidential
nominations if not the voters themselves. In this cartoon, Herb
Block shows two voters who are turned off by listening to a speech
by their candidate.
I made my decision
after listening to ...,
July 19, 2000
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pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (136)
LC-USZ62-127454
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Dick and Dad will tell me all I need to know
On July 25, 2000, Republican presidential hopeful George W. Bush
selected Richard "Dick" Cheney as his running mate for vice president
because of Cheney's broad political experience ranging from White
House chief of staff to Defense secretary. Cheney's expertise and
maturity was sought to dispel questions about Bush's relative inexperience,
particularly in foreign policy. But Bush's selection of Cheney revived
questions about the younger Bush's independence from his father's
legacy and whether he won the nomination on the basis of his own
strengths.
Dick and Dad
will tell me all I need to know, July 27, 2000
Ink, crayon, porous point pen, opaque white, and overlays over blue
pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (140)
LC-USZ62-127458
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Jump Start
The Gore campaign had dropped in the polls when the addition of
Senator Joseph Lieberman as Gore's running mate garnered media attention
and gave his campaign a boost.
Jump Start,
August 9, 2000
Ink, crayon, porous point pen, opaque white, and overlays over blue
pencil underdrawing on paper
Published in the Washington Post (141)
LC-USZ62-127453
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