Existing comment:
Each image shown here contrasts the hopes raised by the election of our first African American president with the unchanging dysfunctions of our politics and the emergence of a potent white nationalism. The cartoon on the upper left reminds us of how rapidly faith in the election's vague promise of hope and change was overwhelmed by legacy of the Bush-Cheney "War on Terror" and a cratering economy. Yet it also depicts Obama as a problem solver doing the everyday work of governing, in harmony with George Washington.
The cartoon on the upper right satirizes Democratic candidates' attempts to portray themselves as ordinary working stiffs. It anticipates Hillary Clinton's 2016 problems connecting with white working-class voters, and it comments upon the intersections of class, gender, and racialized narratives in politics and our social environment. In the image on the bottom left, Oliphant again lampoons naive faith in Obama's ability to resist entrenched wealthy donors, given the huge sums required to run a successful campaign. Below, the image of Obama diving into and integrating an all-white pool also highlights the significance of his election by connecting it to the Civil Rights Movement.
In the cartoon on the bottom left, Oliphant uses a symbol of American democracy (in this case the Statue of Liberty) to show how easily its meaning can be subverted. Immigration, and the story of what is "American," is a constant throughout his work. Anticipating the emergence of Trump's anti-immigrant rhetoric and racist appear to "Make America Great Again," we are reminded of how much Oliphant's voice is missed at this particular political moment. |