DEVELOPING: SECRET SERVICE CONCERN AFTER LOS ANGELES TIMES COMIC DEPICTS 'BUSH ASSASSINATION'

drudge

[ConservativeMan55]

DEVELOPING: SECRET SERVICE CONCERN AFTER LOS ANGELES TIMES COMIC DEPICTS 'BUSH ASSASSINATION'

[The Wizard]

Totally irresponsible, puppy pad rag should be shut down...this is not free speech it it treason

[ConservativeMan55]

I think they should fire him.

[Guenevere]

I believe stupid question...to be a troller, an agent provocateur...

Ignore it :>

[b4its2late]

Would you believe me if I told you I was Matt?

:-)

[MattAMiller]

I don't get it. It's obviously an allusion to the famous photo from the Vietnam war, but after that I'm lost. Whatever analogy is being made here is too convuluted for me to follow.

[Pokey78]

XXXXX DRUDGE REPORT XXXXX SUN JULY 20, 2003 20:15:27 ET XXXXX

SECRET SERVICE CONCERN AFTER LOS ANGELES TIMES COMIC DEPICTS 'BUSH ASSASSINATION'

A LOS ANGELES TIMES comic Sunday that graphically showed President Bush being held at direct gun-point has raised concerns within the Secret Service, the DRUDGE REPORT has learned.

The shock cartoon by the paper's Michael Ramirez depicts the president's hands behind his back with a gun to his head -- assassination style -- as an unidentified man wearing a vest which reads "politics" appears ready to pull the trigger!

"We take all images such as this very seriously," a top secret service source who requested anonymity said from Washington. "Regardless of the politics behind any speech, images of the president, such of this, raise concern."

The sketch appears to be a take-off of a Pulitzer prize winning photo that memorialized the Vietnam war for the 60s Generation. It attempts to make the point that partisan politics are more of a threat to Bush than guerilla war.

"The world's first political 'snuff' cartoon... there's a viciousness to this, that's just not funny," noted one White House reporter.

Ramirez did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Developing...

[vikingchick]

Thanks for putting the two side by side. The artist definitely was copying the Vietnam photo, whatever that means.

[Steel Wolf]

This cartoon is sympathetic to Bush.

Perhaps there are better ways of showing support than putting a gun to his head? Ways that won't win you a visit from the Secret Service.

I'd go out on a limb and say that far more than 75% of the people who take a glance at this cartoon will misinterpret the deep meaning. The surface meaning is very clear, however, and will appeal to the fan base of the LA Times.

[b4its2late]

Hey Guennie!

[ConservativeMan55]

Duly noted. Thanks. :)

[Brad’s Gramma]

Do you have any idea what sort of newspapers the Founding Father's had?

Nope. I wasn't around then.

[StopDemocratsDotCom]

I can assure all of you that this cartoon is 100% PRO-BUSH. Michael Ramirez is one of the best CONSERVATIVE cartoonists in the country and this cartoon was not meant to offend but simply to shock.

[Helms]

This Bears Repeating- LOOK AT THE BUILDING IN THE RIGHT BACKGROUND:

[StupidQuestions]

Voice your opinion in opposition but don't ask that ANY journalistic enterprise be shut down! We don't shut down carriers of opinions we don't like in this Republic. That is an editorial cartoon. It is protected speech of the highest order.

[Libloather]

It is a little frightening...

How old are you?

[ladyinred]

You are the one who needs to review the 1st amendment. It does not protect all speech!

[The Wizard]

You people in LA better start calling every advertiser in this piece of chit rag right away. This cannot go unanswered....this is unacceptable....the advertisers must pay

[Howlin]

I'm clueless. What am I missing?

[petuniasevan]

Consider the source.

Ramirez is actually a CONSERVATIVE cartoonist. IMHO he means no harm.


Poor judgement and lack of forethought? Definitely.

[M. Peach]

I think you miss the point. Threatening the life of the president in any way, shape or form will create great stress in your life.

Ask Gonzo and others here from FR, who said things not even close to this picture and had visits from the SS.

The artist should live by the same standards the rest of us do - especially when he has the type of medium he does.