Sources for America’s History: Printed Page 780

31-3  |Cartoonist Questions the Politics of Character
DAVID HORSEY, Character (1996)

Bill Clinton’s presidency was distracted by self-inflicted crises seized upon by his detractors as signs of moral failure. Opponents focused on Clinton’s marital infidelities, particularly his intimate relations with Monica Lewinsky, a White House intern. This liaison nearly brought down his presidency when the House of Representatives passed articles of impeachment, but Clinton was acquitted by the Senate. Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist David Horsey comments on the character issue in a cartoon published during the 1996 presidential election, which Clinton easily won with nearly half the popular vote.

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Source: “Character,” Hearst Newspapers, LLC/Seattle P-I.

READING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

  1. Question

    What inference can you draw concerning Horsey’s perspective on the character issue during the 1996 presidential election? Do you think he agrees with the view of the woman being interviewed? Explain.

  2. Question

    Analyze and describe the significance of all the details of the cartoon. How does Horsey use these elements to convey his editorial perspective?

  3. Question

    What can you conclude about America’s social and political history during the 1990s? To what extent is the cartoonist suggesting cultural and moral issues trumped social and economic issues?