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Steve Brodner on Hillary and the Dems

By Peggy Roalf   Wednesday July 27, 2016


Q: Hillary Clinton is probably, like President Obama said, the most qualified presidential candidate—ever, or at least, “the most prepared.” Her accomplishments are hard to itemize and she continually fudges facts, even when questioned last week by her trusted friend, Charlie Rose. But she presents a rock solid image and a certainty about the future that verges on truthiness. Does this make her a good subject for caricature?

A: She is a terrible subject for a caricature!! She is a shape-shifter of historic proportions. I love to draw Trump because of how dependably single-dimensional he is. It's like when he appears, he is a cut-out of himself. He is the theme for your variations. With Hillary, you never know what she will wear, what her hair will look like. Most important: what her statements will be. It is a good thing for a person to have a strong intellectual like and be in a state of evolution. Of course, in a poll their reasons for change have more to do with the political landscape. A caricaturist must always be on his/her toes!!

Q: On Monday, the media began circulating information that the Wikileaks spill about the Democratic National Committee’s meddling to steer voter support Hillary’s way, against Bernie, was the result of a Russian hack of the DNC. Do you think that Hillary can overcome this mess, which can’t possibly be her fault? 

A: It is bad for her, and Trump-loving Russians know it. Every day there is another revelation. Today (Tuesday) we see a leak of the ugly and awkward donor quid-pro-quo transaction that went on. The truth is that Citizens United makes this the order of the day in both parties. Of course Fox & fiends will not spin it that way. So instead of reform, it will be about the corrupt Democrats. To paraphrase Sy Simms: the uninformed voter is Trump's best friend.

Q: Bernie seemed a little hyperactive in his speech supporting Hillary as the presidential nominee. Do you think he can stick to this message with the latest flubs inside the party?

A: Bernie could not be doing more to help the Dems now. They all know that she must win for their own self-interest as well as for the survival of civil society. I think the Bernie Bro's are a very vocal and very small group. They will be drowned out from here on in. This may actually be good for Hillary: to be seen as progressive and moderate. And give the convention with some level of drama, which it otherwise would not have. The ratings last night (Monday) were much higher than they were for the GOP's convention.

Q: The DNC seems to be in as big a mess as the RNC. Have you noticed a third party forming in the background that could emerge out of this disruption?

A: There will be two additional parties this year: Libertarian and Green. I believe the GOP is ready for a split. They have five factions (by my count) who mostly hate each other (Evangelicals, Wall St, Libertarians, New-cons, Trumpian Populist Racists). That is not the case with the Dems. Post November 8, politics is going to be even more interesting. When the GOP loses the presidency, the Senate and the SCOTUS, what will they do? Turn to Ted Cruz? I don't think so. Progressives will have a lot off Bernie power then. Will they go home, commit mass suicide or actually organize? As usual with them (me included) it will be a mess—but a hopeful one.

Q: What are your plans for the week of November 9th?

A: Pitching my stories, taking assignments, making deadlines, teaching my new online course, lecturing, writing and drawing my Presidents book. Until the Secret Police comes, of course!

Btw: Thanks to Andrew Horton, my intrepid designer at the Voice and to DART for hanging out with us this summer!!!

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And you can follow Steve's campaign coverage on Village Voice  and catch his daily draws on facebook.

After getting his BFA at  Cooper Union in 1976 Steve Brodner became editorial cartoonist at The Hudson Dispatch, in Union City, New Jersey. In 1977 Steven Heller, protean art director of The New York Times Book Review, began tapping him for illustration assignments. Eventually Brodner realized he could survive nicely just doing this without ever having a real job. This is called Freelance Illustration. To this day he is still confused about how this works. [More]



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