If You Can't Say Something Intelligent, Don't Say Anything At All.

http://www.time.com/time/cartoonsoftheweek

Around this time of year, many Americans are thinking about the upcoming holidays and festivities. Of course, we are bombarded with commercials about the gifts and goods we could buy and currently, they're more informative than the Republican candidates. In John Cole's political cartoon, he portrays candidates Cain, Romney, Bachmann, Perry and Gingrich as turkeys. This is not only used to emphasize the upcoming holiday but to show that the candidates are not providing the public with beneficial information. In the cartoon, the candidates are 'gobbling' and in there are a few lines from their debates. This shows that the candidates can talk a tremendous amount but they aren't saying anything that informs the people about where they stand on the issues. Unfortunately, turkeys are usually associated with Thanksgiving and likewise candidates are associated with social entertainment. In the corner of the cartoon, a pilgrim is leaning over a piece of wood preparing to chop his head off. On his backside are the words 'GOP.' Usually, this situation would be reversed in which the trukeys' head would be chopped off. This emphasizes that the GOP feels like they have made a fool of themselves and that they are suffering more than the candidates are.

In this cartoon, everything is labeled to emphasize exactly what these people are. This is a common technique of most cartoonist but it's one that works. Turkeys are usually stupid and good for only one purpose: eating. And that's what the media has currently done to these candidates. They have taken everything they've said and eaten it up to the point where they've made these candidates appear to be unintelligent. In the public eye, they're a bit like turkeys. The GOP is also prominently labeled on the backside to emphasize that they've made a**!# of themselves. Cole also uses the technique of exaggeration, in which he overdoes the physical characteristics to make a point. The words "Gobble, gobble" are written in the air of the cartoon to show that the candidates talk way to much. They have their occasional slip ups but otherwise they're boring. They definitely can talk the talk but can they walk the walk?

Are any of these candidates good nominees for the GOP? Who knows but Cole clearly thinks that these candidates need to do a little more than just talk. Yes, it's always amusing to see politicians like Rick Perry openly admit they have no idea what they're talking about during a debate but it's better to see a candidate who knows what they're doing. Cole is probably a democrat due to the fact that all the candidates in the picture are distorted and made to look unintelligent. All the main politicians are displayed in the cartoon meaning he is specifically against these candidates. Even if Cole is against all of these candidates, he has a valid message: the candidates need to get their act together otherwise the public won't take them seriously.