The Race for the 2008 Republican Nomination: A Book of Editorial Cartoons

There is no better year for political cartoons than an election year and 2008 is no exception. In this cartoon compendium of some of the sharpest political commentary on the 2008 Republican primary race, the work of nearly eighty cartoonists from around the country follows the ups and downs of the GOP's unforgettable campaign trail.

While the Republican Party looks hopefully to John McCain to secure a third straight term in the White House, the Arizona senator did not start as the front runner. Before Mike Huckabee's fundraising efforts fell short and Mitt Romney found that the media attention regarding his faith had unfavorable results, McCain's own path to the nomination looked grim at best. After the shift in support and funding following the New Hampshire primary, however, John McCain switched from being the second-favorite Republican candidate to simply the last man standing as all his competitors were eliminated.

Underscored by Ron Paul's tenacious marathon of campaigning through the spring primaries and the brief sprints attempted by such second-tier candidates as Virginia Governor Jim Gilmore and Wisconsin's Tommy Thompson, John McCain's road to the nominating convention has provided a bulk of rich material, which the country's finest cartoonists have welcomed with open arms and inky pens. From Rudy Giuliani's gross miscalculation in Florida to Fred Thompson's late start and lackluster campaign to become the next Ronald Regan, the Republican primary season is chronicled in its entirety in this intelligent and humorous compilation.

From illustrations of the Titanic to a lively game of pin-the-tail-on-the-elephant, the caricatures, characters, and of course, elephants, present an engaging analysis of the primaries. An entertaining and insightful companion to a political season fraught with outspoken pundits, pollsters, and politicians, this collection is a timely and welcomed addition to the year's collection of political commentary.

ABOUT THE EDITOR
Eric Appleman is the founder of Democracy in Action, a Web site providing a framework for citizens to follow presidential campaigns. Appleman has also produced several political CD-ROMs, including his self-published Field Guide to the 1992 Presidential Campaign.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1589806336
• ISBN13: 9781589806337
• Release Date: July 2008
• Publisher: Pelican Publishing Company
• Length: 160 Pages
• Weight: 0.86 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.4" x 8.5" x 10.9"

Customer Reviews

A great recap of the 2008 Republican Primary Season

I really enjoyed reliving the funny moments of the campaign in this book. The editorial cartoons are sorted by candidate and gives a funny historical narrative of the 2008 Presidential campaign. If you are a political junkie, this is a must have book.