Visual Representations of the 2004 Presidential Campaign

Abstract

Political cartoons are a unique form of media message; they offer voters an opinion on the campaign or candidates encapsulated typically in a single image. However, for those images to be comprehended and appreciated, cartoonists make reference to other events or images to allowreaders to receive and digest the message quickly. This study examines representations of presidential candidates in political cartoons to identify how often references to nonelection themes are made, with particular attention to allusions made to factors from popular culture.