Treading Tricky Waters with Political Cartoons

My grandmother and I talk almost every week, well at least we did until I started Broadcast 2.  Last night I was fortunate to have some free time to talk with her, and we talked about the recent problems that political cartoonists have been having with drawing President Obama due to his race.  Political cartoonists have always exaggerated the features of politicians in order to make fun of them or sometimes symbolize something greater in their policy making or political decisions.  Whatever the reason behind it, they are witty nuggets of gold within the papers that poke fun at our leaders in a more creative way than the words printed on the pages.  

My grandmother and I are talking about different things, and the cartoon comes up.  She believed it was completely innappropriate and that the cartoonist should have apologized immediately for being so tasteless and thoughtless.  I admitted that I had not seen the cartoon yet, but I trusted her word and agreed that indeed the cartoonist would have to be more careful next time in what he drew.  I googled it later and actually did not believe it was as offensive as she and many black activists (as shown in their demonstrations this morning) thought it to be.  One thing kept going through my head just as it has since the media gobbled him up way back when he first won Iowa.  How much will the media be able to criticize him?  He represents so many things to so many people: for African Americans he is the realization for Dr. King's dreams, for young people he is the new JFK, and for the millions of people that voted for him in November, he represents the great change many in this country expect from his new administration.  Regardless of your political affiliation, he clearly has a great deal sitting on his shoulders in terms of expectations. One of our main values or goals as journalists is to carefully monitor and criticize the government.  Not to be bullies or the mean dog on the block, but to make sure the most powerful entity in this country stays in line with what our Constitution allows them to do.   Regardless of race or popularity, journalists must be allowed to monitor and criticize President Obama and his administration.  Yes he's popular, and charismatic, and well-spoken, but it doesn't remove him from the same scrutiny that we would have over any other president or politician.  I understand that his race will make it more difficult than past presidents to criticize because there will be that question of racial intentions or critical journalism.   

I know the next few months will be challenging in criticizing Obama because of the very temperate attitudes of different groups in this country.  Our jobs as journalists are not to cater to the majority's opinion but to keep tabs on the government.  And political cartoonists will continue to make fun of politicans and presidents.  America, it's time to grow some tougher skin and let us do our jobs.