PICTURE: “Trump really needs to be shown in a truthful light”
Rachel Berman is a talented young cartoonist. Having discovered her site Pencil Politics, I asked her to draw some of the actors in the drama that has been the Republican battle for the Presidential nomination, and to offer some thoughts about how she saw the protagonists as she sketched them.
The Victor: Donald Trump
“Trump really needed to be shown in a truthful light, and what better way to illustrate his truth than through emphasizing his insecurities about the size of his hands?
The silly debate about Trump’s wealth and success seem to be all we talk about today in the media, yet his ostentatious display of power and money seem to cover for a more deep-seeded insecurity — perhaps he is compensating for something?”
The Runner-Up: Ted Cruz
“Cruz comes off quite dumpy-looking and a bit goofy. This was the effect I was going for when I drew him with his laces undone.
I didn’t want to give him too much of a serious look so I decided to take away any possible trace of credibility by giving him untied shoes.”
The One Who Never Had a Chance: John Kasich
“As I drew Kasich, I suppose you could say I focused in on his featureless face, which actually speaks volumes of his bland nature. His nose and eyes are flat and convey very little emotion, almost comically boring.”
The Wild Card: Paul Ryan
Paul Ryan, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, stepped back from a challenge to Trump at a brokered Republican convention. However, he is still a key player in the politics around Trump’s campaign — will he support the businessman in the race against Hillary Clinton for the White House?
“It was Ryan’s bright blue eyes which struck me initially, and which I chose to emphasize in the caricature. He has a youthfulness to him and I thought the bright big eyes would play into that boyish look.”
