Before memes existed, there were political cartoons. Think about it—short clips and pictures to get a point across—it is like Twitter before Twitter. Luckily for us, political cartoons are alive and well, and they still love poking fun at what is going on in the world.
ELECTrified gathered our favorite political cartoons to show you how artists see the 2016 presidential candidates. Take a look and enjoy the satire.
This artist teases Bernie Sanders with a spin off phrase and a hammer and sickle jacket pin, commenting on Sanders’ socialist views. The artist shows that low-key symbols clearly play a high-key role in getting the message across.
John Kasich is not at the top of the polls right now, so this artist is poking at his relentless optimism. Political cartoons are known for calling people out—especially on their best and worst qualities.
We all know the story of Pinocchio, right? The artist in this cartoon used that to his advantage and to Hillary Clinton’s disadvantage, making a statement about her ties to Wall Street and big business.
Ted Cruz seems to have gotten himself into an awkward situation in this cartoon. The artist played off Cruz’s stance on marriage equality (that marriage is between a man and a woman only) to get a chuckle out of the viewer. We can’t win ‘em all, Ted.
You don’t have to be a history buff to understand this reference. This artist used Donald Trump’s work with “Celebrity Apprentice” and comparisons to Hitler as the basis for this comic. Top it off with some crazy statements and hand motions, and you’ve got a cartoon!
Have you seen any other political cartoons that made you laugh? Share them with us on Twitter and Facebook!
Credit to the awesome artists of these cartoons:
Kasich: Nate Beeler of The Columbus Dispatch
Clinton: Jerry Holbert of Boston Herald
Trump: Nate Beeler of The Columbus Dispatch
Sanders: Glenn McCoy of The Duplex; The Flying McCoys
Cruz: David Horsey of Los Angeles Times
Cover Photo: A. F. Branco of Comically Incorrect
These are so interesting! Do you think political cartoons still hold the same value today as they did when they were more popular before social media?
Okay, these are gold! I love the analysis and commentary, especially since some political cartoon references are difficult to comprehend! Plus, the Donald Trump cartoon seems scarily accurate to me… which is something America is really going to need to confront in the coming months.
I love political cartoons. They are informative about politicians stance on issues, yet are light hearted at the same time. These just became some of my favorite political cartoons!
Thanks for the comment, Zoe! We love them too. Tweet us your favorite @ELECTrified_16 and make sure to like us on Facebook (ELECTrified) for more!
Interesting thought, Grace. i think that political cartoons used to be used to get candidates messages and ideas out in a relatable way back in the day, but lately the only way that i see them used is to make fun of the candidates. it is definitely interesting how these cartoons have evolved over time!
Thanks Maggie, glad you loved these so much! And yes, the cartoons can definitely point out some huge flaws in the candidates…we were hoping that pointing them out in a funny way would get people to think about who they are really voting for!
I love how your presidential parodies have the same humor as political cartoons. Both are fantastic ways to intelligently poke fun at the candidates.
Great question! Unfortunately I don’t think they have the same persuasive value today. People need to be somewhat informed and it might take a moment or two to understand the artists satire. It’s not fast enough in the age of social media and most Americans don’t want to try that hard to understand any more.
We are glad you are enjoying the comical side of the election as much as we are. Share your favorite political cartoons with us on Facebook and Twitter!
Thanks for the insight, Rhonda! It’s fun to see how technology has changed art so much and how it affects everything–even politics! Check back here for more cool posts!
These are so cool! Do they still publish this in the paper or is it all online??
Do you guys have anymore of these? They’re pretty great! 🙂
We found these from articles in The Columbus Dispatch, Los Angeles Times and Boston Herald. Check there for more or search political cartoons 2016! If you find any good ones tweet them to us @ELECTrified_16
I think it is interesting that when I see the cartoons for candidates of my party, I immediately find them a little harsh while the others I think the artists are spot on. It makes me thankful that ELECTrified provides both prospectives, so I can recognize my own biases.
We are so glad you are enjoying our blog, Becky! We also think it is really important to show every perspective.
The Kasich cartoon is hilarious. The dude needs to get a grip; he’s not winning.
Aren’t they all awesome?! Thanks for tuning in, Jordan!
Thanks so much for the laughs. I am still smiling over the Sander’s one. They are all pretty accurate actually. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not but it deserves a chuckle.
Thanks, Toni! We had a lot of fun making those videos! Make sure you check out our YouTube channel for more fun videos!
These are great!!