Editorial Cartoon: Obama and Romney Censor Reporters

The Cartoonist Studio Editorial Cartoon Contest continues and I made it to week SIX!  Thanks to all for voting.  Click the image above or here to go to the voting.  You should do a search of “Bearman” and my cartoon will come up front and center and then vote.  Some people were clicking the link and then accidentally voting on the first thing that popped up.  Unfortunately no way to direct link to my cartoon.  Again, as long as I stay in the contest, there will be two editorial cartoons a week to vote on – Mondays and Thursdays.   Oh and you can vote multiple times in each round if you want (resets every six hours) until EOD Saturday.

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Today’s editorial cartoon was inspired by an article in the New York Times, that said that in exchange for access to the candidates or their campaign advisors, the media/reporters must provide any on the record quotes to the campaigns to censor or redact.   So essentially if I am a reporter for the Times, in order to be able to talk on the record with either candidates advisors, I have to agree to send them the quotes I want to use in my story and allow them to agree to them, remove them completely or just remove certain words.  Any reporter that fails to do so is left out in the cold when it comes to top level meetings including those with the candidates.

WHAT??  Ridiculous.  At the point that an entity can determine the course of a story it is no longer reporting, it is PR!!!  Shame on any media outlet who agrees to abide by these rules.

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BONUS TOON:

Normally I would post this cartoon as a regularly scheduled update.  But since I am in the middle of the editorial cartoon contest, I didn’t think it would fit in.  But sharing it with you anyway given the timing of the latest Batman movie coming out “The Dark Knight Rises”  Of course I had to go there with the title – Erectile Dysfunction.

Bearman Cartoon The Dark Knight Rises Erectile Dysfunction

Comments

78 responses to “Editorial Cartoon: Obama and Romney Censor Reporters”

  1. Red Avatar

    Gotta love a twofer 😉
    Red.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I aim to please

  2. Pensador Louco Avatar

    The Batman gag’s amazing. Very funny. 8)

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks P…figured everyone has said it but no one has drawn it.

  3. Gooberadncindy.com Avatar

    Love the batman comic. 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks Daniel. Maybe I need to give up on the politics and just stick with the pop culture..haha

  4. Rent Textbooks Avatar

    It has never been a secret that the media spins things they the way they feel like it. It is a shame that reporting has become more of a stage for propaganda than anything else.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      What is sad is the first group that agreed to it, ruined it for the rest of the media.

      1. Rent Textbooks Avatar

        yep, I am surprised, no wait I am not surprised, they can be controlled like that.

  5. Christina Avatar

    Batman definitely seems like he is always overcompensating for something…

    1. Bearman Avatar

      You need a gravatar girl!!!

  6. soma Mukherjee Avatar

    Bearman i just love your cartoons so much…am voting on each one..not just cos i know you but also cos they are the best
    Big hugs 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks Soma. But I have a feeling they are the best because you know me. Appreciate all the votes.

  7. jynksie Avatar

    …. that woman being a tad “catty”, no?!? meow! [grin]

    Good one B!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      oooh Could it be Cat Woman? She always puts Bman down.

  8. Jande Avatar

    At the point that an entity can determine the course of a story it is no longer reporting, it is PR!!! Shame on any media outlet who agrees to abide by these rules.
    Totally agree, Bearman! Also thought the Flatman cartoon was funny, but I think you outdid yourself on the editorial cartoon. Well done!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks. I was actually going to use that quote as part of a toon between a reporter and their editor but this worked better.

  9. Jande Avatar

    I neglected to add that I liked it so much I went ahead and created an account on theCartoonistStudio.com and voted for it.(the sacrifices I make for my friends and colleagues!) ;`) I’m somewhat embarrassed to say that I didn’t realise that the contest was going to be ongoing like this, or I would have signed up sooner. Maybe.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I have only been screaming from the rooftops for the last 5 weeks.. haha

      But honestly, I know it is a pain when they make you sign in to vote and I thank you and every single person that does.

      1. Jande Avatar

        I know you have been, but at my age 5 weeks is the blink of an eye. ;`) I think I even missed your last update. I’ll go look at it now.

  10. George Avatar

    Yay! Bearman broke us off with a Two-For-Thursday Deal! I love it!

    The bad part about the first cartoon, is that plenty news organizations are gonna accept those terms for propaganda just to gain favor from whatever political party ends up winning.

    Everything feels like it’s rigged now and that the outcomes are already determined. Real life has been turned into an orchestrated reality show now.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      The bad part is that once one outlet does it, others will fall in line.

      True, Candidates manipulate the media and the media manipulates us.

  11. Deb Avatar

    Love the both yours and the batman comic! 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Well they were both mine…haha

      1. Deb Avatar

        My bad! Both of them are outstanding! 🙂 😉

        1. Bearman Avatar

          I knew what you meant..haha

          1. Deb Avatar

            Special Delivery from Fraz’s Pizzeria and Pirate shop. You didn’t pick out your toppings so you get a Fraz special….
            http://i737.photobucket.com/albums/xx12/mrsmra/Foods/Pizza.png

            …and it was in less than 15 minutes. 🙂 Yaaay!

          2. Bearman Avatar

            You saved Peter (and Fraz) I guess THIS TIME!! haha

          3. Binky Avatar

            Good help is great to have!

  12. Comedy Plus Avatar

    Poor Batman. Bwahahahahahahahaha.

    Have a terrific day. 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks Sandee

  13. starla Avatar
    starla

    I agree with Red “Gotta love a twofer”
    I got my vote in! Great political cartoon. The one good thing about blogs and blogs with political cartoons is that it gives people a platform and a voice to speak out even when the emperor still has no clothes.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      But sadly people are afraid to jump in the fray some times b/c they are worried about being judged. That is why Batman went over way better on Google plus than the political cartoon.

  14. Tony DiGerolamo Avatar

    Yep, it’s all about controlling the message and the media. Is it any wonder Cable TV news is nearly useless to inform?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Cable TV News is Priceless….I get all my absurdity from watching that which inspires many of my toons

  15. Mark Stokes Avatar

    Freedom of the Don’t Press Your Luck.

    The Darkknight Dud-tective.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Maybe they should make it into a game show. More people would watch the debates

  16. JerryBenedict Avatar

    The access thing is a REALLY bad precedent!

    Oh well… It’s a good thing that Bruce Wayne has a ton of cash… he’ll need some hush money to keep his…um… issue… quiet!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Too late. You know how some women like to talk.

    1. Bearman Avatar
  17. lisleman Avatar

    Glad you did the bonus cartoon. I like it much better than the politics. It’s only mid-summer and I’m sick of politics.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      I am only half way through the competition and I am sick of it too..haha

  18. Tyler Avatar

    Batman really has no fear if he’s willing to be with that chick! I’d have stuck with Anne Hathaway!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Again someone makes fun of how I draw women..haha

  19. Binky Avatar

    Green sheet? Are you really Batman and not Bearman?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      What are you trying to say?

      1. Binky Avatar

        Denial will get you nowhere. You’re really a superhero crime fighting cartoonist!

        1. Bearman Avatar

          Neither pays very well.

          1. Binky Avatar

            Money isn’t everything.

  20. Friggin Loon Avatar

    Catwoman is ugly without her mask!!!! I suspect Dark Knight only rises for Robin 😉

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Every woman I draw is ugly. Makes me feel better subconsciously.

    2. Lynn Avatar

      BAM!! There it is! The perfect comment!!! Why can’t I ever think of those?

      1. Lynn Avatar

        That was actually meant for Loon. (posted under wrong comment. 🙁 )

      2. Bearman Avatar

        Because you post 4 days to late. We have moved on to the next blog update already. Please keep up.

  21. DadaHyena Avatar

    That Obama’s a real cut-up! Wokka wokka!

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Should I start calling you Fozzy?

  22. Tony McGurk Avatar

    Censoring the media in this way is disgraceful. The politicians may as well just write the articles themselves. Looks like the caped crusader isn’t the man we thought he was. I always like to point out on Batman posts that as far as I know he is the only superhero without super powers. Can’t fly, can’t see through brick walls, can’t perform incredible feats of strength. Can’t perform anything impressive by the looks of it…

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Iron Man. He just was a rich guy in a suit. Just like Batman.

  23. Scott Avatar

    Very clever!

    I hadn’t heard that story–what happened to freedom of the press?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      You haven’t heard it because only one press outlet wanted to talk about it.

  24. SpilledInkGuy Avatar

    Cut a big enough hole in that paper and together they’ll achieve 100% transparency. Right?!
    🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Obama wont do Romney’s dirty work

  25. Chris K Avatar

    Early to bed, early to.. uh.. I guess not.

    1. Bearman Avatar

      That is what happens when you work nights I guess

  26. Lynn Avatar

    I voted! (Sorry never saw the Dark Knight so I can’t comment responsibly) 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks Lynn!!

  27. Nef Avatar

    I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought that freedom of press was threathened and that it was a disgrace…

    As for political content, this is your comic and your website, so you should feel free to take it where you want to. Most people want things to remain as they are because they are familiar with them, but once they taste the new flavor, most end up liking it.

    If you don’t take your project in the direction that you want to take it, you may end up getting tired of it, and what would the world be without you?

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Problem is I have about 6 ideas for what I want to do next. None of them have I don’t anything toward except think.

  28. DrFaust Avatar

    could be an awesome spin off porn. The nemesis could be the “Poker”

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Who steals all the viagra…

  29. Androgoth Avatar

    Holy Ramrod Batman
    can’t you at least
    make an effort? 🙁

    Great Toon Bearman 🙂

    Androgoth

    1. Bearman Avatar

      He works best in caves….at night.

  30. Drake Avatar

    Haha the batman cartoon is gold! Good job with that one 🙂

    1. Bearman Avatar

      Thanks Drake…and thanks for stopping by

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