Boy, this is going to be good! All three of these guys are sweethearts in person, if vicious in print, and are articulate and clean too. The Writer's Center is a couple of blocks from the Bethesda subway.The Writer's Center to Host Roundtable Discussion on the Art of Political Cartooning in an Election Year, October 25thBethesda, MD (Oct. 8, 2008)—With less than a month before the election, candidates in both major parties are laying down broad reasons why we, the American people, should step up and vote for them. Standing on the periphery observing are the political cartoonists, keen-eyed artists whose sharp and often witty reflections of the political scene render judgment in simple, stark images.
On Saturday, October 25th The Writer’s Center in Bethesda, MD will celebrate the art of political cartooning with a special roundtable discussion featuring three of the nation’s most distinguished cartoonists: Matt Wuerker (The Politico), Richard Thompson (Washington Post), and Kevin Kallaugher (Baltimore Sun and The Economist). The event is made possible by a generous grant from the Jim and Carol Trawick Foundation.
When: October 25th (7:30 p.m.)
Where: The Writer’s Center, Bethesda, MD 20815
This event is free and open to the public
Political cartooning has been important aspect of communication throughout American history. Since the distribution of Benjamin Franklin’s “Join or Die” cartoon in support of the French and Indian War in 1754, cartooning has served as a valuable tool to communicate political ideals and engage diverse audiences. It serves as a vehicle for citizens to challenge the political and cultural environment, making it a key facet of free speech, as well. The combination of narrative power and aesthetic symbolism render political cartooning an entirely unique method of expression. Additionally, both the classic comedic four-panel cartoon “strip,” and the one-panel, so-called “gag” cartoon often associated with The New Yorker, have commented on American life for decades.
About the artists:
Richard Thompson’s cartoon “Richard's Poor Almanac” appears weekly in The Washington Post and his comic strip “Cul-de-Sac” appears weekly in the “The Washington Post Magazine.” A book of his collected Almanac cartoons was published in 2005. His illustrations have appeared in U.S. News & World Report, The New Yorker, National Geographic and The Atlantic Monthly. He has received the National Cartoonist Society Magazine and Book Illustration Award for 1995, and their Newspaper Illustration Award for 1995. Visit him online at:
http://richardspooralmanac.blogspot.com/Matt Wuerker is the staff editorial cartoonist for The Politico. Mr. Wuerker’s cartoons are syndicated by the Tribune Syndicate and NewsArt.com. Two collections of his cartoons have been published, Standing Tall in Deep Doo Doo: A Cartoon Chronicle of The Bush Quayle Years, and Meanwhile in Other New…a Graphic Look at Politics in the Empire of Money, Sex and Scandal. His work has been published in the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post, and The Christian Science Monitor, as well as Funny Times, The Nation, The American Prospect, and Z Magazine. Visit him online at:
http://www.cartoonistgroup.com/properties/Wuerker/search_2.phpKevin Kallaugher is the editorial cartoonist for The Baltimore Sun and The Economist. In March 1978, Mr. Kallaugher became the first resident cartoonist at The Economist in its 145-year history. His work has been included in more than 100 publications worldwide, including Le Monde, Der Spiegel, Pravda, Krokodil, Daily Yomiuri, The Australian, New York Times, Time, Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, and The Washington Post. His cartoons are distributed worldwide by Cartoonarts International and the New York Times Syndicate.
You can view his work online at:
http://www.kaltoons.com/About the Writer’s Center:
The Writer's Center, founded in 1976, is one of the premier independent literary centers in the country. By becoming a member, you join an organization of more than 2,500 writers, editors, small press publishers and other artists. We promote the art of writing by offering workshops, hosting readings and special events, and building a community of writers, workshop leaders, publishers and audiences for contemporary writing.
The Writer's Center is a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit organization. Donations are tax deductible. A copy of our current financial statement is available upon request. Contact the Writer's Center at 4508 Walsh Street, Bethesda, MD 20815. Documents and information submitted to the State of Maryland under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available from the Office of the Secretary of State for the cost of copying and postage. The Writer's Center is supported in part by The Arts and Humanities Council of Montgomery County, and by a grant from the Maryland State Arts Council, an agency funded by the State of Maryland and the National Endowment for the Arts. Our web address is
www.writer.org.
Media Contact:
Kyle Semmel
The Writer’s Center
301.654.8664 ext. 15
ksemmel@writer.org
www.writer.org
Dave McDonald
Frank Cammuso (who will be at SPX with Jay Lynch)
Joe Carabeo and Carolyn Belefski
Steve Conley
Dave Roman 
C Dowd
Barbara Dale
TR Logan aka The Laughing Redhead
Joe Sutliff
Kevin KAL Kallaugher
Carla Speed McNeil
JK Snyder III and his Shadow cover
Roger Langridge doing a Popeye sketch
Chris Schweitzer
Ken Bald
Don Rosa
Kevin KAL Kallaugher
Joshua Luna
