British cartoonists heap scorn on Bush's international policy. Courtesy The Political Cartoon Gallery.
George Galloway was noted by his absence at the opening of the Political Cartoon Gallery’s latest exhibition on Wednesday, January 27.
The colourful MP for Bethnal Green was scheduled to cut the ribbon at the launch of the Misunderestimating President Bush exhibition, open until March 18 2006.
But instead the 51-year-old was being evicted from the Big Brother house amid a barrage of criticism for his involvement in the reality TV series.
Steve Bell stands in for George Galloway who was being evicted from the Big Brother house. Courtesy The Political Cartoon Gallery.
“He arranged to open the show because he was sure that he was going to be evicted in good time,” said gallery director Tim Benson.
Luckily Guardian cartoonists Steve Bell and Martin Rowson were standing by to open the exhibition, which brings together some rather disparaging depictions of the world’s most powerful man – George W. Bush.
The Iraq war, Afghanistan and Israel are among the issues tackled by newspaper cartoonists. Courtesy The Political Cartoon Gallery.
But it wasn’t just the American President to be lambasted by Bell and Rowson. The double act also laid into Galloway in his absence.
The outspoken Guardian cartoonists shared a joke with guests about the MP's latest brush with the media.
Misunderstimating George Bush sees Dubya depicted as everything from a monkey to a turkey, with Blair in tow, of course, as his poodle.
Martin Rowson also had a few words to say about George Galloway who was unable to attend the launch. Courtesy The Political Cartoon Gallery.
These irreverent portraits of our world leaders largely ignore the fact that Blair is almost entirely absent from US political cartoons – an interesting insight into US perspectives on the 'special relationship' between Bush and Blair.
International issues form the subject of the majority of cartoonists’ Bush-bashing – his policies on oil, Iraq, Afghanistan and, of course, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are all satirised.
Newspaper cartoons have regularly ridiculed the US President. Courtesy The Political Cartoon Gallery.
But it his not just Bush’s politics that have been assassinated in this show – British cartoonists have also savaged his physical appearance, portraying him as an uncaring warmonger and the hapless tool of Cheney and Rumsfeld.
Bush has perviously defended his youthful misdemeanours by claiming, “I was young and irresponsible”, however this collection of political cartoons encourages us to see George W. Bush as older, more powerful, but just as reckless.
