Art and commentary by Kimberly Harris

Posts tagged ‘Newt Gingrich’

Santorum Agonistes

Senator Santorum is collapsing the columns on the Philistinocrats

In happier times using what trivial weapon came to hand, the jaw of an ass, his sword of bone, a thousand foreskins fell in the strongholds of Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado and Missouri.

Chorus:
Or do my eyes misrepresent? Can this be he?
That heroic, that renowned,
Irresistible Santorum whom, unfunded,
No strength of man, or fiercest pundit, could withstand;
Who tore the Mitt as the Mitt tears the Newt;
Ran on embattled PACs flush with cash,
And, cashless himself,
Made donations ineffective, useless the gesture
Of brazen jabs and negative ads, all deflected
By Hannityean tempered prose and vest of wool,

Santorum:
Yet stay; let me not rashly call in doubt
Poll predictions. What if all foretold
Had been fulfilled but through mine own default?
Whom have I to complain of but myself,
Who this high gift of delegates committed to me,
In what part lodged, how easily bereft me,
Under the seal of bloggers could not keep,

Chorus:
He speaks: let us draw nigh. Matchless in might,
The glory late of Senate seat now the grief!
We come, thy friends and neighbours not unknown.
David Limbaugh, Michelle Malkin and Phyllis Schlafly,
To visit or bewail thee; or, if better,
Counsel or consolation we may bring,
Salve to thy sores: apt words have power to spin
The tumours of a troubled mind,
And are as balm to festered egos,

Santorum:
Your coming, friends, revives me; for I learn
Now of my own experience, not by talk radio,
How counterfeit a coin they are who “supporters”
Bear in their contributions (of the most
I would be understood). In prosperous primaries
They swarm, but in adverse withdraw their purse,
Not to be found, though sought. Ye see, O friends,
How many evils have enclosed me round;
Yet that which was the worst now least afflicts me,

Chorus:
Tax not divine disposal. Wisest politicians
Have erred, and by bad moderators been deceived;
And shall again, pretend they ne’er so wise.
Deject not, then, so overmuch thyself,
Who hast of sorrow thy full load besides.
Yet, truth to say, you still have a great career at Fox.

Don’t understand this? We don’t understand Milton either…

Illustration by Kim Harris
Story by Don Rudisuhle

Category:

Current events, Politics

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Newt Gingrich, Moon Colonist

The lunar image of Newt Gingrich shines over the Colorado Rocky Mountains

The beaming image of candidate Newt Gingrich shines over the snow-covered Rocky Mountains on the night of the 2012 Colorado Republican Caucus

Ever since the day Callista hummed the tune of “Fly Me to the Moon” into Newt’s ear during an intimate date in the early days of their seven-year affair when she was a House staff member, former Speaker Newt Gingrich has been enthralled by the idea of setting up a colony on the Moon. Newt was aware, of course, that one of Jupiter’s moons is named Callisto, and he felt that this was an omen that he should lead America’s efforts to return to the moon after an absence of nearly 40 years.

Newt’s critics have cited the astronomical cost and questionable economic value of such a bold endeavor. Newt, however, has placed a positive spin on the idea. The venture will be financed by mining the vast deposits of green cheese, which will not only provide sustenance for the colonists, but will also be the source of valuable export earnings that will make the entire venture deficit neutral while allowing moon residents to live a blissful tax-free existence.

Moon cheese is expected to command a considerable premium over the finest Italian Gorgonzola that currently sells for over $15 a pound. Even the conservative Congressional Budget Office estimates that the moon colony could become profitable within five years. Newt believes that 13,000 colonists would suffice in order to proclaim statehood for the moon. Given the current levels of unemployment and the widespread discontent in the country, it should be easy to recruit enough adventuresome individuals, especially when they naively believe that the lunar maria are indeed oceans and that Jimmy Buffett actually did build a Beach House on the Moon.

In realization of the boost that this potential undertaking is giving to Newt’s campaign, the various Super PACs supporting the speaker have arranged for his likeness to be projected on the surface of the full moon that will appear on February 7th, the night of the Colorado and Minnesota caucuses and the Missouri primary to bathe voters in Newtshine and remind them of the candidate with the bold ideas, and that it may also be an opportune time to invest aggressively in the stocks of companies in the cracker, pizza and fine red wine industries.

Illustration by Kim Harris
Story by Don Rudisuhle

Category:

Current events, Fantasy, Politics

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Sledding Towards the Palmetto Primary

The six republican candidates are sledding down a steep hill

And what rough crew, their hour come round at last, sleds towards the Palmetto State to face the electorate?

Eager to escape the punishing northeast weather, the Republican primary contestants suspended their jousting and agreed to disagree for a day or two while traveling to the venue that will be hosting their next confrontation. All of the surviving six were concerned about their dwindling campaign coffers, so they chipped in on the rental of a sled that will carry them most of the way to South Carolina. With the forecast calling for snow in the Adirondacks and all up and down the Appalachians, the six should be able sled most of the way to the balmy lowlands of the Palmetto State just in time for Saturday’s debate in Charleston.

Mitt Romney is leading the pack with Newt Gingrich close behind nipping at his heels. Ron Paul, always on the fringe of the mainstream, chose to travel on an inner tube so that he could remain independent from the rest of the group. He is struggling to hold his own against the leaders, and is hoping for a palmetto putsch to trounce his rivals. Huntsman and Perry are hanging on for dear life, and fear they could share the fate of their recently fallen rival, Michele Bachmann.

One can only wonder if debate fatigue has set in among the electorate after so many acrimonious encounters–twenty thus far since May of last year! Seven debates in January alone! Who will watch all of them? Next Saturday’s debate is competing for a time slot with reruns of “Seinfeld.” Which comedy will the viewers opt for?

Illustration by Kim Harris
Story by Don Rudisuhle

Category:

Current events, Politics

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Contested Caucus Claims its First Cat Casualty

The six remaining political cats are sitting on a fence

Six surviving cats are sitting on a fence while their fallen colleague takes up residence in a nearby trash can

The results for Iowa are in! Five candidates underperformed and two exceeded expectations. There was one casualty as a result of this highly contested contest. Today, Michele Bachmann announced that she was withdrawing from the race after failing to meet even the modest expectations in the various polls. This leaves six cats standing.

The outcome was as follows:

Results of the 2012 Iowa Causus

The poll figures cited reflect the composite of multiple polls published by Real Clear Politics on the day prior to the election. Jon Huntsman did not campaign in Iowa. Was Rick Santorum’s 8-point surge for real or was it just a dead cat bounce??

Category:

Animals, Current events, Politics

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Campaigning Cats Claw for Position

Seven political cats are sitting on a fence

Seven contentious cats are sitting on a fence in tenuous harmony as they anxiously await the outcome of the first rounds of primary polling.

Well, the every-four-years circus is in full swing again. Crazy cats, cool cats, conquering cats, chattering cats, controlling cats, climbing cats, conservative cats, candid cats, clever cats, cranky cats, championing cats, confusing cats, challenging cats, conversant cats, cognizant cats, contentious cats, cautious cats, canvassing cats, and poll-cats are all clawing their way towards the top of the heap to claim the coveted catnip, the Republican nomination for the presidency of the United States.

Leading the clamoring clowder of cats are MichelleCat, NewtCat, JonCat, RonCat, PerryCat, MittCat and RickCat. Other felicitous felines like TrumpCat and GaryCat lay in waiting to see the outcome of the fray, ready to pounce at a moment’s notice.

There are no less than 53 contests between January 3rd and June 26th during which countless angry hisses will be exchanged and much fur will fly.  It is now high noon in the State of Iowa, and with an unprecedented 41% of undecided voters, no one knows who will prevail. Which cat will begin to gradually fade into oblivion, like the Cheshire Cat of childhood lore? Could the outcome possibly be similar to the legendary duel between the Gingham Dog and Calico Cat, who simply ate each other up, leaving no trace of either adversary?

Only time will tell…

Illustration by Kim Harris
Story by Don Rudisuhle

Category:

Animals, Current events, Politics

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