I just came across this ad from the Rossi campaign. It's in response to Governor Gregoires ad campaign criticizing Dino Rossi's opposition to embryonic stem cell research. I find both ads compelling and they probably influence voters otherwise they wouldn't be making them. Our editorial page wrote a pretty strong editorial about this and I agree with it whole heartedly. This whole issue seems like a waste of time.

I'll admit I find the back and forth of campaign ads interesting. I know most of you find it disgusting politics at it's worst but I can't seem to get enough of it. It's a sickness.

Rossi Ad

Gregoire Ad

So, who do you think won the debate? This won't be a popular sentiment around here, but it looked to me that McCain won the debate. He was on the offensive, he had a command of the issues and he clearly had a strategy of painting Obama as less experienced and naive. What was Obama's strategy in this debate? I didn't see one. There were many areas that I thought he had opening to press McCain more and put him on the defensive but just didn't do it. My guess is that many of you, especially Obama supporters here in Seattle that would have like to see Obama be more aggressive. I'm wondering if you are disappointed or you liked what you saw?

This morning I've been search around the internet to see if there is a consensus about a winner of this debate, but I don't see one. I haven't read or seen a single serious columnist or commentator who claims that Obama won. Considering the cheer leading that the media has been doing for Obama, that tells me they weren't impressed.

I watched Bush's speech on the bailout last night and I didn't feel any better. In fact, I feel more uneasy knowing Bush is in charge of yet another crisis.

Eric Devericks/The Seattle Times

Don't look now but he has no legs to stand on!!

The Seattle Times/Eric Devericks

Seems the presidential campaign has been eclipsed by the economy teetering on the brink of depression...go figure. I couldn't resist the irony in this cartoon. Also ironically, I am one of those people who believe government is usually the problem. Unlike the hard core right wingers though, I think was clearly a place for oversight and regulation here.

Eric Devericks/ The Seattle Times

Every day readers call me and tell me what a great idea they have for a cartoon, but for one reason or another they don't do it themselves. Sometimes the caller doesn't think much of his or her drawing ability, other times they don't have the idea worked out all the way.

I want you to put aside your doubts just for once and put those ideas down on paper and send them to me. I don't care if you can only draw stick figures, you drew your idea on a napkin, or even better you drew stick figures on a napkin, send it to me. We are in the middle of a historic presidential election with all the material you could hope for, and I want to see what you've got! Pick up a pen, pencil, crayon or marker and scratch out a cartoon and email it to me. I will post them here on the blog!

Email me at: edevericks@seattletimes.com

I can hardly believe what's going on with the economy and some of this countries largest financial institutions. According to polls, the economy is the biggest issue in this years election. It's hard for me to put all the blame for what's going on on the Bush Administration because it seems to me that most of the very poor decisions that got us here were made solely by shortsighted, greedy banks and investment firms. What I can't help but think though, is that someone had to be warning the Bush administration that this was coming a long time ago and to my knowledge they did nothing.

As a fellow Republican McCain is going to have to answer for Bush's mess to some degree. With all the talk of lipstick and pigs lately this seemed like the perfect image to bring it all together.

Eric Devericks/The Seattle Times

While reading out in the blogosphere this morning, I came across some discussions about comments that Joe Biden made. According to the buzz Joe said that Hillary would have made a better VP pick than him. He has a history of not know when to shut his mouth, so I thought this might actually be something. I went out and found the video (embedded below) and I don't see what the big deal is. Looks to me like Biden is just using a little self deprecating humor and trying to recognize that there are still a lot of democrats out there that would rather see Hillary as there candidate. What do you think? Did Obama make a mistake by picking Biden? Would he be better off with Hillary on the ticket? I'm not so sure.

Do any of you see history repeating itself the way I do? For a month now the Obama campaign has been under attack and on the defensive. McCain has taken the initiative and the momentum and it seems to me is running both campaigns. As a result, the only Obama you see on the news every night isn't his trademark soaring oratory, it's him responding to the latest attack. To top things off, when the Obama campaign does muster the strength for an attack they focus on Sarah Palin.

Now, this morning I wake up to these headlines and a cartoon is born.

"Obama Campaign Vows Aggressive Response to GOP Attacks" - The Washington Post

"Obama's Tone Sharpens As Party Frets" - The New York Times

For a so called "change" election, looks like the campaigns are repeating the 2004 script. In case you forgot, let me remind you. It's the script where the Republicans start racheting up their attacks, they get sharper, more frequent and effective. Meanwhile, the Democrats vow a more aggressive response but get stuck on the defensive and never mount any significant counter. Remember that? Who wins and who loses depends on your perspective, but if things keep repeating themselves the way they have, I can tell you who the president will be.

Eric Devericks/The Seattle Times

Over the years, many people have asked questions about the process of drawing a cartoon. Earlier this week, I sat down with a video camera over my shoulder and did some caricatures of John McCain and Barack Obama to give you a peek into the process. In the future, we'll be capturing the entire process of doing a cartoon from idea to publication, stay tuned.

We're in the final two months until the presidential election and things are really starting to get good. But, before we go any farther, I wanted to take a minute and look back. I just finished looking over my election cartoons from the past year and we decided to put them together in a gallery. Here is is...check it out.