Presidential Political Posters
By: Rick Frei
Bill the Cat for President (1984, Berkeley Breathed): Bill the Cat is a fictional cat appearing in the works of cartoonist Berkeley Breathed, beginning with the comic strip Bloom County in the 1980s and continuing in Outland and Opus in the following decades. Bill the Cat twice won the National Radical Meadow Party's nomination to run for President of the United States, in 1984 and 1988, despite being dead in the first instance, and despite having a vocabulary that mainly consisted of "Aack!" he lost twice, once because of coughing up a furball on Connie Chung. In spite of this political affiliation, he embarked on a torrid love affair with Jeane Kirkpatrick (pictured above him).
Agnew Oops (1970, illustrator unknown): Day-glo poster of the infamous Vice President, this illustration looks awesome under a black light.
Like a Man That Taketh a dog by the ears… (mid-1960’s, illustrator unknown). Him and Her, the most well known of the President Johnson's dogs, were registered beagles born on June 27, 1963. The President frequently played with the dogs and was often photographed with them. In 1964, President Johnson raised the ire of many when he lifted Him by his ears while greeting a group on the White House lawn. Soon after, this makeshift poster appeared in subway terminals around the country, linking President Johnson’s treatment of his pets with his handling of the Viet Nam war.
George McGovern, President 72 (1972)
President Nixon: Now More Than Ever (1972, Jimini Productions, Lithographers and Photoengravers International Union, Local No. 262, Los Angeles). Poster illustrates the accomplishments of the Nixon administration. Item paid for by the Committee to Re-elect the President, distributed by Young Voters for the President. Note the similarity between the young man in the “Draft” illustration and a young John Kerry.
Kennedy for President: Leadership for the 60’s (1960)
Nixon Bowling/Lebowskifest (2000). The Coen Brothers’ hysterical comedy The Big Lebowski prominently features this poster of Nixon bowling. Lebowskifest is an annual party that celebrates this film.
The Last Supper (early 1970’s). This scathing political poster depicts Nixon and his cronies in their "last supper" together. Notice the microphones and taping devices hidden under the table and throughout the poster.
Duke 2000: Whatever it Takes (2000, Garry Trudeau). Uncle Duke is a fictional character in the comic strip Doonesbury. Duke ran for the White House in 2000. His campaign, headquartered in a motel in Coon Rapids, Minnesota, was a resounding failure, despite corporate sponsorships by heavy hitters Lipton Tea and Absolut Vodka. The campaign spiraled downward until, in late October, it hit rock bottom when Duke decided to run as a black man.
The Doctor is In: Howard Dean for America (2004)
