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CNN Live At Daybreak

Exploring Loony Toons

Aired August 20, 2001 - 07:54   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL LIN, CNN ANCHOR: Mike Luckovich has been joining us all morning. You know him because of his terrific editorial cartoons in the Atlanta newspapers.

MIKE LUCKOVICH, CARTOONIST: Thank you. Thank you.

LIN: And he's been drawing all morning, which I don't understand how you get the subject matter because it is the dog days of August.

LUCKOVICH: It really is, and, you know, what's so frustrating for us cartoonists is that Bush has taken this month long vacation, the Supreme Court's out, Congress is out, even Cheney's fishing in Wyoming. So it's just, we are just dying for something good to get our teeth into.

LIN: Yes.

LUCKOVICH: Now, so when Bush first went on his vacation, I admit this first cartoon is sort of a cheap shot, but I was just, I was trying to come up with, he kept talking about it being a working vacation.

LIN: Sure.

LUCKOVICH: And so if we could show that first cartoon. I've got an A, it is saying this is a working vacation. He's blowing up his own water wings. A little bush there.

LIN: Cute. Do it yourself.

LUCKOVICH: So, hey, you know, you've got to come up with something every day. So it's tough sometimes. Now, fortunately this summer we've had Gary Condit -- what would we all do without Gary Condit? I mean he's just, he's just been such a perfect foil. So if we could show that cartoon. This is the Condit reelection headquarters and a police officer is saying to Condit, "Virtually every one of your supporters has disappeared," and Condit's saying, "And you think I had something to do with it?"

LIN: Nice hair.

LUCKOVICH: Yes, see I love, he is so much fun in every way. I hope he wins reelection.

Now, this next topic hits close to home. It's the new "CNN HEADLINE NEWS" redesigned.

LIN: Oh, hitting close to home.

LUCKOVICH: And now what they've done is they've got Andrea Thompson, of course, the former "NYPD Blue" person, and she's one of the anchors along with Miles O'Brien. And, you know, I think it's going a little bit too far because they've, Miles O'Brien has grown a mustache. He's gained some weight. He shaved the top of his head to look like Sipowicz. Now that is just going too far, I think.

But if we could show that cartoon, I've got a couple watching television and out of the TV it says, "Yo, another jamming show for you tonight. Jiggy music, fun, surprises and sexy "NYPD Blue" star Andrea Thompson! Stay tuned, dogs."

And a gentleman is saying, "Is it just me or has "CNN Headline News" changed?"

LIN: You bet. My husband is the executive producer of that show.

LUCKOVICH: Oh, I know.

LIN: Thank you very much.

LUCKOVICH: God, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Forgive me. Jeez. No, actually, I'm kind of liking it. I like all that information.

LIN: Yes.

LUCKOVICH: Especially after I've had my coffee. And it's just coming at you. It's just, it's great.

LIN: Pretty cool. And, you know, they were the first ones to get the interview with Reverend Al Sharpton on Friday.

LUCKOVICH: Oh, beautiful.

LIN: So there is hard news to be seen out there.

LUCKOVICH: Oh, excellent. Excellent. Well, now, finally, this is a perfect summertime cartoon and Gore came through. Can you imagine that Gore actually made news? Gore came back and he had that beard. And so I was thinking well how, what can I do on that? So if we could show that cartoon, a couple saying, "Judging by his beard, Gore is still haunted by the Sunshine State's election fiasco." And as you can see, it's shaped just like Florida.

LIN: The state of Florida.

LUCKOVICH: Yes.

LIN: Al Gore.

LUCKOVICH: So, thank you, Mr. Gore.

LIN: Very spontaneous there by Al Gore.

LUCKOVICH: Exactly. Exactly. He's a man of action now so.

LIN: Awesome. Mike, that is so funny. You managed to capture the spirit of the moment, too.

LUCKOVICH: Well, thank you very much.

LIN: All right, you stay right there.

LUCKOVICH: All right.

LIN: We want to continue enjoying all your drawings.

LUCKOVICH: Thank you.

LIN: George Bush on a hog. I hope you didn't miss that one.

LUCKOVICH: No, I've got that around here. Actually, I've got it right here.

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