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CNN Sunday Morning
Interview With Mike Luckovich
Aired November 10, 2002 - 07:23 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.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Mike Luckovich is a Pulitzer Prize- winning editorial cartoonist from the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution." He stops by occasionally to share his work and the work of other cartoonists. Thanks for being here, Mike, we appreciate it.
MIKE LUCKOVICH, EDITORIAL CARTOONIST: Well, it's great to be here.
COLLINS: Boy, you've had a lot of material over the past couple weeks -- don't you think?
LUCKOVICH: You know, this has been -- it's been great for cartoonists. You probably heard about the midterm election.
COLLINS: I heard a little bit about that.
LUCKOVICH: Something on that, this past week -- yes, we just -- this past week -- you know -- the Democrats didn't do so well.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: But this, I think it showed that after 9/11, Bush has this incredible popularity, and he could actually get a canker sore elected to congressman if he wanted to.
SAN MIGUEL: I'd like to see him try.
COLLINS: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: But, part -- you know -- the Democrats have some real problems. They kind of have a charisma deficit.
COLLINS: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: And so the first cartoon I did, you see it there, the Democratic ship is sinking, you see the Democratic donkey in the water and he's thinking -- drown, or grab onto the block of wood. And of course, the block of wood there is Al Gore.
SAN MIGUEL: There you go.
LUCKOVICH: Poor guy.
SAN MIGUEL: I wanted to ask you, I mean, you know, everybody was kind of surprised by the outcome of the election. Did you have something already ready to go, and did you have to like, redo the -- your cartoon at the last minute?
LUCKOVICH: No, you know, I came in the next day, and it was a total shock to me, as it was to everyone else, and so I just had to -- it was a -- it was a -- it was just a great thing, but because you never know how things are going to turn out, and I love that about politics. So, it was great to come in and just focus on this new world that we suddenly have.
COLLINS: Does that help you, when you're trying to draw, I mean, when you have something that happens, that's completely unexpected, I would assume it's your spontaneous reaction to it?
LUCKOVICH: Oh yes, no, you just get pumped up.
COLLINS: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: So, it's fun. The thing about, the thing about the Democrats, in addition to the lack of charisma, is they don't really have a -- they don't really stand for anything; at least that's what voters think. So, I did this cartoon, I've got a Democrat -- he's saying, "I am such a loser," and someone in the background is saying, "You really need to come up with a better message than that."
SAN MIGUEL: OK.
LUCKOVICH: At least it's a message, though.
SAN MIGUEL: There was some kind of a message, but maybe not the one that you wanted to get a crossed.
LUCKOVICH: You know, I'm real think that there are two things though that the Democrats could do to improve their position. Number one is if they listed the things that they are really for, like the Contract With America, the Republicans did that in '94 -- if they did it, and then maybe if Ted Kennedy joined Windsor palates -- that would be the two things that could get them back in the game.
SAN MIGUEL: And we would like exclusive video of that, if and when that does indeed happen.
LUCKOVICH: You know, what I like, what I like sometimes with editorial cartooning is when there are a variety of issues that I can kind of combine.
COLLINS: Sure.
LUCKOVICH: For instance, last week we had the wind-up of a celebrity trial, we also had Alan Greenspan coming out lowering interest rates, and then retailers were reporting an uptick in shopping. So I did this cartoon. I've got Alan Greenspan, and he's saying, "On the upside, retailers report Winona Ryder's actually shopping."
COLLINS: And paying for it.
LUCKOVICH: You know that the economy has turned a corner when she actually does start paying for things.
SAN MIGUEL: Yes -- so, we started talking about the Winona Ryder index, the leading economic indicator.
COLLINS: So, was I.
LUCKOVICH: Now, another thing that I like to do with cartooning is, as I said earlier, before, I like to take holiday themes and do cartoons on them. So, the next cartoon is on, is on our friend Harvey Pitt.
SAN MIGUEL: I was waiting for this.
LUCKOVICH: Yes, now, so, I drew him as you see, he's a Pilgrim, and he's about to cut off his own leg, and a turkey labeled "Corporate Corruption" is saying -- thinking to himself -- "I love this guy."
COLLINS: Oh, he's saying...
LUCKOVICH: Now, the thing is, this cartoon ran, and then the next day Harvey Pitt resigned.
SAN MIGUEL: He resigned, OK.
LUCKOVICH: So, we can only conclude that he saw himself dressed up as a funny looking Pilgrim, and just said, you know, I just can't take this again -- I have to to get out of this.
SAN MIGUEL: Mike Luckovich impacting national politics and policies.
LUCKOVICH: Exactly.
SAN MIGUEL: It's a power you have, I'm telling you.
LUCKOVICH: I know it. Now, finally, a little over a week ago, we had those four Haitians arriving in Miami. Now, they actually kind of -- 200 Haitians pulled up in a boat, and actually got off and were getting -- were hitching rides from people, and you know, and it's -- and it's scary when you think about it, because the Coast Guard didn't even know this was going on.
SAN MIGUEL: Sure, snuck right by them.
LUCKOVICH: And so, I did the following cartoon -- you see Noah is getting off the boat, and I think giraffes up there are saying, "Another failed Coast Guard interception."
SAN MIGUEL: There you go.
LUCKOVICH: But, that's really scary, I mean, what -- you know, with terrorism and homeland security, you wonder, gosh, what's next, is al Qaeda going to come in on jet skies or something like that -- I mean, it's really something to worry about.
SAN MIGUEL: Porous border kind of situation. LUCKOVICH: Oh, yes.
SAN MIGUEL: What are you looking at for the coming weeks here, I mean, now that the election is set, and we've got a House and a Senate in Republican hands here -- maybe we have a one Senate race still outstanding here, but what are you looking forward to here, in terms of material?
LUCKOVICH: Well, there's going to be a lot of things going with the courts now, a lot of judicial nominees are going to be put through that may be really conservative.
SAN MIGUEL: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: And of course, you've got the war, the Iraq war is coming up, and that's not exactly a funny topic, but...
COLLINS: No, but, that's what you do, is you find these events, whether they're serious or whether they are funny, and you try to find a light side of it.
LUCKOVICH: Right, or if there's something, if you can't find the light side, you just -- you have to -- you have to be hard hitting -- so, that's...
SAN MIGUEL: And if you can't fin the humor in those situations, just go after the media.
LUCKOVICH: Exactly, and that's always funny.
COLLINS: That's a good target all the time, right?
SAN MIGUEL: We'll be sitting ducks for you, no problem on that.
LUCKOVICH: All right, thank you, Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Mike Luckovich, thanks for joining us this morning, we appreciate your time.
COLLINS: Good stuff.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired November 10, 2002 - 07:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
HEIDI COLLINS, CNN ANCHOR: Mike Luckovich is a Pulitzer Prize- winning editorial cartoonist from the "Atlanta Journal-Constitution." He stops by occasionally to share his work and the work of other cartoonists. Thanks for being here, Mike, we appreciate it.
MIKE LUCKOVICH, EDITORIAL CARTOONIST: Well, it's great to be here.
COLLINS: Boy, you've had a lot of material over the past couple weeks -- don't you think?
LUCKOVICH: You know, this has been -- it's been great for cartoonists. You probably heard about the midterm election.
COLLINS: I heard a little bit about that.
LUCKOVICH: Something on that, this past week -- yes, we just -- this past week -- you know -- the Democrats didn't do so well.
RENAY SAN MIGUEL, CNN ANCHOR: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: But this, I think it showed that after 9/11, Bush has this incredible popularity, and he could actually get a canker sore elected to congressman if he wanted to.
SAN MIGUEL: I'd like to see him try.
COLLINS: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: But, part -- you know -- the Democrats have some real problems. They kind of have a charisma deficit.
COLLINS: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: And so the first cartoon I did, you see it there, the Democratic ship is sinking, you see the Democratic donkey in the water and he's thinking -- drown, or grab onto the block of wood. And of course, the block of wood there is Al Gore.
SAN MIGUEL: There you go.
LUCKOVICH: Poor guy.
SAN MIGUEL: I wanted to ask you, I mean, you know, everybody was kind of surprised by the outcome of the election. Did you have something already ready to go, and did you have to like, redo the -- your cartoon at the last minute?
LUCKOVICH: No, you know, I came in the next day, and it was a total shock to me, as it was to everyone else, and so I just had to -- it was a -- it was a -- it was just a great thing, but because you never know how things are going to turn out, and I love that about politics. So, it was great to come in and just focus on this new world that we suddenly have.
COLLINS: Does that help you, when you're trying to draw, I mean, when you have something that happens, that's completely unexpected, I would assume it's your spontaneous reaction to it?
LUCKOVICH: Oh yes, no, you just get pumped up.
COLLINS: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: So, it's fun. The thing about, the thing about the Democrats, in addition to the lack of charisma, is they don't really have a -- they don't really stand for anything; at least that's what voters think. So, I did this cartoon, I've got a Democrat -- he's saying, "I am such a loser," and someone in the background is saying, "You really need to come up with a better message than that."
SAN MIGUEL: OK.
LUCKOVICH: At least it's a message, though.
SAN MIGUEL: There was some kind of a message, but maybe not the one that you wanted to get a crossed.
LUCKOVICH: You know, I'm real think that there are two things though that the Democrats could do to improve their position. Number one is if they listed the things that they are really for, like the Contract With America, the Republicans did that in '94 -- if they did it, and then maybe if Ted Kennedy joined Windsor palates -- that would be the two things that could get them back in the game.
SAN MIGUEL: And we would like exclusive video of that, if and when that does indeed happen.
LUCKOVICH: You know, what I like, what I like sometimes with editorial cartooning is when there are a variety of issues that I can kind of combine.
COLLINS: Sure.
LUCKOVICH: For instance, last week we had the wind-up of a celebrity trial, we also had Alan Greenspan coming out lowering interest rates, and then retailers were reporting an uptick in shopping. So I did this cartoon. I've got Alan Greenspan, and he's saying, "On the upside, retailers report Winona Ryder's actually shopping."
COLLINS: And paying for it.
LUCKOVICH: You know that the economy has turned a corner when she actually does start paying for things.
SAN MIGUEL: Yes -- so, we started talking about the Winona Ryder index, the leading economic indicator.
COLLINS: So, was I.
LUCKOVICH: Now, another thing that I like to do with cartooning is, as I said earlier, before, I like to take holiday themes and do cartoons on them. So, the next cartoon is on, is on our friend Harvey Pitt.
SAN MIGUEL: I was waiting for this.
LUCKOVICH: Yes, now, so, I drew him as you see, he's a Pilgrim, and he's about to cut off his own leg, and a turkey labeled "Corporate Corruption" is saying -- thinking to himself -- "I love this guy."
COLLINS: Oh, he's saying...
LUCKOVICH: Now, the thing is, this cartoon ran, and then the next day Harvey Pitt resigned.
SAN MIGUEL: He resigned, OK.
LUCKOVICH: So, we can only conclude that he saw himself dressed up as a funny looking Pilgrim, and just said, you know, I just can't take this again -- I have to to get out of this.
SAN MIGUEL: Mike Luckovich impacting national politics and policies.
LUCKOVICH: Exactly.
SAN MIGUEL: It's a power you have, I'm telling you.
LUCKOVICH: I know it. Now, finally, a little over a week ago, we had those four Haitians arriving in Miami. Now, they actually kind of -- 200 Haitians pulled up in a boat, and actually got off and were getting -- were hitching rides from people, and you know, and it's -- and it's scary when you think about it, because the Coast Guard didn't even know this was going on.
SAN MIGUEL: Sure, snuck right by them.
LUCKOVICH: And so, I did the following cartoon -- you see Noah is getting off the boat, and I think giraffes up there are saying, "Another failed Coast Guard interception."
SAN MIGUEL: There you go.
LUCKOVICH: But, that's really scary, I mean, what -- you know, with terrorism and homeland security, you wonder, gosh, what's next, is al Qaeda going to come in on jet skies or something like that -- I mean, it's really something to worry about.
SAN MIGUEL: Porous border kind of situation. LUCKOVICH: Oh, yes.
SAN MIGUEL: What are you looking at for the coming weeks here, I mean, now that the election is set, and we've got a House and a Senate in Republican hands here -- maybe we have a one Senate race still outstanding here, but what are you looking forward to here, in terms of material?
LUCKOVICH: Well, there's going to be a lot of things going with the courts now, a lot of judicial nominees are going to be put through that may be really conservative.
SAN MIGUEL: Yes.
LUCKOVICH: And of course, you've got the war, the Iraq war is coming up, and that's not exactly a funny topic, but...
COLLINS: No, but, that's what you do, is you find these events, whether they're serious or whether they are funny, and you try to find a light side of it.
LUCKOVICH: Right, or if there's something, if you can't find the light side, you just -- you have to -- you have to be hard hitting -- so, that's...
SAN MIGUEL: And if you can't fin the humor in those situations, just go after the media.
LUCKOVICH: Exactly, and that's always funny.
COLLINS: That's a good target all the time, right?
SAN MIGUEL: We'll be sitting ducks for you, no problem on that.
LUCKOVICH: All right, thank you, Renay.
SAN MIGUEL: Mike Luckovich, thanks for joining us this morning, we appreciate your time.
COLLINS: Good stuff.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
