By: Dave Astor Former U.S. Sen. Gary Hart (D-Col.) urged editorial cartoonists to tell their newspapers' editorial writers to draw attention to Iraq War facts that aren't widely known.
"There are 25,000 American casualties in Iraq, not just 2,500 dead," said Hart, referring to wounded soldiers. "Tell your editors to put that in their editorials."
Hart, speaking Thursday at the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists convention here, added that editorial writers need to draw more attention to the fact that a rising number of Iraq War veterans are homeless and jobless after they return to the U.S. He compared this to what happened during the Vietnam War.
Newspapers, said Hart, also need to focus on how the U.S. is building four -- and possibly as many as 12 -- permanent military bases in Iraq despite President Bush's claims that the U.S. will "stand down" if and when the Iraqi military is ready to take over.
Finally, Hart advised editorial writers to "redeem" the word "scandal" by using it for truly scandalous things.
"Getting caught on a boat with a woman who isn't your wife is stupid, not scandalous," said Hart, referring to his 1980s episode with Donna Rice. "Congress not investigating the Bush administration's conduct of the Iraq War -- that's a scandal. Taking money like 'Duke' Cunningham did -- that's a scandal. One in five children living in poverty in this country -- that's a scandal. Seniors who can't get prescription drugs -- that's a scandal. The response to Hurricane Katrina -- that's a scandal."
But, Hart acknowledged, "some scandals sell more newspapers than others." Referring again to the Rice episode, he jokingly told the editorial cartoonists: "I sold more newspapers in one week than you've sold in a lifetime."
Hart was introduced by convention co-host Ed Stein, editorial cartoonist for the Denver Rocky Mountain News and United Media.
Comments
No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here