White House Missing From Comic

By: Dave Astor Sacramento Bee readers couldn't find the White House in a "Non Sequitur" comic satirizing the Iraq quagmire.

The words "White House" were accidentally dropped from Wiley Miller's May 14 cartoon, according to Bee Ombudsman Tony Marcano. "It was one of those production errors that crop up from time to time," he told E&P, adding that the newspaper ran a correction the following day.

In the comic, the "U.N. Minister of Big Stinking Messes" is shown on the phone saying: "Uh-huh ... your horse made a mess in the house ... and you want the U.N. to help you clean it up?" The girl making the call then says: "Actually, I want you to come over and assume all responsibility for the mess." To which the U.N. guy says: "Uh ... what makes you think the U.N. would do that?" The girl replies: "'Cuz that's the reason you exist, isn't it?" Then the U.N. guy says: "Olga ... check the caller I.D. again. Are you sure it's not coming from the White House?" Olga says: "Yes ... just another American, sir."

The words "White House" couldn't be seen when the Bee published "Non Sequitur" that day..

Marcano said about a half dozen readers e-mailed the paper, with some wondering if the Bee was guilty of censorship.

Miller told E&P he wanted to look into exacty what caused the two words to be missing before making a comment.