Cartoonist makes fun of Romney and his garments.

Date
Sep 24, 2012
Type
News (traditional)
Source
NBC News
Non-LDS
Hearsay
Journalism
Reference

Cartoon Blog, "Mitt Romney and his Mormon 'Garments'," NBC News, September 24, 2012, accessed December 3, 2021

Scribe/Publisher
NBC News
People
Mitt Romney, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Batman, Bill Clinton, Newt Gingrich, Superman, NBC News
Audience
Reading Public
PDF
Transcription

I thought the classic phrase "the Emperor has no clothes" worked well visually for the point I was trying to convey, but it occurred to me afterwards that by drawing Romney naked, I omitted something important that is at the core of his beliefs - the religious "garments" he wears as underwear.

For Mormons, these temple "garments" are a special piece of clothing worn to represent a symbolic gesture of the promises they have made to God, and are seen as either a symbolic or literal source of protection from the evils of the world.

There's a long tradition among editorial cartoonists of drawing politicians in their underwear, but not religious underwear like this. For instance, many cartoonists illustrated President Clinton's sexual dalliances by drawing him with his pants around his ankles and wearing boxer shorts with a pattern of little hearts.

The same underwear treatment is given to serial adulterer politicians like Newt Gingrich, Arnold Schwarzenegger and too many members of congress to list. Even Batman and Superman wear their underwear on top of their tights. As an editorial cartoonist, I cherish my right to draw anyone I want in their underwear.

Citations in Mormonr Qnas
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