2008 Presidential Campaign Blog: Books

Now you can take the website "Democracy In Action" with you. This book brings the fine work done by Eric Appleman chronicling the 2008 campaign to the written page. The cartoons capture the spirit of this exciting race for the White House.

Book Description
A good editorial cartoon can capture the essence of an event or a candidacy like few other media. This collection of over 250 editorial cartoons by more than 75 artists provides insights on the candidates for the 2008 Republican nomination and the process that led up to the Convention in Minnesota.

After seven years of President George W. Bush's leadership, Republicans faced a difficult electoral environment signaled by setbacks in the 2006 mid-term elections. Top contenders included maverick and media favorite Sen. John McCain, folksy former Gov. Mike Huckabee, rich and handsome former Gov. Mitt Romney, America's Mayor Rudy Giuliani, late entrant former Sen. Fred Thompson, and the libertarian leaning Rep. Ron Paul. McCain, an early frontrunner, saw his campaign implode at the beginning of July 2007 and yet managed to emerge as the presumptive Republican nominee eight months later despite grumblings from some conservatives.

In this collection, many of America's top editorial cartoonists offer their views on the GOP candidates, McCain's classic comeback, and the happenings on the road to St. Paul.

Edited by:
Eric M. Appleman launched the Democracy in Action website on the 2000 presidential campaign in May 1998 after earlier developing CD-ROMs on the 1992 and 1996 campaigns. He has continued to cover presidential campaigns with the P2004 and P2008 sites (www.P2008.org).

In collaboration with:
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
(editorialcartoonists.com) is the world's oldest and largest organization for professional editorial cartoonists. Founded in 1957, the AAEC is a professional association concerned with promoting the interests of staff, freelance and student editorial cartoonists in the United States.

Book Description
A good editorial cartoon can capture the essence of an event or a candidacy like few other media. This collection of over 250 editorial cartoons by more than 75 artists provides insights on the candidates for the 2008 Democratic nomination and the process that led up to the Convention in Denver.

The 2008 Democratic presidential primary race was one of the most intense nominating campaigns in a generation. A record 35 million people voted in the Democratic primaries. The Democratic candidates raised over half a billion dollars, also a record.

Starting with the Iowa caucuses on January 3, 2008, early contests winnowed the field; veteran Sens. Joe Biden and Chris Dodd, Gov. Bill Richardson, and Rep. Dennis Kucinich all ended their campaigns in January. Former Sen. John Edwards tried to hang on, but ended his quest at the end of month, leaving Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama engaged in a titanic struggle. Democratic voters faced a historic choice between the determined Clinton, who saw her mantle of inevitability slip away, and the youthful Obama, who combined an inspirational message and unprecedented campaign organization. For a time it appeared that superdelegates might decide the nomination or that the race might go all the way to the convention.

In this collection, many of America's top editorial cartoonists offer their views on the historic Democratic nominating campaign that went all the way to the last primaries on June 3.

Edited by:
Eric M. Appleman launched the Democracy in Action website on the 2000 presidential campaign in May 1998 after earlier developing CD-ROMs on the 1992 and 1996 campaigns. He has continued to cover presidential campaigns with the P2004 and P2008 sites (www.P2008.org).

In collaboration with:
The Association of American Editorial Cartoonists
(editorialcartoonists.com) is the world's oldest and largest organization for professional editorial cartoonists. Founded in 1957, the AAEC is a professional association concerned with promoting the interests of staff, freelance and student editorial cartoonists in the United States.