Mission Accomplished?

Kind of off topic, but this week Rick Santorum suspended his pursuit of the GOP nomination for President of the United States.

Several years ago, Mr. Santorum lost an election in his home state to today's Home Teamer, Bob Casey Jr. It was a pretty big win by any standard. Strangely, Mr. Casey is also not running for anything in 2012.

Wait, what's that you say?

He IS running for Senate seat again?

Happy Birthday!

Pat and Frank's

Barney Frank - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 Patrick Leahy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pat and Barney are today's Home Team Birthday Boys. Both are well known on either side of the aisle, and neither runs competing butcher shops in Oak Lawn Illinois.

Narrow Margin

Happy Birthday Mark Begich!

Pre Linc

Happy Birthday Lincoln Chafee! Tomorrow.

Down the...

What do you call a Senator who's served in office for 35 years?

Happy Birthday Orrin Hatch!

 

Dr. No

Happy Birthday to Tom Coburn!

Read his Wikipedia article to find out why he's called Dr. No. I'll be checking out his InDesign file to find out why there's no border on his card here...

Duckworthy.

Happy Birthday to Ladda Tammy Duckworth.

Please read up on her and her opponent in the upcoming election. Last go-around the margin of victory was around 4000 votes. In the Chicagoland area, where the perception is that machine politics have cut the average voter out of the decision making process, we have a prime example of a clear choice between two very different candidates. 

Notably, the current Representative has been "drawn out of the district" since being elected. I only stated the voter still has a choice, not that the machine isn't trying to take to away.

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Also…

You probably already know about this birthday Player.

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But…

It's your last chance to get to know Kent Conrad, because he already told us he's not gonna run again.

Petticoat Rule

Today is the birthday of Home Team Classic  Susanna Salter. Mrs. Salter was the first woman elected to office in United States history! Unfortunately for me, no photograph was available. On Wikipedia. If anybody was to look a little harder, thought, they might find one. Or two.

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Fortunately for me, Ken Salazar is all over the place, and it's his birthday too!

He's no Byrd...

Happy Birthday Carte Goodwin!

Mr. Goodwin is an attorney who was "appointed" to the Senate upon the death of Robert Byrd. To his credit, he served and then returned to private practice and… now he's going to run for a WV House seat? NO, you can't believe everything you read on Wikipedia.

I'll ConnectiCUT ya

I am not somebody who thinks term limits are the right solution to our problems with machine-politics in Federal Government. When I see somebody like Joe Lieberman suddenly deciding to not run again after decades of beltway life, though, I always wonder what his motive is. Why now? What changed behind the scenes?

Happy Birthday Mr. Lieberman!

Pączki

Happy Birthday John Lewis!

<<EDIT!>> One week after this caricature of Senator Snowe was published, she announced she would not seek a fourth term as Senator. Read the article HERE.

Happy Birthday Olympia Snowe!

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Fat Tuesday in Chicagoland means Pączki. I'd like to admit, here and now, that today both my son and I will experience this culinary creation for the first time. We will probably both need extra insulin. Ours came from Vesecky's bakery in Berwyn, and I never leave without picking up a few other treats too.

Too Nice

When I meet up with other caricaturists I am often told I am "too nice" to my subjects. Mitch McConnell is low-hanging fruit for our kind, and rather than push myself to be something I'm not I just draw my way. I'll explain later in the year why I draw "nice" caricatures most of the time. For now, let's just wish the Senator a Happy Birthday, shall we?

The Candy Desk

Other than being fun to draw, I will always remember Senator Thomas because I had never heard of the Candy Desk before reading up on him.

I know, not very politically important, but it's little things like that that help me keep track of what's going on in the chamber, and when.

Jeremiah Jones Colbath

Happy Birthday to Henry Wilson. He was much more interesting than he looked.

On the other hand, Cliff Clavin might also run.

Happy Birthday Senator Blumenthal!

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It's shaping up to be an exciting year to vote in Connecticut.  We are guaranteed at least one new senator due to Joe Lieberman relinquishing the seat he has held since 1989. And as a Pro Wrestling Mark, I am always more excited about the rematch than about the initial confrontation, so Linda McMahon running against the incumbent Marine is gonna be a schmoz I pay close attention to.

Quitter

Yes, THAT Kohl's.

Happy Birthday Herb. Not running again in 2012 eh? I'd think that now is exactly the time you would be needed in Wisconsin, politics being what they are. Maybe you know something we don't? Something you'd like to share with the rest of us?

Or, are you just anxious to be traded to the Home Team Classic set?

ONE Month Countdown to DANCON

Today's Classic birthday is Paul Sarbanes.

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Aiming to have the HOME TEAM EXECUTIVE FUN Coloring and Activity Book ready for a DanCon Launch only one month from tomorrow!

Caricatures of our elected Executive Branch, as well as the Presidential Cabinet and all the current unelected Czars! Word Finds, Mazes, Scrambles, and all the other things Federal Government has in common with children's entertainment!
Approximately 100 pages, suggested Retail Price $4.95.

(there will be no digital watermark across the printed image, FYI.)

Groundhog Day 2012

Today's Classic is Albert Sidney Johnston. 

Our special contemporary birthday guy is John Cornyn.

Remember, I use wikipedia as a starting point for research. It is my opinion that all their articles are subject to considerable spin. Love it though. Can't stay away. Donate here if you do too!

Also, got my second issue of Exaggerated Features today. Amazing to see the talent that gathers around our funny profession. Check out the International Society of Caricature Artists to find a creator in your vicinity!

Rick James and Brandon Lee made me cry a little today, but Pauly Shore reassured me that GOD has a sense of humor.

Today's Classic is Tom Lantos. What a story!

And our 2012  Home Teamer is Mike Enzi.

Happy Birthday!

One Weak

Valuable lessons learned. Funny how people born on the "same day" have different, often opposite effects on American life. Not as funny this week as it will seem next week though. 

I wish I could do more with this project, and I'll be learning to work smarter to actually make those things happen.  As of this week, it still takes me about an hour to format the rough sketches into their templates and post the blog. I want to spend that time writing about the funny coincidences between a lot of these birthdays, link out to the works of the creators… and, of course, spend more time actually drawing.

It has been suggested to me that I get WAY goofier in my caricature style. I believe that will naturally happen as the year progresses. I am not pushing anything now except finishing as often as possible. To that end…

Charles Addams

 Katie Couric

 Orval Faubus

  Millard Fillmore

  Zora Neale Hurston

  Rand Paul

Israel Putnam

 Loretta Sanchez

John Thune