Nate Beeler is the editorial cartoonist for The Washington Examiner. His cartoons reach nearly 750,000 readers in Washington, San Francisco and Baltimore and have been reprinted in such newspapers as USA Today and the Los Angeles Times. He is syndicated internationally by Cagle Cartoons. In 2002, Beeler won both the Charles M. Schulz Award and the John Locher Award.
If you want to sound off on any of the cartoons, add your comments under each blog entry. You can also e-mail Nate at nbeeler@dcexaminer.com.
I've had the concept for this cartoon in my sketchbook since early August -- it's a pretty standard idea, actually -- but I updated it to include recent events. The "Fun Baby Swing Set" cracks me up, though I do realize it's edgy humor, which isn't everybody's cup of tea. If I lived in Sudan, I'd probably be beheaded for that "Tickle-Me Muhammad" panel. Do you guys think I went over the line?
I tabulated a good list of license plate variations riffing on "Taxation Without Representation" before finally settling on "Taxation Without Supervision." The "SEENOEVIL" vanity tag was my editor's stroke of brilliance -- my original sketch simply had "OOPS!" Some of the others that didn't make the cut, but are still appropriate for the Natwar Gandhi/Tax Office Scam story, include: "Taxation Without Documentation" "Taxation Without Organization" "Taxation With Defraudation" "Taxation With Dereliction" and "Taxation With Machination" Which one do you guys think is the most appropriate or can you suggest a better choice?
Richard Layman:
I hate to admit that I missed the "Taxation without supervision" line. I think the line came up with in the end is the best.
December 9, 9:00 AM
This was another one that was fun to draw. That's two cartoons in a row, which is pretty good this time of year, when your mind is making lists, checking them twice and filled up with all of the normal, everyday to-do's. With all the stuff going on, I guess, it's easy to lose track of yourself -- much like Bill Clinton did. It really raised my hackles when I first saw the story about him claiming he had been against the Iraq War from the start. I think many people -- and chimps -- will remember him saying he supported President Bush on the decision to depose Saddam Hussein in 2003. Once again, it appears, Slick Willie is trying to pull a fast one.
Examiner Reader:
And does Bill Clinton remember "His friend, Norman Hsu"? The Clintons and California local and state politicians should be questioned in court under oath and asked if they knew Norman Hsu was a convicted felon and fugitive from justice with ties to organized crime in China and the US when they accepted campaign contributions from Hsu and attended fundraisers with him in 2006-2007. Those politicians receiving funding from Hsu include Gavin Newsom, Kamela Harris, Fiona Ma, Jerry Brown, Diane Finestein, Barbara Boxer, Mark Leno and others. Norman Hsu was recently Co-Chair of a Clinton-Kennedy gala benefit and was introduced as "Our friend, Norman Hsu" by former President Bill Clinton in New York. Clinton, referred to Norman Hsu as "our friend" in his opening remarks in October 2006, at Speak Truth to Power: Voices from Beyond the Dark New York Opening Night Gala - Benefit Chair, Mrs. Robert F. Kennedy. Watch Video: Speak Truth to Power - Voices from Beyond the Dark New York Opening Night Gala @ http://wideiris.net/sttp/clinton.html - Another Chinagate? - Cartoon please!!!
December 5, 10:26 AM
I had a lot of fun on this cartoon because Hugo Chavez has such interesting facial features -- and making his head blow up was almost like creating a hand-drawn animation. I broke out the pen nibs on this one to try to achieve more of a sketchy feel in the caricature, and I finished it off with the brush in the black areas. By the way, I appreciate all the blog comments from my previous 'toon. I'm still not thrilled about the cartoon, but your words of support do make me feel like less of a butterfingered doofus!
Maria:
The only thing you missed was his swollen and ripped hands after beating and breaking all he could find in Palace. Today he called opposition's victory as a VICTORIA DE MIERDA (SHIT VICTORY) on national television. Can anybody finally declares him insane? Congrat!!! Very assertive cartoon.
December 5, 6:39 PM
Percy H Florez:
Did you have any other cartoon like that about Mr. Bush
December 4, 2:13 PM
If you'd ask most anyone, they'd probably say that drawing cartoons seems like a pretty fun way to make a living. A lot of the time, that's true. However, some days the ideas flit around above you just beyond reach and the pen ignores your commands. Today was one of those days. I drew two aggravatingly unsuccessful attempts before reaching some small semblance of satisfaction with the final drawing. Everything was throwing me off -- Mitt Romney and Fred Thompson's caricatures, the video screen, the perspective in the 'toon, etc. The only thing I can do when this happens is grind my teeth, pull up my sleeves and crank it out -- and hope that people understand the darn thing.
Beth:
If you consider this an unsuccessful attempt, I wonder what you consider a success. Seems to me you nailed this one on the head!
December 3, 1:10 PM
E. Marsalis:
Good 'toon... The only thing missing were the "plants" in the audience. I also hope that this means Fred is the sleeper candidate.
I don't mean to be cynical, but after all these years of disappointment, most of us can't help but roll our eyes at talk of a new "peace summit" or the old "road map for peace." Granted, the Israelis and Palestinians need to keep an ongoing dialogue or else both sides will simply keep killing each other. I doubt the Bush Administration has the requisite interest or political capital to invest in such a huge endeavor as this -- especially since Dubyah got us bogged down in Iraq. It's frustrating as a cartoonist because there's already been thousands of cartoons drawn about the Israel-Palestine issue. I have a feeling -- unfortunate, though, it may be -- that cartoonists will still be drawing these long after even I'm gone.
Here's the doodle of this cartoon from my sketchbook:
This was a tough cartoon for me because I didn't want to be disrespectful at a time when emotions are running high. By all accounts, Sean Taylor had turned his life around since becoming a father a year and a half ago, but that still didn't erase memories of his bad-boy, thug-life antics. I considered doing a cartoon that noted that past, but deemed it too harsh so soon after his death. I also didn't want to make him look, as one editor put it, "angelic." In the final version of the cartoon, I don't think I was harsh at all, but you tell me: Am I making Taylor out to be a saint whom everyone loved?
granny sharp:
you did great, very well done !
December 4, 4:24 PM
JillMD:
I think you've accurately captured the sentiment. Sean was loved for what he did on the field, and that's where his memory will flourish.
November 28, 11:37 AM
Scottie:
I find this cartoon quite tasteless in the wake of a tragic end to a promising young man's future.
November 28, 11:07 AM
Well, I'm back at the drawing board after spending my Thanksgiving vacation with family down in Florida. After traveling most of Wednesday and gorging myself on turkey and all the fixings Thursday, I wanted to spend Black Friday as far away from a mall as I could. In southern Florida, that means the Everglades! So, while millions of Americans negotiated piled-high shopping carts and tested their patience in packed checkout lines, I was speeding across the swamp on an air boat and muscling down gator nuggets. I'll get around to holiday gift shopping sooner or later.
I don't really have much to say in this entry besides Happy Thanksgiving to everyone! And this holiday, please remember, folks: Tryptophan and power tools don't mix.
This pun has been burning a hole in my sketchbook for months, and now the 'roid-riddled slugger's indictment has provided me the window of opportunity to use it. Shame on you, Barry. Shame on you for forcing my hand! Think of the people who could innocently stumble across this pun! Oh, the horror!
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If you want to sound off on any of the cartoons, add your comments under each blog entry. You can also e-mail Nate at 
