Editorial cartoons for Oct. 6, 2024: Vance-Walz debate, Hurricane Helene aftermath, Mideast strife

The candidates for vice president, JD Vance and Tim Walz, met in their first (and likely only) televised debate last week. Viewers polled by CBS News said it was evenly matched, with 42% saying Vance won and 41% saying Walz won, well within the 2.7% margin of error. The rest declared it a tie.

Editorial cartoonist Jack Ohman disagrees in the gallery’s lead image, depicting the “Minnesota Nice” Walz about to be devoured by a shark representing Vance. Dana Summers makes hay with Walz’s statement, “I’m a knucklehead at times.” David Horsey sees the candidates as high school archetypes, the beloved coach and the “smarty-pants” student. Bill Bramhall’s Vance puts lipstick on a pig representing Donald Trump. Nick Anderson contrasts Trump’s stark lies with Vance’s flowery ones.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, editorial cartoonists evoked the sadness of losing everything (Steve Breen), the role of climate change (Walt Handelsman) and potential cuts to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the Heritage Foundation’s policy blueprint, Project 2025 (Ohman). Social media posts claiming NOAA would be eliminated are false, according to Factcheck.org.

Other news events in this week’s gallery include the widening conflict in the Middle East, including a missile attack against Israel launched by Iran; Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on imports; and former President Jimmy Carter’s 100th birthday.

Cartoons were drawn by Jack Ohman, Nick Anderson, Bill Bramhall, Dana Summers, Drew Sheneman, Scott Stantis, Walt Handelsman, David Horsey, Phil Hands, Joel Pett and Joey Weatherford of Tribune Content Agency; and Mike Luckovich, Steve Breen and Michael Ramirez of Creators Syndicate.