Tow #16 - Chris Christie Politcal Cartoon

If you have been paying attention to the local news this past couple weeks, you will have most defiantly heard about the George Washington Bridge scandal. The conspiracy goes that political appointees of New Jersey Governor Chris Christie schemed a plan to create traffic jams near Fort Lee, New Jersey, at the entrance to the George Washington Bridge. The problems started on September 9, 2013, after two toll lanes at one of the toll plaza entryways were closed to local traffic from Fort Lee and surrounding communities and used for traffic from state and interstate expressways instead, resulting in massive back-ups in Fort Lee. Due the scandal the polls for the approval rating for Chris Christie have been down, as seen in the political cartoon above.

This cartoon shows the negative view of Governor Christie through exaggerated imagery and sarcastic diction.

 Firstly, Christie is shown as a round almost ball-like figure, and this is to show Christie’s weight problems. Christie is nationally recognized as America’s “fat Governor”. Everyday people criticize Chris Christie not only about his political agenda, but his health issues as well. People argue that in order to lead, especially if he decides to run for presidency, he needs to show that he is disciplined, which is seen symbolically through physical fitness. As seen in the cartoon, the cartoonist shows his obeseity satirically through his shape of Christie as a very round man.

Christie’s words in the cartoon are shown as strict, or mean to reflect on Christie’s tone as a Governor. Chris Christie is seen as a blunt, straightforward, brutal person. One instance, during hurricane Sandy, he told Atlantic City mayor Don Guardian, that he was not going to send help to the hugely populated city because the city did not advise evacuation during the warnings of the storm. This is a huge reflection on Christie’s bully nature that people view him as. And by stating in the cartoon, “how soon do I get to start yelling at people again?” is the perfect symbol of Christie’s common conception as a mean politician.

This cartoon is a great satirical piece to entertain any citizen who has negative feelings for the Governor.