Profiled: Pat Oliphant’s body of work is a history lesson


Oliphant’s cartoon from September 13, 2001 (Pat Oliphant/Universal Uclick)

Les Daly interviews legendary editorial cartoonist Pat Oliphant in The Atlantic:

Daly: Have you liked any of the presidents you have met?

Oliphant: I like to stay away from politicians. The first lesson I had in that was meeting Goldwater, although it was after the election. I liked him immensely. I realized I mustn?t let this happen again. And I?ve tried not to. I met Johnson in a reception line. You know what he said to me? ?Haddya-doo.? That was it. Move on. Jerry Ford was a good guy. After he left office, he called me to come to a gathering in Palm Springs. He called on the phone himself, didn?t have some underling do it. Remembering his ability to ?fall upstairs,? I went up to him and drew a Band-Aid on his forehead. It wasn?t fair, but he took it well. The Secret Service was not amused. ?You?ll never draw in this town again.?

Great interview ranging from his artwork, his career spanning 50 years to his run-in with politicians.

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