Running in the shadows in Campaign 2000 - Candidate metaphors in editorialcartoons

Editorial cartoons contribute to candidate image development by offering co ndensed and simplified metaphoric portrayals. This study identifies the rhe torical fantasia advanced by cartoonists in their metaphors about Al Gore a nd George Bush throughfive themes of leadership during the early months of Campaign 2000: character, competence, viability, independence, and charisma . The cartoons reflected overall campaign strategies by attaching character issues to Gore and competence issues to Bush. However, the campaign was ov ershadowed by the outside influence of preceding presidents, calling into q uestion the independence of the candidates, which may have fueled the ambiv alent results of the election.