PAGE ONE NEWSMAKERS ARCHIVES

The following illustrations and cameos have been special Page One highlights on this web site.

November 24, 2009 - Sarah Palin is back in the news, promoting her book Going Rogue. As he completed this latest caricature  November 23, 2009, Kerry commented, "she never seems to go away!"
CARLY FIORINA Former Hewlett Packard C.E.O., California Republican Senatorial Candidate November 9, 2009 - Sometimes controversial Carly Fiorina is now seeking the Republican nomination for a United States Senate seat in California. She rose to prominence as chief executive officer of Hewlett-Packard from 1999 until 2005, when she was forced out. The merger with Compaq, which she had promoted, did not deliver the expected results. Since then Fiorina has served on a number of Boards of Directors and she was an economic adviser to the 2008 Presidential campaign of Senator John McCain.
EDDIE VEDDER, lead singer Pearl Jam Drawn 03.13.95 Pen, brush, ink, watercolor on illustration board From Billboard magazine,  about Pearl Jam's great new album BACKSPACER: President George W. Bush, who the band vilified in song and onstage for eight years, is gone. The group remains a huge touring draw and A-list festival headliner, having grossed nearly $42 million from 51 shows reported to Billboard Boxscore from 2006 to 2008. Vedder won a Golden Globe for his soundtrack to the 2007 movie "Into the Wild." Life is quieter on the homefront, too: four out of the five band members now have children.
IN MEMORIAM - Patrick Swayze (1952 - 2009)
September 5, 2009 The comic book legend Stan Lee, now 86, is still being urged to create new characters. As Chairman of Marvel Comics (now owned by Disney) he and his extraordinary team of artists created a long-list of icons, including: Spider-Man, Fantastic Four, X-Men, Hulk and Iron Man. Kerry drew this image for syndication September 19, 2000.
The Lion of the Senate - Edward M. Kennedy (1932-2009) Among Kerry's several caricatures of Senator Ted Kennedy, is this September 7, 1984 portrayal. This week's tribute from Boston Mayor Michael McGlynn speaks for us all: Senator Kennedy was the preeminent advocate for issues affecting ordinary citizens of our nation and our city. His legacy obviously includes efforts to protect civil and labor rights and to bolster educational initiatives for all including a career- long devotion to individuals with special needs. Internationally he sponsored efforts to oppose the spread of nuclear weapons. But perhaps his most notable position was advocacy for Health Care Reform – a battle being waged today because of his firm belief that every American deserves health care coverage as a right and not a privilege. ....... Ted Kennedy has been called the Lion of the Senate which is a tribute to his four decades of service to his state and nation. Despite his lofty status and world wide notoriety, the Senator never lost the ability to provide a personal touch when necessary. We have lost a legend; but now we must honor his legacy by keeping his vision of a kind and compassionate America alive for every man, woman and child regardless of wealth or status.
August 14, 2009 CHENEY DISCOVERS THAT BUSH WAS A LOSER New book will tell all, including a confession that one day Cheney retreated to a bathroom to cry, because the coffee latte he brought the President was under-appreciated.
June 25, 2009
May 27, 2009 CHESS PLAYER OR NUT CASE? Once again North Korea's Kim Jong Il's nuclear brinkmanship has brought global diplomacy to a standstill, focused entirely now on this otherwise insignificant, economically irrelevant patch of geography.
OBAMA CHALLENGES THE HEALTH INDUSTRY Will Barak Obama be the next political road kill for the American Medical Association, pharmaceutical companies, hospital corporations, the HMOs and many others who conspire to achieve national health outcomes rivalling third world countries, despite per capita health expenditures so far greater than any other nation that number 2 is not even in sight? A long-line of prominent politicians from Ted Kennedy to the Clintons have tried and failed to forge change and Americans remain the only citizens of the free world who live in constant fear of a health-related financial catastrophe. Obama talks about saving trillions. Kerry Waghorn illustrated a 2005 Canadian book Squandering Billions, which assaulted waste in Canada, but also focused on the United States lack of  universal medicare. www.squanderingbillions.net
April 7, 2009 Kerry captures newsmakers at different stages of their notoriety. Shown is his latest of Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu (February, 2009), who has been globally prominent for more than a generation, first capturing headlines as the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin’s Foreign Minister and subsequently his successor as PM. The son of a distinguished Cornell University professor, and graduate of an American high school whose university degrees include those from the Massachussetts Institute of Technology and Harvard, obviously intelligent with an articulate and commanding facility in the English language, Netanyahu became a world media favourite. His iconic stature was elevated by tragedy with the 1976 death of his commando brother, Colonel Yonni Netanyahu, at Entebbe Airport in Uganda, the hero of the mission that rescued 100 hostages. Unfortunately, Benjamin Netanyahu’s previous term as PM failed to live up to advance billing, unable to leverage his strength and intelligence into solid progress toward peace, as did his predecessor Begin. His conservative constituency expects him to be tough, but this second chance will not be scored on the basis of belligerence, but rather long-term peaceful solutions.
March 25, 2009 The courage of Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his country's justice officials, police and army is an inspiration to democracies everywhere. In the face of Calderon's determination, since being elected in 2006, to neutralize and destroy the drug lords' - several of them billionaires - and the culture of unspeakable crime and corruption, thousands have died. The dead are predominantly criminals, fighting among themselves for pieces of rapidly disintegrating empires. However, the price is high reflected in the multiple assassinations of public officials, judges, police and ordinary civilians. Despite this admirable assault on evil, western society must recognize that its so called "War on Drugs" since the early 20th century is likely the most unsuccessful war in human history and getting worse every day. Strategies to destroy the market, such as legalized marijuana and the clinical administration of narcotics to registered addicts, may be the only answer.
March 14, 2009 THE VOICES - the Barak Obama phenomenon and the Democratic Party triumphs in the November 2008 election create the impression that the right wing of U.S. politics is on life support, yet the most ardent voice of traditional American conservatism, Rush Limbaugh, is more strident and popular than ever. On the other hand, more Liberal commentators such as Oprah Winfrey enjoy undiminished power, public respect and wealth!
March 4, 2009 The astonishing talent of  guitar legend Jeff Beck will soon be on tour in the United States following triumphs in Australia, New Zealand and Japan. He is to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame April 4 for the second time (the first, as a member of The Yardbirds, where he succeeded Eric Clapton). He is considered to be among the greatest electric guitar players of all time, building fame with predominantly instrumental music and the admiration of accomplished performers, but his commercial success has not matched many other lesser talents. This Waghorn caricature was created in February 2009 to honour the return of this British music icon to North America.
February 4, 2009 Where are today's leaders! -  In the aftermath of yet another mideast conflict, it is appropriate to think back to the extraordinary leadership of Egypt's Anwar Sadat leading to the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty of 1979. The contribution of Israel's Menachem Begin, characterized as "superhawk" by the media,  was equally profound, but the greatest courage was that of Sadat, daring to break with the conventional Arab posture. He became Time Magazine's "Man of Year" for 1978 and shared with Begin, the Nobel Prize for Peace. In an interview, Time was perplexed that Sadat had refused to negotiate with Israeli peace advocates such as Yitzak Rabin, but then agreed to meet with the hawkish Begin. Time drew parallels between the two-men. Both had been branded "terrorists" in their earlier revolutionary days, and jailed by the British. Both had passionate friends and enemies among their own peoples. Sadat's reply was that he could not negotiate with weak people because they could not be trusted to keep their bargains. He saw Rabin as weak and Begin as strong. And then, he added: "I like to deal with a strong government and a strong man. In this respect I have to mention that I would have preferred to deal with the old lady [Golda Meir]. She has guts!" The central figures in these historic events, including President Jimmy Carter, were frequent Waghorn subjects, published in newspapers around the world.
January 22, 2009 HOLD-ON-FOLKS! - Those who think Barak Obama can wave a magic wand and move mountains should take a crash course in the ingenuity of America's political structure. The President is, for want of a better description, the CEO of the "executive branch" - the administration, but totally dependent upon the "legislative branch" - Congress (the House of Representatives and the Senate) - to pass his budget and policy agenda. Before the opposition Republicans can even get a crack at the White House proposals, President Obama and his team will need the help of powerful Democrats, the Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi of California, and the majority leader in the Senate, Harry Reid of Nevada. Insiders say there already is friction between Obama appointees and Pelosi, who's agenda starts with a countdown to mid-term elections in 2010.
January 8, 2009 SENATORIAL REPLACEMENTS - Unlike British, Canadian and other parliamentary processes around the world that fill vacancies with special byelections, the United States Congress gives State Governors the power to appoint replacements when necessary to both the House of Representatives and the Senate. These appointees, after being seated, enjoy all the rights, privileges and responsibilities as those elected for the unexpired portion of the term remaining for the person they replace. Two vacancies in the Senate now exist - replacements for Hillary Clinton of New York and Barak Obama of Illinois. It is widely expected that Caroline Kennedy will be appointed by NY Governor David Paterson (himself unelected as Governor, elevated from Lieutenant-Governor after the prostitution scandal felled Eliot Spitzer). However, Illinois State politician Roland Burris has already received a cold reception at the Senate door, not as a criticism of himself, but the fact that he was appointed to replace Obama by the disgraced Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich, now facing criminal charges for influence peddling. Can show biz ever top U.S. politics for sheer entertainment value? Here are Kerry's recent caricatures of both Kennedy and Burris.
This 1978 Kerry Waghorn cartoon from the editorial page of The Vancouver Sun could be published today, with only a slightly different caption. Is anyone surprised that the insolvent, frequently incompetent US auto industry is running to government cap in hand with its usual not-so-subtle blackmail, effectively saying: "no matter how much we deserve to fail, you can't afford the cost of the funeral?" Meanwhile, as the industry begs on the one hand, it has dozens of law suits running against government claiming damages from environmental standards and other laws.
November 4, 2008 Congratulations to America - an extraordinary moment in history Barak Obama's dignified and thoughtful acceptance speech Tuesday night, an exuberant testimonial to United States democracy, was a moment that thrilled the world. In a cynical age that shrouds democracy everywhere, with victors earning rarely more than grudging, skeptical approval, this American event inspires the world. It may also have been Senator John McCain's finest hour, a gracious, magnanimous tribute to the winner and to his country. His close Senatorial friend and adversary, the Vice-President-to-be Joe Biden, and President George Bush, both seemed as profoundly affected as people everywhere.
4 November, 2008 AND NOW THE PEOPLE SPEAK
22 October, 2008 General Colin Powell, the most popular and respected man in the United States in the years following the Gulf War, the first Iraq conflict, was promoted by many to be the Republican candidate for President. Instead, he began what became the most difficult chapter of his life - ultimately the most embarrassing - as President George W. Bush's Secretary of State. Against his better judgment and despite his confidential protests to the White House of inadequate intelligence, Powell defended the administration's premise for war against Iraq at the United Nations and other venues. Later he would become a fierce internal opponent - discreet in public - of the war policy and he ultimately withdrew from the Bush team. Powell's endorsement of Democrat Barak Obama in recent days is merely another highlight of a tide that is sweeping the country, but it could be the final heartbeat for many Republican Senate, House of Representatives and Gubernatorial candidates, at least those running in tight races. The most interesting question of all is to speculate how President Barak Obama could best utilize this icon of modern American history.
16 October, 2008 - If John McCain's increasingly desperate Presidential campaign needs inspiration, his team ought to look at the image of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Now emerging as a hero - the global leader - as the world climbs out of the financial crisis, just a month ago the PM was considered toast by even his own Labour Party. Brown had been sounding the alarm about the maniacal monetary markets and fragile banks for years now, arguments written off by most as socialist bleating - despite any study of him which demonstrates a fiscal conservative.
10 October, 2008 - the dynamic duo at the vortex of the global financial crisis are Treasury Secretary Henry M "Hank" Paulson (left), former CEO of Goldman Sachs, and the Chairman of the Federal Reserve, Dr. Ben S. Bernanke, the tenured Princeton Professor with distinguished academic roots at both Harvard and MIT. Efforts at stability so far have failed to halt the decline, but reports are that securing the foundation will be like steering an oil tanker - miles of movement before an ultimate turn gains traction.
Dr. Ben S. Bernanke September 25, 2008 At the centre of the United States financial crisis is Dr. Ben S. Bernanke, the tenured Princeton Professor with distinguished academic roots at both Harvard and MIT. The Chairman of the Federal Reserve, and other officials, argue that the taxpayers are going to take a big hit anyway, whether it is in terms of the proposed $750 billion bank bailout - smoothing the transition - or a chaotic and crippling drop in tax revenues as a result of corporate collapses, high unemployment and a dramatic reduction in consumer spending. It is beyond the economists' realm to deal with the political and public outrage that bankers and securities executives profited handsomely from their incompetence, irresponsibility and possibly even criminal negligence.	Sarah Palin August 29, 2008 American politics seem to have an infinite capacity to entertain the masses with bizarre surprises, both positive and negative. After months of berating Senator Barak Obama's inexperience in foreign affairs, Senator John McCain picks as a running mate a 44-year-old hockey Mom whose lifetime professional experience is within a 15-mile radius of one of the smallest and remotest cities of North America. She has never even applied for a passport. Governor Sarah Palin, for many, has injected a gale force wind of fresh air into a tired looking campaign. To others (New York Times etc.) the choice is a goof of historic proportions.
Obama Selects Biden as Running Mate (23 August 2008) The choice of Joe Biden as running mate is an outstanding shot across the Republican bow, as Barak Obama prepares his ship for the big battle to come. Biden's widespread respect, independent-mindedness, experience and a fearlessness in the face of both opponents and difficult issues, will be fun to watch.	Tom Ridge for Vice President? (15 August, 2008) - John McCain's good friend, also a decorated Viet Nam veteran, and an accomplished former Governor of Pennsylvania, is now being widely touted as a Presidential running mate. Ridge achieved national prominence when President George W. Bush appointed him to establish the Department of Homeland Security immediately after the September 11, 2001 World Trade Centre/Pentagon terrorist calamity. But how will McCain sell yet another maverick as himself to the uncompromising right wing of the Republican Party, in view of Ridge's more flexible (dare we say, more intellectual?) views on difficult issues such as abortion?
CONGRATULATIONS, GREG! July 20, 2008 "The Shark" - now 53 years of age - was back in the headlines this week, stunning the world of golf with an amazing performance at the British Open, falling just short of victory. Always a gracious gentleman, Norman became golf's first-ever show-biz celebrity during the 1980s and a marketable brand outside of the sports fraternity. As one TV announcer said this week: "Greg was Tiger Woods before Tiger Woods." The Waghorn drawing shown here was in world syndication in 1986.	29 July, 2008 Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska, the longest serving Republican in the U.S. Senate (continuous since 1968) has been indicted on seven counts of falsely reporting income. The charges relate to renovations to his home and to $250,000 worth of gifts he has allegedly received from VECO Corporation. The indictment followed a lengthy investigation by the FBI and the IRS for possible corruption based on his relationship with an oil service company executive who has pled guilty to bribing Alaskan legislators, including Stevens' son, former State Senator Ben Stevens.
July 4, 2008 Kerry's art chronicles evolving history. His 1970s drawings show the "white" villains of Africa, Ian Smith of Southern Rhodesia (Zimbabwe) and John Vorster of the white supremacist Afrikaners National Party of South Africa. The big man is Joshua Nkomo, whose Zimbabwe African Peoples Union (ZAPU) contested with Robert Mugabe's Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) to lead an independent state. Mugabe, profoundly supported by socialists everywhere, including the Soviet Union, was arrogant even then. He once told one of the truly great men of Africa Julius Nyerere of Tanzania, immediately following a meeting Nyerere had with Nkomo, "If you think I'm going to sit right where that fat bastard just sat, you'll have to think again". Virtually every professional diplomat of the civilized world with expertise in Africa recommended to their governments that Joshua Nkomo represented the true spirit of Zimbabwe independence. The politicians of the western world chose Robert Mugabe. Today's Zimbabwe is every bit as much their creation, as that of the tyrant who now thumbs his nose at the world.
President George W. Bush June 12, 2008 Lame duck president insists upon a European tour, despite little interest in such a visit from any host country. June 24, 2008 Senator Ted Kennedy We salute the Lion of the Senate, among the most progressive and influential people to ever sit in the chamber. We wish you well, Ted Kennedy, in this latest challenge.	June 15, 2008 Tim Russert The sudden death of NBC Washington Bureau Chief, the veteran host of Meet the Press, has shocked everybody who follows US news and politics. Kerry joins journalists everywhere in hailing this fair-minded, honest broker in what is too often an immoral, commercially-motivated modern media world.
IN MEMORIAM (26 May, 2008) We salute a Hollywood legend, producer-director-actor Sydney Pollack, and mourn his passing. "He was a gentleman, an artist and a prodigious achiever. I was truly honored in 1995 to learn that he had acquired the original of a drawing I did for my newspaper syndication," Kerry Waghorn said.	Roman Polanski June 9, 2008 America's most celebrated exile. Has this extraordinary filmmaker's lengthy banishment been sufficient punishment?