In which an impish cartoonist meets a bearish House speaker
Georgia House Speaker David Ralston was scheduled to be the guest speaker Wednesday evening at a dinner honoring AJC cartoonist Mike Luckovich. But that morning at breakfast, when Ralston opened his AJC, he found an eye-opening surprise:
Ralston admitted later to being a bit taken aback. “What a coincidence,” he thought, that his first starring role in a Luckovich cartoon would occur that very day. But to his credit he never thought about withdrawing from the event, which was sponsored by the Georgia First Amendment Foundation.
Pretty soon, in fact, the phone began to ring with calls from folks eager to laugh with him at the cartoon.
“My mother called today and said, ‘If you’ve gained that much weight, it’s time to come home’,” Ralston joked.
That evening, however, sponsors of the dinner were a little nervous, worried that hard feelings might mar the event. As it turned out, the concern was groundless.
When Luckovich showed up at the Woodruff Arts Center to receive the foundation’s highest award, the 2010 Charles L. Weltner Freedom of Information Award, he brought with him the original version of the cartoon to present as a gift to Ralston.
In the margins of the cartoon, he left a note pointing out that he had once drawn Ralston’s famous predecessor, the late Speaker Tom Murphy, wearing nothing but a diaper. In other words, nothing personal. A grinning Ralston gladly accepted the cartoon.
House Speaker David Ralston, left, with AJC cartoonist Mike Luckovich. (Photo by Jennifer Brett, AJC)
“Your honoree and I had a private discussion earlier,” Ralston told the audience in his remarks a few minutes later. “Since I believe in reciprocating, I brought you a little something.”
Summoning Luckovich to the podium, Ralston reached into his pocket and pulled out a black garter, handing it to a gleeful Luckovich.
Calling Ralston “a really good guy,” Luckovich promised that he would never draw the speaker again.
Well, at least not naked. The speaker was no doubt grateful, and so are the rest of us.
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261 comments Add your comment
Scout
April 29th, 2010
10:45 pm
Del:
I hear you buddy, but I took an oath four times to support and defend the Constitution of the United States against “all” enemies, foreign and DOMESTIC.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
10:48 pm
jewcowboy:
I assume you are Jewish by faith. In the O.T. a priest had to be Jewish, male, from the tribe of Levi and could not be handicapped in anyway (including he had to have both testicles. Look it up!)
Now, was God racist? Sexist? Classist? and did He discriminate agains the handicapped?
Del
April 29th, 2010
10:49 pm
Scout,
Now that is sick and as a parent I’d fight against it with my last dieing breath. Aside from that as you know, there are many, in fact the majority on this blog who don’t share our beliefs, in God or in what’s best for this country. WE won’t win anyone over by hitting them up side the head.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
10:52 pm
Del:
I hear you but sometimes you fight evil spiritually, psychologically, economically , educationally, politically and yes, sometimes you must fight it physically.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
10:53 pm
P.S.
Sometimes you preach grace and sometimes you preach hell.
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
10:58 pm
Scout,
“Sound familiar?”
Hmmm…so you are a liar as well…isn’t that a sin?
“And before you start, I am NOT comparing homosexuality and pedophilia. ”
And no, it does not sound familiar…2 adults mutually choosing to be in a relationship or even just f*cking the god damned brains out is not the same as an adult forcing themselves on a children, or upon anyone else for that matter.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
10:58 pm
Well, well ……….. you guys have faded away on me tonight. No one will address my direct points and debate ………… just all over the map.
Del
April 29th, 2010
10:58 pm
Scout,
I’m not afraid nor against any action that preserves this Republic for our children, their children and future generations. I just pray it can be achieved far short of violence in any form. I pray that once again we become a nation under God.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:00 pm
jewcowboy:
wow, you’re back …………. and they’re still not the same even though they are both sinful. Kind of like murder and involuntary manslaughter. Both sinful but different.
And yes, I am a sinner. Just forgiven. I don’t try to “justifiy” my sins …….. just get them forgiven.
Now, how about my 10:48 post?
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:01 pm
Scout,
“Absolutely.”
So no women teachers if there are any males in the classroom, huh? That’s gonna create some problems. Don’t they have the same rule in Iran?
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:01 pm
Del:
I hear you ……………. dark days ahead.
TaxPayer
April 29th, 2010
11:02 pm
“No but He does expect us to defend ourselves from evil.”
And what would those “evils” be, scout.
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:02 pm
Scout,
“I assume you are Jewish by faith.”
Never assume anything.
“Now, was God racist? Sexist? Classist? and did He discriminate agains the handicapped?”
If you believe in the drivel written 2K years ago, yes.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:03 pm
Maybe ………. but we don’t throw acid in little girls faces for going to school, or make them wear burkas, or lash them for being imodest, or arrest them for having a tan, or hold them guilty because they got raped, or forbid them to drive a car ………….. are you getting it ?
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:04 pm
jewcowboy @ 11:02
Yes I do but thanks at least for an honest answer instead of a duck.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:05 pm
Taxpayer:
How about someone kidnapping a child of yours ? Would that be “evil” enough for you to try to stop?
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:05 pm
Scout,
“Please answer my 9:31 post”
“Would someone please answer my 9:31 post !”
“Now, how about my 10:48 post?”
A little bossy, aren’t we?
TaxPayer
April 29th, 2010
11:05 pm
How many “sin”/”forgiveness” sequences for the same sin is one allowed? Any limits on say, the Ten Commandments or can one commit the same sin and then ask for forgiveness each day, every day.
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:07 pm
Scout,
Show me where it states a gay relationship, as defined my modern terms, is a sin in the bible.
TaxPayer
April 29th, 2010
11:08 pm
Taxpayer:
How about someone kidnapping a child of yours ? Would that be “evil” enough for you to try to stop?
What’s wrong, Scout. Was my question too tough for you so you had to evade it by asking a question. Surely you can cite text from the Bible that defines the “evils” that must be defended against with the mighty sword.
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:09 pm
Scout,
“but we don’t throw acid in little girls faces for going to school, or make them wear burkas, or lash them for being imodest, or arrest them for having a tan, or hold them guilty because they got raped, or forbid them to drive a car ………….. are you getting it ?”
Because people such as yourself pick and choose what they want to from the bible…oh and we are a secular state…
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:09 pm
jewcowboy:
I always try to answer you and have encouraged you to let me know when I haven’t.
TaxPayer:
Using hyperbole, Jesus said forgive your brother 70 times 7. The Bible also says that a completely sinful lifestyle (without even feeling guilty about it) is an indicator that one is in big trouble. I
TaxPayer
April 29th, 2010
11:11 pm
I’ll check to see if scout has some relevent passages for me later.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:12 pm
jewcowboy @ 11:09 What a dodge! Sad.
jewcowboy @ 11:07 Read Romans Chapter One
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:13 pm
Scout,
“I always try to answer you and have encouraged you to let me know when I haven’t.”
And I you…If I’m around and an going to answer I do so…so need to demand an answer
Del
April 29th, 2010
11:16 pm
TaxPayer@11:05pm,
God is forgiving, however, he can and will lose patience. He gives us choices and he goes a long way, however, there’s an end to his tolerance. I don’t know if that answers your question.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:18 pm
Taxpayer:
I’ll humor you just once inspite of your illogical reasoning:
http://www.mouseguns.com/selfdef.htm
http://hubpages.com/hub/Christians-and-Self-Defense
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:19 pm
jewcowboy:
“How about” is not a command. Nothing on this site is “commandable”. Good grief.
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:20 pm
Scout,
Here is what the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams has to say about that verse:
“Paul is making a primary point not about homosexuality but about the delusions of the supposedly law-abiding.”
And it should be noted that Paul states immediately after that:
“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.”
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:21 pm
Scout,
“jewcowboy @ 11:09 What a dodge! Sad.”
So you think this is not a secular state, or do you think women should be segregated,and should only teach other females, or both?
Del
April 29th, 2010
11:24 pm
Well Taps y’all…should have been 30 minutes ago. Gnight and be happy.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:25 pm
The Archbishop can’t even get baptism correct …………. it’s by immersion and he’s wrong on this one also.
I Timothy
“8We know that the Law is good, if it is used in the right way. 9We also understand that it wasn’t given to control people who please God, but to control lawbreakers, criminals, godless people, and sinners. It is for wicked and evil people, and for murderers, who would even kill their own parents. 10The Law was written for people who are sexual perverts or who live as homosexuals or are kidnappers or liars or won’t tell the truth in court. It is for anything else that opposes the correct teaching 11of the good news that the glorious and wonderful God has given me.”
Explain away all you want ……………….. God is merciful but He is also Holy.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:27 pm
jewcowboy:
In my faith (and only in Biblical matters) women are NOT to be pastors or teach men.
I would love to have a Godly conservative woman as my President but I would never vote for a woman as my pastor.
Jesus is coming again as King ……….. not Queen.
Lewis
April 29th, 2010
11:30 pm
How David Ralston obatin that garter?
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:31 pm
P.S.
We are a secular state founded on Judeo/Christian principles and morality.
Lewis
April 29th, 2010
11:31 pm
How did David Ralston obtain that garter?
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:34 pm
Scout,
In the your Contemporary English version:
9We also understand that it wasn’t given to control people who please God, but to control lawbreakers, criminals, godless people, and sinners. It is for wicked and evil people, and for murderers, who would even kill their own parents. 10The Law was written for people who are sexual perverts or who live as homosexuals or are kidnappers or liars or won’t tell the truth in court. It is for anything else that opposes the correct teaching ”
or in the New International Version:
9We also know that law[a] is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine
Or the King James version:
9 knowing this, that the law is not made for a righteous man, but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and for sinners, for unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers,
10 for whoremongers, for them that defile themselves with mankind, for menstealers, for liars, for perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine;
Hmmm….something seems different…what could it be?
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:37 pm
Scout,
“We are a secular state founded on Judeo/Christian principles and morality.”
Show me in the U.S. code…
http://www.gpoaccess.gov/uscode/
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:39 pm
Scout,
“We are a secular state founded on Judeo/Christian principles and morality.”
And I do know something our secular state is founded on as well:
Section 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.
Scout
April 29th, 2010
11:55 pm
jewcowboy:
They all mean the same thing. Look it up in a concordance ……… or read the direct translation from the Greek as follows:
“having known this, that for a righteous man law is not set, but for lawless and insubordinate persons, ungodly and sinners, impious and profane, parricides and matricides, men-slayers,
10whoremongers, sodomites, men-stealers, liars, perjured persons, and if there be any other thing that to sound doctrine is adverse,”
Bottom line ……… I believe this because I believe it to be the truth. If I thought your house was on fire I would tell you to get out. As I have often taught my Sunday School class, one of the disciples was a terrorist of his day ( a Zealot), two were thieves, a couple were rough brawlers and I guarantee you there were a couple of womanizers. Therefore, it is entirely possible that one of the disciples was gay …….. just based on percentages. Jesus reached out to all. Howvwer, they ALL gave up their life of sin to follow him. If that means being celebate so be it.
I tell you all of this from my heart ………. not to be meanspirited. I hope you accept it in that regard.
It’s been a good discussion. Time for taps.
God bless ………………..
jewcowboy
April 29th, 2010
11:59 pm
Scout,
“They all mean the same thing.”
No, they don’t…
“It’s been a good discussion. Time for taps.”
Yes, it has…and I leave you with this:
John 13:34
“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.”
Scout
April 30th, 2010
12:01 am
…………. and if someone loves another (even mankind in general or someone they have never met) they will tell them the truth.
Goodnight.
jewcowboy
April 30th, 2010
12:07 am
Scout,
“and if someone loves another (even mankind in general or someone they have never met) they will tell them the truth.”
Or have hot sweaty man sex…whichever. Goodnight.
FrankLeeDarling
April 30th, 2010
12:08 am
christianity is bunk
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin....
April 30th, 2010
5:38 am
But then government scientists realized the leak was five times larger than they had been led to believe, and days of lulling statistics and reassuring words gave way Thursday to an all-hands-on-deck emergency response.-Constipation
Uh- huh. Funny how Bookman knew it was forty by fifty a few days ago but now, government scientists, they had no idea!!
Spin, spin, spin, Urinal.
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin....
April 30th, 2010
5:52 am
Kookman has gone whole White Stooge and I got the evidence-
Don’t get me wrong — their story doesn’t tell us a thing about where Obama was born. But it does reveal a lot about the state of mind of those who believe and spread the stories that he was born in Kenya, that he is a secret Muslim or some kind of Marxist plant.
Such stories are not intended to function in the world of reality, which is why they are immune to refutation by evidence or logic.-Urinal
obozo’s not a Marxist eh?
Get real, dude, just sayin….
I Report (-: You Whine )-: mmm, mmmm, mmmmm! Just sayin....
April 30th, 2010
5:55 am
Health care law faces bumpy road -Constipation
Another Kookman fairy tale exposed, just like the birthers were sayin….
josef nix
April 30th, 2010
6:53 am
Scout
In case you check in here, I had to leave out early last p.m. and didn’t get a chance to answer you. If you are here on the post prior to the travellin music let me know and I will try to answer your queries from my own opinions. I have to hit the road to work right now. Sorry I missed it last p.m. though. It looks like it was interesting. Will check in later…
Otherwise, Y’all…
Happy Friday!
ken
April 30th, 2010
7:12 am
Our country has had a hostile take over with a crazy dictator. We will take it back. Vote.
USinUK
April 30th, 2010
7:22 am
ken – I suggest you read a little about Zimbabwe if you want to talk about hostilities and dictatorships … until you do, you lose all credibility with that kind of rhetoric
Jay
April 30th, 2010
7:27 am
Ken, you provide the perfect segue to the piece I just posted upstairs.
It couldn’t have been scripted any better.
Rightwing troll
April 30th, 2010
7:31 am
Well… situation normal… Scout (that’s his name today) is here spouting bible verses even though he is not without sin by any stretch, and regaling us with his stories about serving as a marine and then protecting the entire country single handedly under oath, and of course Andy the porch dog is yapping in the BG… something about being the Army for three long years, that’s an odd number to be enlisted BTW, I wonder what he got busted for… I do remember a story of Andy’s a while back, not the one where his Iraqi barber was crying, the one where he single handedly took on the entire Nicarauguan army on a bridge by himself…. Anyway, for two guys who proudly served in the world’s greatest brotherhood they sure do talk about themselves alot. Now my younger brother, who was grieviously wounded by an IED in Iraq, recovered and went on to greater things in the corp (despite his physical injuries) NEVER talks about himself. Every conversation about his service ends up being about his brothers… I guess that’s the diff between today’s corp and days gone by.
Meanwhile oil has made it to shore, and sadly we still, as a nation, are so dependent on oil that we HAVE to Drill Baby Drill!, it’s a matter of national security… Too bad wingnuts won’t take that seriously, they pass laws to allow a couple of us to throw a deer in the trunk if we hit it, instead of tackling transportaion issues that impact us all…
A CONSERVATIVE
April 30th, 2010
8:33 am
WHAT ABOUT THE FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS of TEA PARTY members-???? WHY DOES THE MARXISTs at the Obama-Atlanta-Urnal attack Tea Party members exercising their rights..
A CONSERVATIVE
April 30th, 2010
8:35 am
I GET A BIG LAUGH READING THE LIBERAL BLOGs..NO THOUGHT went INTO THE COMMENTS AT ALL…..LIBERALs just ramble on..& on….& on..
interested observer
April 30th, 2010
8:42 am
Back on topic: Kudos to Luckovich. He’s the best cartoonist in the business. Whether skewering the right or the left, he makes you laugh. For his part, Ralston took it all in good humor – good for him.
Morrus
April 30th, 2010
9:25 am
Vote out the incumbents and start over
Corey
April 30th, 2010
9:50 am
Keep it up Whiner; the harder you try the more Jay will ignore you.
Mel
April 30th, 2010
1:52 pm
Ever notice that we’ve never seen Mike Luckovich and actor Michael Keaton at the same time? Hmmmm.
The Church of the Latter Day Dude
April 30th, 2010
3:11 pm
(Speaking of strippers…)
Jackie Treehorn treats objects like women, man.
Of the Speaker and garters : Georgia Liberal
May 4th, 2010
6:35 pm
[...] Luckovich and Ralston actually met recently–Ralston spoke at an event honoring Luckovich, which is great because Republican types are often the ones who write in to the AJC to complain about Luckovich being all left-wing (as if something is inherently wrong with that). However, at the event, Luckovich said he wouldn’t draw Ralston “naked” again. [...]
A loose screw « live apartment fire
June 20th, 2010
10:22 pm
[...] tribute video produced by Dale Russell. It played prior to the First Amendment Foundation’s presentation of an award to Luckovich earlier this year. Bill provides some comedy [...]