Judge — March 11, 1893 — page 1: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This March 11, 1893 *Judge* cartoon satirizes Republican political strategy during Cleveland's presidency. The caption quotes Republican bosses asking "Why shouldn't the Cleveland lightning strike us as well as him?" The image depicts caricatured Republican figures holding lightning rods near the Capitol building, apparently seeking protection from political "strikes" (likely scandals or electoral defeats) that have affected President Grover Cleveland's administration. The cartoon's satire suggests Republicans are opportunistically attempting to shield themselves from similar political misfortunes while Cleveland faces difficulties. The exaggerated caricatures and physical comedy typical of 1890s political satire ridicule what the cartoonist saw as cowardly or self-serving Republican tactics during a period of Democratic vulnerability.