Judge — January 18, 1902 — page 9: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

This Judge magazine cartoon satirizes opposition to Theodore Roosevelt's presidency. The caption reads "Roosevelt is Going to Be the President," likely from around 1901 when he assumed office following McKinley's assassination. The image depicts chaos at the Capitol: bodies and figures lie scattered on the ground while a well-dressed man (likely representing an opponent or critic) stands disapprovingly on the left. A Navy ship appears to the right, possibly referencing Roosevelt's famous naval policies. Various caricatured figures seem to represent political opposition or different constituencies being overwhelmed. The satire suggests that Roosevelt's political opponents are powerless to stop his rise to power—their resistance is futile and chaotic. The cartoon ridicules critics by portraying them as defeated and scattered before his inevitable presidency.