Judge — August 22, 1908 — page 1: what you’re looking at

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# Political Cartoon Analysis: "And They Handed Out a Lemon" (Judge, August 22, 1908) This satirical cartoon depicts a giant, grotesque face with exaggerated features—appearing to represent a political figure or outcome—being handed to small figures below, presumably representing the public or electorate. The phrase "handed out a lemon" was contemporary slang meaning to give someone something worthless or defective. The 1908 date suggests this references that year's presidential election. The imagery likely satirizes the Republican Party's choice of successor to Theodore Roosevelt—William Howard Taft—suggesting the party "handed" voters an unsatisfactory candidate or that Taft's presidency would prove disappointing. The caricatured face and dismissive tone convey Judge magazine's skepticism toward the nomination.