Right Wing Media Equates Telnaes’ Republican Rats to Nazi Anti-Semitic Propaganda
Skip to comments
On Friday, December 18 The Washington Post took up most of a page printing an Ann Telnaes editorial cartoon naming Republican officials who she claims are guilty of sedition by openly calling for an overturning of a constitutional election.
Conservative media found a talking point to express their displeasure with the cartoon when Fox contributor Steve Milloy voiced a comparison they could latch on to:
Using rats as a means to depict one’s enemy is a longstanding tradition among cartoonists. Nazi Germany depicted the Jewish community as rats in propaganda pieces, Fox News contributor Steve Milloy noted.
A Daily Caller article continues with a cartoon history of rats and humans:
An American satirical magazine titled “Puck” ran with a cartoon showing immigrants as vermin in 1909, according to The Guardian. The U.S. used the symbol in WWII against Japan, as well.
Depicting human beings as vermin was also used during former President Andrew Jackson’s administration. One cartoon titled “The rats leaving a falling house” shows Jackson seated in a chair with various cabinet member “rats” scurrying about his feet.
Within hours TownHall had taken up the Nazi comparison.
Later The Daily Wire was also shocked that an editorial cartoonist had belittled politicians:
This was not the first time Telnaes had termed someone on the other side of the political aisle as a “rat.” In early December, that’s how she depicted Attorney General William Barr. Just before the November election, she depicted Trump alone while a group of rats ran away from him, titling the cartoon, “Trump’s Rat’s Nest.”
In January 2020, she suggested changing the symbol of the Republican Party from the traditional elephant to a rat. In April 2019, Telnaes drew Trump as the devil.
Comments 5
Comments are closed.