From the New York Times: "Former Representative John F. Seiberling, who served on the committee that led the impeachment hearings against President Richard M. Nixon and laid the groundwork for Ohio’s only national park, died on Saturday. He was 89."

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Suicide bombers have further cause for humiliation. Art Buchwald's obit video is much funnier than theirs.

If you prefer, here's a print version.

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This is not an obit cartoon.  It's an enabler cartoon.

A memo recently declassified by the U.S. State Department reveals that Arafat was involved in the  murder of U.S. Ambassador Cleo Noel on March  4, 1973.

The Jerusalem Post has the story.

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I swear, this is my last obit cartoon. 

As usual, Bob Woodward has the final word on President Ford. He says Ford disagreed with the invasion of Iraq.  Stay tuned for follow-up questions.

Woodward is the Barbara Walters of getting the dead to spill. In his book Veil: The Secret wars of the CIA 1981-1987 Woodward's exit interview turned William Casey into Edgar Casey.

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Other than the jeering witnesses with those pesky cellphone cameras, nobody seemed happy about the way he went.  Not even a  Hitchins or a Krauthammer.  Even those on the angry left who wish the same for Bush, however, think Saddam got what he deserved.

Me? Just another obit cartoon.

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The last time I did back to back obit cartoons the subjects were Ronald Reagan and Ray Charles. 
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Coincidence?  I think not.

This is my last post for the year.  See you in 2007.

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Obituary cartoons are challenging.  You don't want to be sappy but it's also not the best time to go for the throat.

In James Brown's case there was a lot to work with. He served two jail terms, invented funk, was the Godfather of Soul, led black pride with "Say it Loud, I'm Black and I'm Proud", and was a Richard Nixon supporter.

I knew I would be drawing his hair.

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A memorial service was held for Ken Lay yesterday in Houston, the same city where he was convicted 6 weeks ago.  He insisted on his innocence then.  Evidently he's had the last word. 

If a defendant dies in Texas before he can appeal his conviction the verdict is dismissed.  Ken Lay is a free man now, in more ways than one according to Bloomberg columnist, Ann Woolner. 

"And so, Lay's death erases the criminal conviction that it
took the federal government 4½ years to win…  The principle is called "abatement ab initio," the Latin
portion meaning "from the beginning." …  So when it comes to Lay, it's as if the Justice Department
never established a special Enron Task Force, never deployed
armies of lawyers and agents to determine his role in Enron's
collapse, never strong-armed Enron employees to give evidence,
never won an indictment, and, finally, never spent months
persuading a jury to convict him."