2013-09-24
Explanation
This comic is titled "Just once, I'''d like to see this" and imagines a fantasy scenario involving a politician being interviewed. In the first panel, a reporter says to a senator: "Senator, some people say you'''ve taken all sides on this issue." The senator responds in the second panel with a calm and confident "Precisely." In the third panel, the senator declares: "You have the floor. I'''m surrounded" -- apparently conceding the point entirely and surrendering.
The joke is about the universal frustration with politicians who dodge questions and take contradictory positions on issues depending on their audience. In real life, when confronted with flip-flopping, politicians typically deflect, spin, or deny. The comic imagines the absurd fantasy of a politician simply admitting the accusation is accurate, acknowledging they are cornered, and giving up. The title "Just once, I'''d like to see this" emphasizes that this kind of honest capitulation from a politician is pure fantasy.
The votey panel shows the senator saying "Now I will reduce it to oblivion," suggesting that even after appearing to surrender, the politician is already planning to destroy the evidence or deflect further -- undercutting the brief moment of honesty and reinforcing the cynical view of politics.