This cartoon was first published in the Daily Bruin as Jerry Brown left office in 1983. During his two terms, Brown increased the budget of the UC system, appointed the first openly gay judge in the U.S., and proposed a state-owned communications satellite. His unorthodox approach to politics garnered him the nickname “Moonbeam.” When Clint McKnight drew this cartoon, he thought Brown’s ideas “were ahead of the time,” predicting he would return when California was ready. Years later, Brown has reclaimed his old job, but in a California much more damaged than when he left it. Last November, voters decided that they were ready for Brown. Now the state is watching to see if Brown is ready for California.
McKnight was Art Director and Editorial Cartoonist in 1982