"It seems to me that a comic strip is not one of those things you want to seem too concerned about," Trudeau said.

While other cartoons are content to dabble in the real world, Doonesbury plunges in full-force, satirizing politicians by name.

Former President George Bush was portrayed as a bubble, in reference to the lack of vision the Republican allegedly possessed. His son, Republican presidential candidate George W. Bush, is an empty six-gallon cowboy hat.

Newt Gingrich, the often ostentatious former Speaker of the House, is portrayed as a ticking bomb. And Trudeau draws President Clinton as a waffle.

"Such satire implies that there are moral choices in life," he said. "The human condition is all-inclusive," he added. "We're all in the same leaky boat together. That is why Doonesbury is populated by proxies...of my own kingdom of confusion."

Trudeau also discussed the future of cartoon strips.

"The comics page is a kind of public utility," he said. "Like the phone company, it can be depended on 365 days a year. Also like the phone company, it doesn't get any respect."