The 2008 presidential campaign got off to an early start with Democratic hopeful Barack Obama and Republican Rudy Giuliani. Violence in the Middle East reached new levels, surpassed only by the escalating violence in Darfur. Gas prices skyrocketed, while the value of the U.S. dollar plummeted overseas. U.S. troops are still in Iraq and the fence along the Mexican border has still not been built. Wildfires, droughts, earthquakes, and tsunamis have fueled the increasing concerns about the threat of global warming, which reached celebrity status with Al Gore's documentary. Selected for clarity of position as well as for exceptional execution, this collection includes the work of Pulitzer Prize-winning artists, the year's major award-winning cartoons, and the best work from Canadian cartoonists.