The People's Doonesbury

1981, undated later edition, from Holt, Rinehart and Winston
G. B. Trudeau
The People's Doonesbury: Notes from Underfoot, 1978-1980
Bought newish for $12.95
Worn paperback
B-

Again, there's far too much about Duke in this collection, including Chinese translator/coed Honey's inexplicable unrequited crush on him, but luckily he disappears into Iran for awhile.  I most enjoyed seeing the introduction of "Joan Caucus, Jr.," at this point engaged to Duke's caretaker Zeke.  Joan's future ex-husband Mike is still unable to get a date for New Year's Eve, though he tries until literally the last minute.  Zonker gets a few plot threads, although the tanning thing gets old.  Mark is comparatively apolitical these days, with his most frequent radio guest a writer on "Mellow."  (It's a noun as well as an adjective, and maybe a verb.)  Bernie gets a Sunday page, but Nichole only merits one Christmas card appearance.  On the other hand, Boopsie poses for Playboy at the ripe old age of 20 [sic], and it's fun to see the characters' reactions to that.  (The photographer uses a backlash ploy that would become increasingly common, accusing Zonker of sexism for not letting naive Boopsie choose to be exploited.)

This volume gets partially through the 1980 campaign, with Mike an enthusiastic supporter of John Anderson.  The best political moment is when Bush tells a group of Preppies that after a year or two in various positions, such as head of the CIA, he thinks he can go the distance of the "big four" as President.