Editorial cartooning is a wonderful art. Cartoonists can express a viewpoint in cartoons that often get laughs (from those on the political side of the cartoonists’ viewpoint). But the danger is that they’re overtaken by events (through no fault of the cartoonists, who aren’t psychics).
Here’s a cartoon now being circulated: 
It is now less impactful due to former President Donald Trump dozing off during his criminal trial in New York. Trump had used the name “Sleepy Joe” to describe Biden. So his nodding off during the court proceedings triggered a lot of comment on X. There’s also a quickly growing hashtag: #SleepyDon.
James Singer, the spokesman for the Biden-Harris campaign, put out a statement on Twitter:
It's time for Donald Trump to wake up. pic.twitter.com/sBSuZIxv64
— James Singer (@Jemsinger) April 16, 2024
First day of Sleepy Donald’s criminal trial brings about some much needed ‘zzzzzzzzz’s. pic.twitter.com/U3CecQ5N5g
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) April 15, 2024
I think the expression "Sleepy Joe" has officially been retired today.
— michael musto (@mikeymusto) April 15, 2024
sleepy joe, eh? https://t.co/g7cb6II8sn
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) April 15, 2024
After falling asleep in court, we have to start calling him Don Snoreleone
— I Smoked Don Snoreleone (@BlackKnight10k) April 15, 2024
Guess they haven't quite figure out the drug titration between unconscious and contempt of court
— GG (@gmg2170) April 15, 2024
Droopy Don?
— Haggai Elitzur (@helitzur) April 15, 2024
If Trump is too old and weak to stay awake at his own criminal trial, what do you think will happen in the Situation Room? pic.twitter.com/5sM8ghcD9b
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) April 15, 2024
We had several successive front-page NYT stories about Biden being an "elderly man with a poor memory," and why this was a crisis for the Dems.
So we'll have two or three front-pagers on this theme.
Right? https://t.co/oRNZtyYYs9
— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) April 15, 2024
Stormy did say Trump wasn’t able to stay up for long.#SleepyDon
— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) April 15, 2024
Laura Lunatic handcuffed to the courthouse doors: “President Trump isn’t sleeping. He’s meditating.” pic.twitter.com/pp4c4EQS9N
— Hoodlum ?? (@NotHoodlum) April 15, 2024
NPR news (1) has accepted the framing that age and vitality is a key issue in the presidential horserace; and (2) just neglected to report the fact that Trump kept falling asleep at his trial today.
— Rick Perlstein (@rickperlstein) April 16, 2024
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) April 15, 2024
“Nap interference!”—Trump, probably
— Al Cappuccino…???? (@AlCappuccinoIT) April 15, 2024
You misspelled "Napping" https://t.co/nBvHF27e2f
— Hal Sparks (@HalSparks) April 15, 2024
Multiple reports from inside of the courtroom that Trump was nodding off this morning. If he can’t keep his eyes open when his own liberty is at stake, why would Americans have confidence he’s capable of focus when our country’s interests require sound presidential leadership?
— Joyce Alene (@JoyceWhiteVance) April 15, 2024
First day of Sleepy Donald’s criminal trial brings about some much needed ‘zzzzzzzzz’s. pic.twitter.com/U3CecQ5N5g
— Michael Cohen (@MichaelCohen212) April 15, 2024
Never Surrender https://t.co/t4ZFUEWSKY
— The Lincoln Project (@ProjectLincoln) April 15, 2024
That didn’t take long. pic.twitter.com/Rm4vkEJKG3
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 15, 2024
The drugs have worn off. He won’t make it through weeks of this. https://t.co/KxyT7MYLec
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) April 15, 2024
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.