During his 1954 “anti-communist campaign,” Vice President Richard Nixon insinuated that a number of Democratic legislators were soft on communism. As Herblock recalled, “it occurred to me that he was figuratively criss-crossing the country by sewer.” He thus memorably condemns Nixon’s smear tactics by showing him emerging from the depths with a five o’clock shadow. When later asked if he regretted drawing some cartoons, Herblock replied that he might have done some differently but not “the manhole cartoon.”