Tampa cartoonist cites corporate bias in Gaza image dispute

Bob Whitmore, a weekly political cartoonist for the Tampa station WMNF, lost his position at Creative Loafing after a dispute over a drawing of a child in Gaza. The local paper received criticism after publishing the image, leading to his termination.

Whitmore describes the cartoon as a depiction of a small child standing at one of the walls of Gaza. The sketch shows barbed wire strung across the top of the wall. In the distance, an Israeli flag flutters in the background. The caption reads, “Wailing wall.” The child in the drawing cries out, “Please give me food.”

While Whitmore views the work as a comment on starvation and war, he notes that the corporate parent company of Creative Loafing classified the piece as antisemitic. He argues that the label does not match the intent of the image. “Dissent against Israel’s actions in Gaza should not be considered antisemitism,” Whitmore said.

The cartoonist produces a new political cartoon every week for WMNF. He also created a design for a t-shirt and poster for the station's 2026 Spring Fund Drive. That fundraising effort runs from February 18 to 25. The illustration for that campaign features WMNF volunteers, staff, and programmers from various time periods.

The station describes Whitmore's work as blending humor with commentary on local politics and culture. His drawings often focus on the personalities that define Tampa. His cartoons were the subject of controversy in 2025. The current dispute centers on the specific interpretation of his Gaza-related artwork by corporate leadership.