Inaugural Special: What's Your Favorite Obama Scene?

So many people besides President-elect Obama must industriously prepare for Inauguration Day: Inaugural committee members. Federal and local law enforcement. Entertainment planners. Let's see, we're forgetting someone obvious here, lessee....

OH, yes. The Vaunted Editorial Cartoonists.

Come such an occasion, newspaper cartoonists' role in our republic is to play the fun-loving futurists. Their job is to wax poetic, poignant and perhaps hilarious about The Event days ahead of time. To do so, and do it well, is an art unto itself.

And so it is that today, Comic Riffs highlights a half-dozen favorite inaugural cartoons by top-notch practitioners. And your role, should you choose to participate in this democratic act, is to vote for YOUR favorite. Herewith, the Big Six:

NATE BEELER (Washington Examiner; courtesy of Cagle.com) Enlarge Comic

CHRIS BRITT (State Journal-Register; courtesy of Cagle.com) Enlarge Comic

BILL DAY (The Commercial Appeal; courtesy of Cagle.com) Enlarge Comic

BOB GORRELL (Creators Syndicate; courtesy of Cagle.com) Enlarge Comic

JEFF KOTERBA (Omaha World Herald; courtesy of Cagle.com) Enlarge Comic

MIKE LUCKOVICH (Atlanta Journal-Constitution; courtesy of Cagle.com) Enlarge Comic

And while we're noting Changing of the Guard cartoons, Scott Stantis offers an eye-catching "Prickly City" today.