Randy wrote on Nov 11, 2007 2:01 AM:Good Providence in your future endeavors, Mark. You will be missed!

bye Thornhill wrote on Nov 11, 2007 9:44 AM:I will never forget that cartoon you did showing a group dressed like the KKK dancing around the burning cross back in the school trustee recall days here in Vista. It kind of sums up your years of trying to divide us into God-fearing Christians and then the rest of us ...

paul wrote on Nov 11, 2007 1:03 PM:I will not be missing you.

Jo wrote on Nov 11, 2007 1:14 PM:Thornhill and a cup of coffee always started my day. Will miss you

Euphoric Reality wrote on Nov 11, 2007 2:19 PM:D-mn...Thornhill, it's too bad you are leaving. Your cartoons were the only reason that I haven't cancelled my subscription up to now. Virtually all of the rest of the NCT/Californian has become a carbon copy wannabe of the leftist NY Times and LA Times.

John wrote on Nov 11, 2007 5:45 PM:Good bye and good luck Mark. Thank this Christian's God that America's pendulum swings back lto the left. ...

Cal wrote on Nov 11, 2007 5:48 PM:This isn't some kind of twisted April fools joke is it?

Moderate wrote on Nov 11, 2007 6:03 PM:Your Conservative bias will be missed.

Fair Winds wrote on Nov 11, 2007 7:00 PM:Mark I always enjoyed your cartoons. I did not always agree but I appreciated your ability to capture a complex issue in a cartoon. Best to you in the future.

LeAnn wrote on Nov 11, 2007 7:04 PM:I am sad you are leaving. I actually logged in to the online newspaper and your cartoon was one I specifically went to in order to see the real opinion of the public. I didn't always agree with you, but always respected your opinion and admired your work. I loved the one with Jim Wood as Darth Vader and Esther Sanchez as the Sith.

Wendy wrote on Nov 11, 2007 7:36 PM:One Thornhill cartoon is worth a thousand words!! What will we do without you? The NCT won't be the same. You are the best! Thank you and good luck.

Mary wrote on Nov 11, 2007 10:47 PM:I always looked for your cartoon, partly to make sure I was aware of the news! I've cut a few out to give to my non-newspaper friends. Thanks, and good luck on your next projects.

DS wrote on Nov 12, 2007 1:54 AM:I'm sure you're a fine person, but I won't miss your cartoons. Not because some of them weren't good, but because most were passed off as political commentary when they were really divisive and hateful. The paper must promote thought and poke fun at newsmakers, yes. But it also needs to be a leader in the community, and I've always thought Thornhill's cartoons showed the paper wasn't ready for that.

Independent wrote on Nov 12, 2007 6:30 AM:The Thornhill cartoons were remarkably accurate in their portrayal of the Conservative mindset and were quite appropriate for a red county such as San Diego. He was the "liberal" media's worst nightmare.

Thornhill I already miss you wrote on Nov 12, 2007 7:17 AM:Well, I am drinking my coffee Monday morning and no Thornhill I am not a happy camper. If Thornhill goes to another newspaper I will immediately subscribe to that one.

Taxpayer wrote on Nov 12, 2007 11:05 AM:Mark, say it is not so! The first page I turn to when I get my paper is to see what the Mark Thornhill cartoon is all about. He is the BEST political commentary I have ever seen! I have posted his cartoons in my office. The paper has lost a very valuable employee. He will be hard to replace. GET HIM BACK!

Olivia wrote on Nov 12, 2007 1:46 PM:"From my days as an Oceanside resident to my present in New Hampshire 'Thornhill's View' has been an inspiration to my passion for thinking...gonna miss your talent and perspectives very much Mark. This is a great loss for the NC Times, but a great opportunity for you!"

Jon wrote on Nov 12, 2007 2:34 PM:Thornhill was shallow, and obviously biased, his inability to poke fun at his own ilk (conservatives) exposed his weakness as a journalist.

GET HIM BACK! wrote on Nov 12, 2007 3:33 PM:Taxpayer- I agree get Thornhill back NOW! Get rid of the one who let him go!

Jamie wrote on Nov 12, 2007 3:36 PM:Jon- you had a CHOICE to skip the cartoon if you did not like it. That is what it is all about CHOICE! Readers were NOT given a CHOICE. He is a great Cartoonist and that is the bottom line.

Mike wrote on Nov 12, 2007 4:43 PM:I for one, will not miss his slanted, hatefull look at the world. Hope he will be replaced with someone with a more centralist outlook.

NCT is way off line wrote on Nov 12, 2007 4:55 PM:Mark Thornhill’s AWARD from The San Diego Press Club 2007 Excellence in Journalism Awards All Winners November 7, 2007

JA wrote on Nov 12, 2007 8:36 PM:I will miss talking back to my newspaper saying "what in the world is thornhill thinking" I agreed with some disagreed with others. Good Luck with your future endeavors.

Arch Moderate wrote on Nov 13, 2007 3:44 AM:I would say that this era of your career was a success - half of the readers love you and half hate you. You obviously made an impact. I personally judged some as gems and some as bombs. Good luck and always let your conscience be your guide.

Ralphs wrote on Nov 13, 2007 5:21 AM:If you read all of these Blog's, you will see he is either loved or hated. It amazes me that those on the left can't take a little pun aimed at them, but they are more than willing to dish it out. I for one say you will be sorely missed. Good health and good fortune in all your future endeavors.

a subscriber wrote on Nov 13, 2007 8:19 AM:"Good Luck and Gods Speed". I always found your work to be offensive and often pictoral hate-mongering. But I do wish you good luck in the future. I look forward to seeing other art and varying opinion in the paper.

Melba wrote on Nov 13, 2007 12:11 PM:I will miss your cartoons but I hope to keep in touch. Your cartoons are all around my walls and they are happy memories for me. I wish much happiness in your future endeavors for both you and Cindy.

to Jamie from Jon wrote on Nov 13, 2007 1:24 PM:I also have a right to read his attempt at humor, I also have a right to comment on them. GEEEEZ, chill out, sorry I offended you

Lee wrote on Nov 13, 2007 3:10 PM:Goodbye, and dare I say good riddence. He does have a talent to capture the essence of thought in a single cartoon. Too bad that talent was so misguided. He should have left 17 years ago. Too bad he didn't have the ability to skewer the right wing nuts as much as did anyone the slightest bit in the center or the left.

Chancellor wrote on Nov 13, 2007 5:20 PM:Good job, Mr. Thornhill! Even in your exit, the angry hand-wringing leftists just don't get it...

Sam wrote on Nov 13, 2007 10:06 PM:Chancellor- I get a strong feeling these 'hand-wringing leftists' are going to be writing and eduting the paper.

CAexpatriat wrote on Nov 14, 2007 11:26 AM:I consider myself first and foremost and American. I'm fiscally conservative, and fairly socially liberal...which makes me pretty much a centrist, I suppose. Thornhill won't be missed in this household. The devisive bile and hatred that he spewed through his drawing is something we could do with much less of in this country. As the old saying goes: don't let the screen door hit you where the good Lord split you.

Coastal Centrist wrote on Nov 14, 2007 1:34 PM:I'm not too far to the right or left, as I see good points is many arguments. What I do look for, however, is a spirit of compassion - that's the common ground I can share with anyone. Mark Thornhill's cartoons were sorely lacking in compassion. That mean streak made his proclamations as an born-again Christian hard to believe. "Whatsoever you do to the least of my brothers, that you do unto me."

Hilary wrote on Nov 14, 2007 8:23 PM:Conservatives gravitate toward those who validate their biases. Thornhill will be missed by his constituents. But they still have O'Reilly, Limbaugh, Sean Hannity and Ann Coulter to get their fix.

Bob wrote on Nov 15, 2007 10:40 AM:Mark, thanks ever so much for your wonderful contributions to editorial opinions. Our family will miss you and your cartoons and we hope you and your family will have a most exciting and enjoyable period of retirement.

DreSide wrote on Nov 15, 2007 8:59 PM:I said it once and I'll say it again. Mark Thornhill's cartooning is to the public debate what Wal-Mart is to the American culture. I believe his cartoons were mean spirited and poorly concieved as well as devisive. I wish him well and hope he learns a bit of compassion in his wanderings. I do not want him back at NCT. Maybe he'll get a job at the neoconervative propaganda outlet Fox News. They seem to have exactly the same bias.

palomar student wrote on Nov 15, 2007 9:21 PM:Your conservative views will NOT be missed; at times they were hateful and instrumental in dividing the north county community, always pointing the finger at minorities. You have talent and creativity, too bad you didnt use those skills to bring people together.

Prv8eye wrote on Nov 18, 2007 7:52 AM:How comical that those who label views opposed to theirs as "hate" speech spit pure hatred in their own speech. If you disagree with their view then YOU are "divisive". Know, Mark, that the vast majority of readers loved your cartoons. A man, like you, who's got a pair should ignore the whining of those who don't as they all join hands and sing Kum bye ah. Your "bias" brought BALANCE to the editorial page and will be greatly missed.

Clemens wrote on Nov 18, 2007 8:46 AM:An unsophisticated political cartoonist. At best--a C minus cartoonist...no big loss.

Tom in Encinitas wrote on Jan 13, 2008 11:52 PM:Mark,
Sophisticated nobodies like DreSide and Clemens (above) somehow slithered into this beautiful land and now compete with mosquitoes and trails of ants for our affection.

They can never derail your great work over the many years.

Good luck in your future activities and please come back every once in a while.

With 99% of your cartoons at the top, I am thinking of a great man, who once remarked, "not bad, not bad at all".