According to the April 12-16 NBC News survey, 52 percent of voters have somewhat or very negative feelings toward President Joe Biden while 53 percent of voters have the same notion about former President Donald Trump. To make matters worse, Americans’ interest in the Nov. 5 election is the lowest since 2008.

Maybe it’s time to spark up interest in the election by bringing some comedy to the situation. First — with assistance from Greg Daugherty of Money.com — let’s review some cartoon characters who — via their creators — have actually announced presidential candidacy. Then we’ll examine a few fictitious cartoon rivalries.

One or more of the following may remind you of Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump. If a cartoon-related Biden-Trump 2024 rivalry doesn’t seem to develop, then the following is a jog through memory lane, good for any soul to do from time to time.

Voters from the Greatest Generation (1901-1927), Silent Generation (1928-1945), Baby Boomers Generation (1946-1964), Generation X (1965-1980) and Millennials (1981-1996) may recall the cartoon duo Mutt and Jeff. Despite their strikingly different heights, they broke the cartoon character presidential candidate glass ceiling as running mates in 1908. Their every four year run for presidency ended in the 80’s. Many Americans would concur that the phrase “Biden and Trump are as different as Mutt and Jeff” is apropos.

Pogo, created by cartoonist Walt Kelly, first ran for office in 1952. The 1952 ‘Pogo for President’ campaign rally at Harvard University turned into a riot. Pogo’s every four year candidacy ended in the 70’s and is known for the saying “we have met the enemy and he is us.” A presidential rally turning into a riot rings a bell, doesn’t it?

Another fabricated candidate who sought office against Dwight Eisenhower and Adlai Stevenson in 1956 was Alfred E. Neumann, MAD Magazine’s mascot. Among Neumann’s campaign slogans – which many voters would claim applies to recent US elections — was the infamous “you could do worse, you always have!”

In 1960, Alvin — the singing chipmunk — ran for president during the John F. Kennedy-Richard Nixon competition. Kennedy welcomed Alvin to the race by remarking “I’m glad to know that I have at least one worthy opponent.”

Snoopy, the beagle dog of the Peanuts cartoon strip, ran for president in 1968, 1972, 1976 and 1980. In 1980, Ronald Reagan wrote to cartoonist Charles Schulz stating “anything you can do to talk Snoopy out of running will be appreciated. How would he feel about a cabinet post?”

According to WatchMojo.com, there are quite a few cartoon rivalries that have entertained us for years. See if one or more of the following cartoon characters resemble Mr. Biden or Mr. Trump.

Democrat and GOP presidential candidates try to attract voters in their own unique manner, just like Popeye and Bluto (aka, Brutus) have been fighting – for 92 years — over the charm of Olive Oyl. Biden and Trump also seek the appeal of women voters, but in a strikingly different manner of grace, poise and decency.

Since the 1940s, the rivalry of Tom and Jerry has been intense; they can’t agree on anything (just like Biden and Trump). Jerry is an over confident good guy while Tom is about winning at all costs. Sound familiar?

For decades, Elmer Fudd has been chasing after that “wascawwy wabbit” Bugs Bunny, purposefully in pursuit but never able to see the rabbit’s disguises and with multiple tricks up his sleeve. This begs the question: which presidential candidate is most proficient — like Bugs Bunny — at disinformation, misinformation and propaganda tricks, Biden or Trump?

In the SpongBob SquarePants TV series (1999-plus), Mr. Krabs and Plankton have continuously been fighting over the `Krabby Patty’ recipe. Plankton keeps trying to steal back the recipe while Krabs is focused on revenge, retribution and greed as he really, really loves money. Any presidential candidate come to mind?

My favorite cartoon rivalry is Road Runner vs. Wile E. Coyote (1930-1969). The devious coyote uses complex contraptions from the Acme Corporation to catch his prey, with each conspiracy backfiring.

Put into a forced-choice comparative decision, Mr. Biden is Road Runner, constantly on-the-run with continual attempts at bipartisan legislation and international peacemaking. Meanwhile, Mr. Trump is Wile E. Coyote; Trump’s 343 merchandise opportunities (e.g., $40 MAGA hat, $59.99 Bible, $200 sneakers, etc.) are available at the Trump Store and not Acme Corporation.

If nothing else, this op-ed may have given you time to reminisce, relax from the struggles of daily life, laugh and ponder comedic-presidential candidate similarities before realizing that on Nov. 5 voting will be no laughing matter.

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Steve Corbin is a Professor Emeritus of Marketing

at the University of Northern Iowa.