The police state of Barack Obama jokes

[souporman]

I have noticed that all of my jokes about insulting Barack Obama have not mustered up any laughter from the thousands of people in the audience. And just recently I saw a black comedian lose the audience with a joke insulting Obama (and don't forget that sucka Bernie Mac). Why is this man more sacred then a kemo patient with a wooden leg? And whats going to happen if he becomes president? People you ought to be real worried if Barack becomes president. What people will laugh at will change.

[suavepebble]

Go suck an egg you goofball

[Darryl]

I have noticed that all of my jokes about insulting Barack Obama have not mustered up any laughter from the thousands of people in the audience. And just recently I saw a black comedian lose the audience with a joke insulting Obama (and don't forget that sucka Bernie Mac). Why is this man more sacred then a kemo patient with a wooden leg? And whats going to happen if he becomes president? People you ought to be real worried if Barack becomes president. What people will laugh at will change.

How dare you, you racist!

Seriously, I know what you mean. There was a discussion about this somewhere else on AST as well. We can only hope that his protective aura will dim as time goes on. John Stewart has been able to get some laughs at Obama's expense, so there is hope. I've also seen a few successful jabs at the "elitist" persona.

I think, as I joked above, that many people are afraid of being seen as racist if they laugh at Obama. Maybe you can tell them if they laugh, they are laughing at his white half.

Keep plugging away!

[smartbunny]

What are people making fun of? His ears?

kemo = chemo?

[Darryl]

what are people making fun of? His ears?


boom!!!!!

[brewcaster]

I would have to hear the jokes. But it could also be that people REALLY like this guy, and they REALLY don't want to fuck this election thing up for the third time in a row.

Another thought, most people seem to love him. They might quickly think you or the comedian knocking him might be one of those insane right winger McCain fans? It might be too much for the audience to figure out, "wait, I thought I liked this comedian, but if he is gonna make fun of Obama, he must be one of those weirdo McCain Bush supporters..."

I most likely have it all wrong. He could actually be Jesus Christ?

[DiscoInferiorityComplex]

I think there's a prevailing groupthink out there that both Gore and Kerry were done in by the comedic archetypes that developed around them. Gore was a boring, monotone hall monitor who took credit for inventions that weren't his, Kerry was a boring elitist living off of his rich wife's fortune who constantly talked about his military service (which he lied about) and ruthlessly outed homosexuals. So, tell a joke about how Obama's preacher is nuts? About how Michelle Obama hates America? About how inexperienced he is? About how elitist and holier-than-thou he comes off? A little racial humor? You're just furthering false controversies and stereotypes created by the right-wing media outlets. If we laugh, it will only encourage them to mention it more. Until November, the only Obama-related jokes that will muster up laughs will be about: a) how great he is, and b) how great the media thinks he is. Why? Because GOOD comedy is always rooted in truth. Unless it's about the other guy. Fuck him. He's a senile baby-killer who cheats on his wife.

Bush Sr--Solid company man who's harmlessly goofy
Dukakis--Ethnic, drones on and on, rides a miniature tank
Winner--Bush

Bush Sr--Old, crazy, and out of touch
Perot--Nutjob with a mongoloid for a running mate
Clinton--Youthful and horny
Winner--Clinton

Clinton--Still horny
Dole--Old and cranky
Winner--Clinton

GW--Goofy entitled frat guy
Gore--Boring schoolmarm
Winner--GW

GW--Goofy entitled semi-sympathetic underdog frat guy in way over his head
Kerry--Rich liar with nonspecific plans who thinks he's better than us
Winner--GW

Don't worry for the future of comedy. If he's elected, we can start making fun of him again. I'm sure the opening sketch on SNL after his inauguration will be a Jefferson's "Movin' On Up" parody with fist-bumps aplenty and we'll all laugh and laugh and laugh.

[BFH]

Not all people who support McCain (or Bush, for that matter, but that's another discussion) are "right wing weirdos." Despite where any of us may or may not differ on his voting record, campaign statements, or stances on issues, McCain's a veteran, has served my birth state of Arizona in the House and Senate for over 25 years, and is widely seen as personable with a decent sense of humor. On a personal note, he was very forgiving the day I nearly knocked him down a flight of stairs mere days before he was admitted for cancer treatment (my bad... even though, generally, people, please just get the fuck outta my way, I have places to go). Maybe it's just my Phoenix Rock City pride, but it makes me wince just a bit when people are that hard on McCain. I kinda like the guy, as I said, despite any differences.

Having said that, the political climate of this country is very heated after eight years of arrogant international policy, squandering of post-9/11 goodwill, outright disregard (it not utter contempt) for constitutional rights, and fiscal waste. Despite it not technically being a recession yet (and that personal finance should really be individuals' responsibility and not contingent on the government, but again, discussion for another time), the state of fuel prices alone is enough to begin a panic, let alone the frightening status of the real estate market, rising unemployment rates, and rumors of food shortages.

And, oh yeah, all that bloodshed and loss of lives in the Middle East, there's that little chigger in our Crocs, too.

McCain is the Republican Party candidate. The Republican Party is the incumbent power. Obama is the candidate that wants to clean that shit out, challenging the status quo and questioning the authority of the current administration. Comedy is most often, and arguably best, used to challenge the status quo and to question authority.

And you're wondering why putting him on blast might not be the most popular choice, let alone regarded as funny in any way?

This is also generally why "conservative comedy," not just particularly anti-Obama "humor," is abysmally unfunny.

[Marty_Malt]

...McCain's a veteran, has served my birth state of Arizona in the House and Senate for over 25 years...


Her served Arizona well...by fighting to keep Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday from being celebrated as a holiday. Glad to see someone's fighting the good fight.

That being said people should be able to make fun of anyone provided the joke is funny.

[mezmorized]

If the jokes are malicious then the audience will think you're against him, but if the joke has truth to it, something not even the most avid Obama supporter couldn't deny, then it's just a matter of telling it in a way that makes the audience understand your point of view. People will still laugh at something, even if they don't agree with it, just as long as it has truth to it.

I don't think the audience are against hearing jokes about Obama, they just haven't heard anything constructive enough to laugh at. So pot shots about his ears and elitism are weak to begin with so no one laughs at it. For Obama you have to search for the joke, while people like Bush give you the material without asking for it.

And no one is untouchable.

[BFH]

He served Arizona well...by fighting to keep Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday from being celebrated as a holiday.
The "fight" in those days was to get it passed. McCain didn't break a sweat, all he had to do was vote "no."

I don't get some politicians' reluctance in the 1980s to institute the MLK holiday, I think some bullshit about it being a state issue that should be put up to a vote as opposed to federally instituted? Arizona's governor Ev "in my day, they called 'em pickaninnies" Mecham was the worst about it, even as late as 1990. But we impeached, recalled, and indicted him all at the same time, if that makes you feel any better. And, for what it's worth, McCain finally came around, and then convinced Reagan to personally appeal to Arizona voters to pass a referendum supporting the holiday.

It passed. Eventually. After it failed once and the NFL yanked Super Bowl XXVII from the state as punishment.

At least AZ has the holiday now, and in part thanks to McCain. Who knows, maybe one day even gay marriage will be legal there (probably in no part any thanks to McCain), but most people I know who still live there who hear me espouse that hope say if I have any faith in that, I must have been living in Cali too long. And to that, I say, at least I get César Chávez Day off and can drive to the beach every once in a while. Jealous cactus-prick ridden fuckers.
That being said people should be able to make fun of anyone provided the joke is funny.
I don't think the question is one of the right to, but what you got at in the end there, as to whether or not it's funny. And I think, with the state of things, it's inherently not.

And no one is untouchable.
True. Even Mother Teresa got it from Paul Mooney.

[aenemaTron]

Mother Teresa may not be the best choice there. She turned out to be not as awesome as people thought, I heard.

I personally can't judge the issue except on a joke-by-joke basis. Post the joke(s?) you told or this thread's gonna spiral into a hypothetical mess.

[Marty_Malt]

The "fight" in those days was to get it passed. McCain didn't break a sweat, all he had to do was vote "no."


And vote no he did...for 17 years. Starting at the young, impressionable age of 47.

Sorry, I don't want to hijack this thread so I'll shut up now.

And tron is right. Its impossible to judge except on a joke to joke basis.

[Jack]

It's not that you're not allowed to make a joke about Barack Obama, it's just that he's so damned perfect on so many levels and a breath of fresh air after the stagnation of Bush that what can you really say about him?

He's like Kennedy in that respect. Now Nixon, there's a sweaty power-hungry anus of a human perfect for making jokes of. And when I look at McCain I see the same frustrated petty politician type in him as well.

[punkdc]

I'm waiting for good Obama jokes before I say anything. The whole "what color is he going to change the white house too" is getting kinda old. Jon Lovitz had a good one where he asked an audience member if he wanted a free airplane ride, but the catch was Jon would be the pilot with no experience.

[BFH]

And vote no he did...for 17 years. Starting at the young, impressionable age of 47.
Eh, I'd rather praise him for being on the correct side of that for the last 17 years than bust his balls for being on the wrong side the 17 before. I guess I just don't dislike the man like some of y'all. Still ain't votin' for him, though... in case you mistranslated my fondness for the man and my hometown as any indication that I'd ever vote Republican.

And I also join you in thinking it's funny that articles reflecting on McCain characterize him during his first year in the House as a young congressman (by the way, guess how old Obama turns in a week?).

Now, anyone available to chat with me in private so I can bounce some material off you and get your feedback? I'm working on this bit about chemo patients with wooden legs...

[Ryebread]

... it's just that he's so damned perfect on so many levels and a breath of fresh air after the stagnation of Bush that what can you really say about him?

He's like Kennedy in that respect...

These are jokes, right? I laughed. Thread successful.

[crazysheet]

Obama jokes:

Why did Barack Obama cross the road?
To win the presidency of the United States of America!

How many Barack Obama's does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Who knows? He has no experience screwing in light bulbs. We have NO IDEA.

[disl]

there are plenty of people who are hard/impossible to joke about. not because they're godlike or anything, just because there's nothing funny about them. what's funny about obama? his inexperience? his hopefulness? if either are funny, i haven't seen/heard/read a funny joke about them.

the only time i've ever seen anyone make fun of obama well is a few times on the colbert report and even then it was pretty weak as far as that show goes. there's nothing funny about him, just like there's nothing funny about tons of politicians. quick, someone write an ann richards joke.

[Jack]

These are jokes, right? I laughed. Thread successful.

You know, come to think of it he's not like Kennedy. He's black right? So I think he's more like Lando Calrissian. He's akin to a slick gambler who won a WHOLE FLOATING CITY because he won a game despite the fact he has no experience running a cloud city. But he seemed to do a good job when you think of it? And he's easy on the cute little white princesses that flies into town to get away from the tall evil black guy who has asthma and never had a father in the home so he's all angry and choking people all the time.

He's also worthy of being a president now because he knows how to throw a basketball into a hoop; lord knows what it would have meant if he missed that shot:
Z1kuj9yeg1o

[brewcaster]

I vote to hear the jokes.

Man up.

What? You think people will rip you apart on this board? Ya, they probably will.

And, can we please stay on topic and not turn this into a political debate? This is not about who should be the next president, the question is why does it seem Obama is hard to write jokes about?

[KeithTalent]

I vote to hear the jokes.

Man up.

What? You think people will rip you apart on this board? Ya, they probably will.

And, can we please stay on topic and not turn this into a political debate? This is not about who should be the next president, the question is why does it seem Obama is hard to write jokes about?

I think Disco kinda nailed it

[Berliner]

Congrats on being behind the New York Times on this, AST:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/15/us/politics/15humor.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=obama%20jon%20stewart&st=cse&oref=slogin

[Keith Whitener]

Obama jokes:

Why did Barack Obama cross the road?
To win the presidency of the United States of America!

How many Barack Obama's does it take to screw in a light bulb?
Who knows? He has no experience screwing in light bulbs. We have NO IDEA.

Crazysheet Wins!

[mattmanser]

I'll give this a shot:

In a speech this week, Barack Obama said that the war in Iraq distracts Americans from the threat of the Taliban in Afghanistan. Obama added that the war also distracts Americans from the biggest threat of all: cartoonists.

[Meen Bellpeppers]

This is is a joke I was told, not my own.

Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, and John McCain are sitting in a canoe and the canoe sinks.

Who survives?

THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!!!

[Jack]

• Barack Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Everyone seems to be hung up on the Hussein part. As if that has any impact on anything. I mean, did anyone flinch in 1940 when Franklin Hilter Roosevelt was elected to office, right?

• I for one look forward to all of the elaborate dishes and sandwiches named after Barack Obama that will pop up at restaurants and delis across the country.

• I can't wait for the first Presidential Halloween. I hope Barack Obama dresses up like Urkel.

• I wonder if our nation's candy bar manufacturers will honor his term in office by naming a candy bar after him?

• My biggest concern is how he would react if a global disaster happened. I mean, what if a meteor is hurtling towards Earth? Is he going to mumble, "Man, have I been typecast..."

• When all is said and done I wonder: Will Kim Jon Il be sexually threatened by the Obama Presidency?

• I really hope they do a remake of the Harrison Ford thriller Air Force One just so African-American children can see a black president kicking a white terrorist in the chest and out of the open hatch of a soon-to-crash airplane.

• You know, there's going to be at least one film about the Obama Presidency. Makes you wonder if Jeffrey Wright, Don Cheadle, Samuel Jackson, Denzel Washinton and others have started practicing their "Obama looks" in a mirror.

• You know who I feel sorry for if Obama gets elected? The one black person in a predominantly white office who's going to get all kinds of gifts of buttons, stickers & teddy bears and shit from white co-workers to "honor" the Obama presidency.

• You know, I seriously wonder. How many global conflicts will just stop—simply stop with no major issues—just because the U.S. elected a black man to the Presidency. "You know, I'm a wanted terrorist and I hate the fascist American pigs, but they elected a black guy so I'm cool with that..."

• To truly respect the victims of Hurricane Katrina, I hope Barack Obama declares the Ninth Ward of New Orleans a National Low Down Dirty Shame.

[charles star]

• Barack Obama. Barack Hussein Obama. Everyone seems to be hung up on the Hussein part. As if that has any impact on anything. I mean, did anyone flinch in 1940 when Franklin Hilter Roosevelt was elected to office, right?

• I for one look forward to all of the elaborate dishes and sandwiches named after Barack Obama that will pop up at restaurants and delis across the country.

• I can't wait for the first Presidential Halloween. I hope Barack Obama dresses up like Urkel.

• I wonder if our nation's candy bar manufacturers will honor his term in office by naming a candy bar after him?

• My biggest concern is how he would react if a global disaster happened. I mean, what if a meteor is hurtling towards Earth? Is he going to mumble, "Man, have I been typecast..."

• When all is said and done I wonder: Will Kim Jon Il be sexually threatened by the Obama Presidency?

• I really hope they do a remake of the Harrison Ford thriller Air Force One just so African-American children can see a black president kicking a white terrorist in the chest and out of the open hatch of a soon-to-crash airplane.

• You know, there's going to be at least one film about the Obama Presidency. Makes you wonder if Jeffrey Wright, Don Cheadle, Samuel Jackson, Denzel Washinton and others have started practicing their "Obama looks" in a mirror.

• You know who I feel sorry for if Obama gets elected? The one black person in a predominantly white office who's going to get all kinds of gifts of buttons, stickers & teddy bears and shit from white co-workers to "honor" the Obama presidency.

• You know, I seriously wonder. How many global conflicts will just stop—simply stop with no major issues—just because the U.S. elected a black man to the Presidency. "You know, I'm a wanted terrorist and I hate the fascist American pigs, but they elected a black guy so I'm cool with that..."

• To truly respect the victims of Hurricane Katrina, I hope Barack Obama declares the Ninth Ward of New Orleans a National Low Down Dirty Shame.

Question answered. You can't write jokes about Obama.

[chapina]

Brent Weinbach has a GREAT Obama joke. The end.

[Jack]

Oh, and apparently there's a guide on eHow (http://www.ehow.com/how_2224292_tell-barack-obama-jokes.html) that claims to explain How to Tell Barack Obama Jokes (http://www.ehow.com/how_2224292_tell-barack-obama-jokes.html).

[Jambalaya]

Didn't Doug Benson have some kind of joke involving Obama? I know I heard it on the NNF and Comedy and Everything Else podcasts.

[Jack]

Look, squeezing out a decent Obama joke is rough, but apparently MAD Magazine finds gold in Spiro Agnew year after year. Oh that Agnew!

[Cameron]

Didn't Doug Benson have some kind of joke involving Obama? I know I heard it on the NNF and Comedy and Everything Else podcasts.

"Someone asked me who I'm voting for and why. I told them it was none of their business and because he's black."

[MarkAgee]

I don't think Obama is nationally off-limits. I've heard plenty of Obama jokes get lots of laughs, but most rely upon race and most of those are kinda hacky. Mainstream TV shows try to avoid those so they won't trigger a backlash of racism accusations.

If you're wondering why no one is doing other-than-race jokes, ask yourself what you would write about? His social security stance? Jokes rely upon common reference points. What's an easy charicature of Obama? I can't think of one. Gore is stiff, Kerry is stiff and effete, Bush don't talk good. Those things are agreed upon be everyone. Obama is smart and well spoken. He's not hideous, and he comes from a working class background. He worked his way through big fancypants schools on scholarships and loans, but doesn't sound like like a big fancypants. Which one of those things is simply mocked?

Look at it this way: If someone slipped into an Obama impression, how would you even tell? Wouldn't he just sound like a regular dude?

It's not that America doesn't want to laugh at Obama, and trust me when I tell you that America is not afraid to laugh at jokes that could be seen as racist. (Get out of Los Angeles, maybe.) The dude is just hard to land a punch on. It's some sort of other-worldy gift. In his book, he's pretty honest about how "people see me as a blank canvas on which they project their own hopes and dreams." (Quote approximate.)

People do "Obama is black" jokes because it's the one thing everyone agrees about: Obama is black.

[dougbenson]

actually there has been a lot of debate about how black obama is.

(too much? not enough? or just right?)

[punkdc]

actually there has been a lot of debate about how black obama is.

(too much? not enough? or just right?)

The way I guessed was if I was to shoot him, would it be considered a hate crime?

[karyrogers]

Wouldn't he just sound like a regular dude?

FWIW, I've long thought Obama's voice sounded like Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's voice. A quick google reveals others have thought the same thing.

[KeithTalent]

Do you smelllll what::suicide::

[Jawa]

Look at it this way: If someone slipped into an Obama impression, how would you even tell? Wouldn't he just sound like a regular dude?


I think Fred Armisen does a very good impression of Obama on SNL. Armisen focuses more on Obama's mannerisms rather than any content of his campaign, but I still think it's funny and well-done.

I think Armisen generally has a nice, non-snarky enthusiastic demeanor when tackling an impression (Tony Danza, Howie Mandel, etc.).

Did I over-Armisen this post? Should I cross-post this in the "I'm Gonna Be On SNL" thread?

[ArtsyMcShitshimself]

Look, squeezing out a decent Obama joke is rough, but apparently MAD Magazine finds gold in Spiro Agnew year after year. Oh that Agnew!

It is pitch black in the Watergate hotel. you are likely to be eaten by Agnew.

[Ravi]

I don't think Obama is nationally off-limits. I've heard plenty of Obama jokes get lots of laughs, but most rely upon race and most of those are kinda hacky. Mainstream TV shows try to avoid those so they won't trigger a backlash of racism accusations.

What if Obama became president? Then the White House would be the Black House and it would have rims and fried chicken and- oh, nevermind.

The coverage of Obama is far more easily lampooned than Obama himself. The Daily Show has done some great stuff recently both on the media desperately looking for a blemish on him as well as excessively fawning over him.

[ProfessorShutYoMouth]

If you're wondering why no one is doing other-than-race jokes, ask yourself what you would write about? His social security stance? Jokes rely upon common reference points. What's an easy charicature of Obama? I can't think of one.

He's skinny and has big ears...also, there is this picture:

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_bUGb-py-3js/SFRXq38HGHI/AAAAAAAAO04/dlPDjNm3uME/capt.6b9b87d3b55749138d81bba7671c18e8.aptopix_obam a_2008_ilab102.jpg

[P. J. Head]

I have a bit about Obama that I've done a couple of times, to varying degrees of success. I talk about how I hope Obama, once he becomes President, doesn't turn out to be as homophobic as almost every other black man I've ever met.

Certainly my point of view is skewed by the fact that most of the black men I know are shitty, shitty open mic comedians, and anyone who goes to open mics will tell you the two things shitty black comics do the most are 1. shriek laughter at their own jokes and 2. make joke-free conversation about how much they hate faggots.

I then do an impression of what a really blisteringly homophobic Obama inaugural address would sound like. It gets really ridiculous really quickly, and I end it by inviting Earthquake and Mo'Nique onstage to sing a duet of "A Whole New World".

This bit has been successful a couple of times, but it is a god damned minefield. It only works if the following conditions are met:

1. The audience has ample experience with the sometimes disproportionately large amount of homophobia in black culture

2. The audience gets that I myself am not racist and do not actually believe that every black man on the face of the Earth is a gay-hater

3. The audience understands that I like Obama and would actually like him to be President

4. The audience can tell the difference between someone who's satirizing homophobia by spewing slurs, and someone who's just spewing slurs

5. The audience follows me at the end, as I switch from making fun of homophobia to making fun of the way a racist might think a black guy would celebrate his Presidential inauguration

It's a lot of twists and a lot of turns, and a lot of you will probably never enjoy this joke now that you've seen its insides, but it's worked. It's worked MARVELOUSLY. And it's also fallen uncomfortably flat. There is nothing sacred about Obama, and the real lesson of this thread is that souporman is prone to hyperbolically attacking the nationwide comedy audience instead of taking a closer look at his material.

Props to anyone who read all that. I need a nap now.

[ProfessorShutYoMouth]

Props to anyone who read all that.

Props accepted.

[KevinLee]

What people will laugh at will change.
People will laugh at things that are funny.
I love you all.

[samishah]

Well, I've performed tons of Obama/McCain/Hillary stuff over the last few months in my Second Life shows. Interestingly, other comics who are actually FROM the U.S. don't do material on Obama, citing the same problem.

I've found that audiences tend to like it when I do it though, maybe its the whole outsider perspective thing. An old bit that still gets a good response:

----

The manner in which Hillary’s show of support has been reported in American papers is evidence of the cultural phenomenon that Obama has created. Hillary is being described as catching “Obamamania”, which means she is crazy about Obama. The Republican party has been described as “Obamaphobic” which is a hate and fear of Barack Obama.

Other conditions Americans need to prepare themselves for are, “Acute-Obama-itis” which is characterized by mild inflammation of any part of your body that is suffering from excessive Obamamania. Nothing to be concerned about unless it doesn’t clear up in 14 days in which case you run the risk of being diagnosed with “Chronic-Obama-itis” for which you might need to take a course of anti-biotics, or rather anti-Obama-otics.

The bigger risk, ofcourse, lies in catching Genital-Obamas, which are like warts except they keep saying “Yes we can! Yes we can!”

-----

Another bit I started doing recently about how Obama's rise coincides with Osama Bin Laden's disappearance, and what if the Republican conservative right-wing nutjobs on Fox are right. What if come inauguration he rips off his mask and reveals that Bin Laden is the new President and so on. It actually works quite well when I deliver it properly.

But yes, I think people are cautious about laughing at Obama because there might be so much at stake. It's like, don't say ANYTHING derogatory, the last thing we need is a point to be tipped and another Republican in the White House. Who want's to be blamed for that!

[MarkAgee]

I think you guys are projecting a little bit by saying that people don't want to laugh because they like Obama so much and want him to win so badly.

That might be true of this board, but it's just not mathematically true about the American people. Even thowing out the half of America who likes the other guy more, most people just don't care that much about Obama. To 90 percent of people, he's just the next in a long line of douchebags applying for a the douchebaggiest job on Earth. Even most people who vote spend the overwhelming amout of their time caring about other things.

[Scammy Davis Boogah Jr.]

I think you may be projecting a bit yourself. Really? 90% of Americans really think that the most charasmatic public figure to come along in a quarter century is 'just the next in a long line of douchebags'?

Obama's a tough target because he hasn't done anything that's worth making fun of yet, whereas McCain totally has. He got old as dirt.

[MarkAgee]

I think you may be projecting a bit yourself. Really? 90% of Americans really think that the most charasmatic public figure to come along in a quarter century is 'just the next in a long line of douchebags'?

Obama's a tough target because he hasn't done anything that's worth making fun of yet, whereas McCain totally has. He got old as dirt.

No, you're completely wrong about my politics and my views of Obama. All I am saying is that many people don't really care about politics. If they did, they would vote. And a lot of even the ones who vote haven't made up their minds yet. That's mathematical evidence that most people don't care. So I do not believe that the vast majority of America refuses to laugh at Obama jokes because of his charisma or because he inspires them.

I agree with you about the "tough target" thing.

[Darryl]

The Joke is Finally on Obama (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/barackobama/2530913/US-Election-2008-The-joke-is-finally-on-Barack-Obama.html)

[Scammy Davis Boogah Jr.]

The alarming thing about that article is that it signifies that we will never, ever have another iconic, universally acclaimed political figure.

Imagine what the headlines of today would be for someone like Lincoln, Kennedy, or Thomas Jefferson. "What a dick, he thinks he's so great because he can motivate people and change the world. Someone needs to take that guy down a peg, etc. etc..."

The McCain/Britney/Paris ad represents a real sea change in how the world views all public figures, both political and celebrity. You're either an asshole because no one knows who you are, or you're an asshole because too many people know who you are, with no grey area in between.

[KeithTalent]

I think the Jesus jokes come from a place of admiration, I'm just worried that if you say something on TV often enough people will start to believe it. Say, he is mighty pompous ain't he? I don't want to vote for a guy like that for some reason

[GodHatesFlags]

A scary moment today when Barack Obama's police escort was pulled over by local authorities in South Carolina. The local police officer explained the error by stating that when he saw a black man driving with such a fancy police escort he naturally assumed that the police escort was stolen.

I think there's something there.