Running for president of the United States is a joke! Or apparently that's what Stephen Colbert thinks. While I appreciate his satirical humor (although I don't agree with his position), and I believe in his right to free speech, I am disappointed. The true political satirist should probe for the difficult laugh, not the easy one.
What made people laugh at Mark Russell (the self-proclaimed "Master of Political Satire") was his ability to find the obscure laugh in the headline that made us all uncomfortable. For example, in 1992 on the 500th anniversary of Columbus' discovery of the New World, revisionist historians were trying to paint Columbus as a villian for destroying the cultures which existed in North America prior to it's discovery by Europeans. One of Russell's jokes was, "You would think we could come up with a better excuse for a holiday than Columbus Day. I mean, hasn't Christopher Columbus been pretty much outed as the guy who introduced genocide to the New World?"
Now, while I disagree with the position behind the joke, THAT'S funny! But Colbert, Jon Stewart, Bill Maher, and the modern day political "satirists" only poke fun at one side: the conservatives. They claim the intellectual high ground, even though they couldn't hold Ann Coulter's bra (or jock strap, or whatever she wears).
I have a list of suggestions for satirists to make fun of: Barack Obama's voice (he could do voice-overs for Lurch on the Addams' Family!), Hillary Clinton's SCARY face (speaking of jock straps vs. bra straps!), John Edwards as a leprechaun, Bill Maher as Hugh Hefner's illigitimate son (seriously, Google their images and compare them!), or Fred Thompson as the heir to Ronald Reagan's throne (oh, wait--that's not funny because it could be true!).
Don't get me wrong: I'm not denying the liberals their chance to poke fun at conservatives. I'm just suggesting that there should be a little "parity" in the proceedings!
After all, a democrat in charge of the U.S. military--now THAT would be a joke!
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OK, so lay it out on the line: who do you think will win the GOP and Democrat nominations, and who do you really think would win the general election? What's your take on the current GOP candidates?
Well, to be honest, my pick would be Fred Thompson because he's the most like Reagan. But as for who I think will win it, I think it will be Rudy. And, I think it's a toss-up as to who will win the election: I can see it either way. But it will be one ugly, nasty, just-plain-old-YUCKY campaign season from the end of the Republican convention until the election. I'm thinking of going to the mission field for a year (just kidding, Joni!).
I forgot to say: I think Hillary is a lock for the Dems.
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