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Nevermind, It's Totally NOT OK To Laugh At Him
Yesterday I posted a blog featuring Jon Stewart, in which he pokes fun at Obama and has to remind the crowd that it's "OK to laugh at him." Apparently, not so much.
Joseph Palermo of the Huffington Post is not happy with Jon Stewart. In a rambling and inaccurate article, Palermo posits Stewart is partly responsible for the Iraq war, and warns him that his "regurgitating" right wing talking points is working against Obama. He urges Stewart to poke fun at Obama only in a way that "reveals the Republicans' mendacity and hypocrisy." So, you know, no pressure.
"Slamming the UN weapons inspectors as ineffectual twits dominated right-wing talk radio at the time and The Daily Show was in effect regurgitating the talking points of those who wanted to bring the country to war. Dissing the UN's efforts on Comedy Central inadvertently helped make the case for war. It is kind of like when Dick Cheney pointed to the New York Times to buttress his warmongering saying: 'Hey, even the liberals agree with us!' When Jon Stewart seeks 'balance' for his targets of satire he can end up reinforcing the false impressions that the Bush Republicans want people to have. It's unfortunate because political humor is a powerful force that can sway some of those 'low information' voters the pundits have been flogging lately."
Translation: "You're off message, jerk. The dumb people need our propaganda and you're ruining everything! Quit starting the Iraq War all the time!" It is a cold, brutal shock to me to see a liberal blogger presume people are too dumb to be trusted with jokes. I'd say he's not indicative of the rest of the left-o-sphere, but other than a number of commenters at DailyKos calling the segment unfair and terrible, the left blogs seem pretty quiet on the matter.
What makes this whole thing so interesting to the rest of us? The same thing that compelled Stewart to point out it is OK to laugh at Obama. The media, and Hollywood in particular, are closely allied with the Democrats. The talking points, positions and indeed figures of the left have achieved a sacred cow status. The saturation of entertainment and media by the left makes every instance of one of their own taking heat into a "man bites dog" moment.
The nervous laughter of the audience and the hissy fit of the Huffington Post blogger are indicative of the fact that Senator Obama is even more above reproach than a typical left-winger. The constant flare-ups of racial tensions throughout the Democratic primary so far are surely a contributing factor. "If I laugh at Barack, will I be called a racist?" the Daily Show audience wondered. The urge to be one of the cool people is in there as well. "If I laugh at Barack will girls stop sleeping with me?"
It's also part of the fact that a large number of young, liberal voters look to the "Daily Show" for their news instead of, well, the news. So when left-wing icon and netroots hero Stewart takes shots at the left's new Savior, well they just don't think that's very funny. Or cool.
So watch out, Jon. There's a crowd of bodies piling up under buses this year. Stray off-message again, and you could be next.
Recent Comments
(Page 1 of 4)OhReally8:15PMJun 25th 2008
Or this one is really funny?
http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/Q/0/2/obama_nails_in_coffin.jpg
OhReally8:17PMJun 25th 2008
And this one is heart-warming.
http://antzinpantz.com/kns/images/136041.jpg
Katherine8:20PMJun 25th 2008
So, uh, I'm starting to get the feeling that Obama gets a lot of special treatment...
gottaah8:24PMJun 25th 2008
HOW DO WE NOT LAUGH AT THOSE BIG EARS AND THE BOOGER NOSE MOLE. HE LOOKS LIKE A BLACK MAD MAG GUY.
suzanne8:34PMJun 25th 2008
He needs to make up his mind
TJ8:36PMJun 25th 2008
AND IF YOU DONT VOTE FOR THIS WANNABE CALLED OBAMA, YOU ARE RACIST TOO.
YOU MAY NOT LAUGH AT HIM AND YOU HAVE TO VOTE FOR HIM. THERE IS A REVOLUTION GOING ON FOR ULTRA LIBEERAL CALLED "THE OTHER WOODSTOCK"
AIRHEADS, COKEHEADS BENT ON RUINING SOCIETY
NO TO OBMA
lmay8:42PMJun 25th 2008
Obama is a fraud and I hope Larry Johnson continues on and makes Obama admit the birth certificate is a fake!!!!!!!! Obama is a liar and a fraud....wake up Sheeple...
http://noquarterusa.net/blog/2008/06/25/hawaiian-official-quoted-birth-certificate-challenged/#more-3238
D. L. GRAHAM8:49PMJun 25th 2008
OBAMA "TACKS" AND SUPPORTS TELECOM IMMUNITY!
"Democratic Presidential nominee Barack Obama supports stripping telecom immunity. Liberal bloggers have launched a campaign to pressure Democrats, especially Obama, to reject all aspects of the FISA legislation, which they view as an affront to the fourth amendment. MoveOn.Org called on Obama to uphold a pledge he made to filibuster any version of FISA that includes telecom immunity. Obama's campaign has not indicated if Obama would join a filibuster by Dodd and Feingold."
THIS IS WHY OBAMA HAS SHOWN HIMSELF UNFIT TO BE ELECTED TO THE HIGHEST OFFICE IN THE LAND, George Bush tears up the Constitution of The United States and Obama "Tacks Center" and stands silent and lets him! This is not CHANGE this is politics as usual.
Tommy Christopher9:17PMJun 25th 2008
Caleb,
I agree with much of this, except I think the phenomenon is pretty narrowly confined to Obama. It probably doesn't stand out to Stewart's viewers, or my readers, that much of our most biting satire is at the expense of Democrats. Harry Reid comes to mind, or anything to do with sustaining a filibuster.
I've also noticed that many blog commenters are just plain humor-averse.
The instinct to protect Obama from ridicule stems, I think, from the extremely prejudicial nature of many of the smears against him. My feeling, funny is funny.
Joyce9:43PMJun 25th 2008
Obama is a joke so why shouldn't he be laughed at? Hillary wasn't spared one iota. It made her stronger, but the "fraudulent presumptive nominee" can't take it & the "selectors" don't wan't their "favorite son" picked on. Too bad. Others have to deal with it, so why not BO? Just wait until the Reps get their ammunition ready for their target. Won't it be interesting?
OhReally9:48PMJun 25th 2008
And this will make you laugh out loud
http://jxymxu7sn5ho9d.files.wordpress.com/2008/05/caric-obama-guru-sf.jpg
OhReally9:48PMJun 25th 2008
I guess is John Stewert can publish a book with the supreme court naked he can make fun of the boy Presidential wannabe
OhReally9:50PMJun 25th 2008
Anybody you know in your circle of friends?
http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d57/b_gardenia/cartoons/lb0213extra_cd.jpg
OhReally9:53PMJun 25th 2008
Or how about a really good Presidential picture
http://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/atlas_shrugs/images/2008/03/05/pic30814.jpg
Is this really funny?
OhReally9:56PMJun 25th 2008
Critics say that Presidential candidate Barack Obama tries to "be all things to all people" and that he makes too many "pie-in-the-sky" promises. At a recent political rally, Obama tried to overcome these criticisms by emphasizing his commitment to principles. Afterwards, audience members lined up at a microphone to ask
Obama (boy) questions.
The first person at the microphone said, "I oppose the war in Iraq. If you are elected, what will you do about that?"
"I will end the war in Iraq within two weeks of taking office," answered Obama. "All our troops will come home, and I will simultaneously make sure the Iraqi government is functioning and secure."
The second person in line said, "I'm an illegal alien. What will you do for people like me?"
"If I am elected," answered Obama, "every illegal alien will receive U.S. citizenship, free health coverage, and a scholarship to the university of your choice."
The third person in line said, "I'm a conservative. If elected, what will you do for me?"
"I'll send that first guy to Iraq, and the second guy back to Mexico."
Ha Ha? would be if it wasn't true
jpgoodrow10:19PMJun 25th 2008
WHY WOULDN'T ANYONE POKE FUN AT OBAMA?
He's a clown of the first order.
20-MILLION DEMS -4- MCCAIN '08
America Needs A President, Not A Clown
Ruby11:38PMJun 25th 2008
I am getting really tired of seeing all the politicians and the mainstream media walking on egg shells when they are talking about Obama? Whatever happened to freedom of speech and freedom of the press?
Is this what Obama means by CHANGE?
OhReally11:44PMJun 25th 2008
Change?
Interviewer: "And what do you mean by Change"?
Obama Boy: "Well things will be different"
Interviewer: "And what do you mean by things will be different"?
Obama Boy: "Well, things will change".
LOL
MJG2212:28AMJun 26th 2008
COVETING BARACK OBAMA HAS REACHED A NEW HIGH. I GUESS THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION WILL HAVE TO BE RENAMED THE DEMOCRATIC CORONATION IN HIS HONOR.
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT FROM A OBAMA SUPPORTER. THEY ARE ALL FOOLS JUST LIKE THEIR LEADER. AMERICA DESERVES BETTER THAN A WIMP LIKE BARACK OBAMA FOR PRESIDENT.
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OhReally8:12PMJun 25th 2008
Should we laugh at this one?
http://i158.photobucket.com/albums/t90/PJ33062/NONBLONDQT%20-%20BLOG/obama%20cartoons/obama3.jpg