The Comedian as Politician, and Often Vice Versa (New York Times)

By EDWARD ROTHSTEIN  
The New York Times
June 11, 2010

Bob Hope Collection, Library of Congress

WASHINGTON — “It’s great for a comedian to be honored in Washington,” Bob Hope said when he was celebrated at the Kennedy Center in 1985. “If there was ever a city that knew how to get laughs ... .”
“There are so many congressmen and senators here,” he added. “I don’t know whether to tell a joke or pass a bill.” Pause. “As if there was a difference.”

Or on another occasion: “The farmers hate to see it end,” he said, after the 1984 presidential election. “All those campaign speeches were good for the crops.”
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Peggy Noonan Calls John McCain’s ‘Dang Fence’ Commercial ‘Desperate’ (Mediaite)

Image via Wikipedia

(Editor's Note: Peggy Noonan is the patron saint of this site; she is the reason we exist!)

The Meet the Press roundtable has some not-so-pleasant things to say about John McCain and his latest “complete the dang fence” campaign commercial.


Said panelist Peggy Noonan after viewing the video: “Yes, oh dang was the worst part. I don’t know its impact, it seems desperate.”

Responded Newsweek’s Jonathan Alter, who just published his own book on the 2008 election: “You have to round up and deport his principles in this race? It’s just kind of a sad thing.”

Ouch.

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Resurgence on the Right Puts Gingrich Back in Style (NYTimes.com)

Newt Gingrich, image via Wikipedia

By KATHARINE Q. SEELYE
Published: March 12, 2010

WASHINGTON — Newt Gingrich still relishes stirring the pot of the culture wars.

There he was last month in Akron, Ohio, telling an audience of 300 people that President Obama was out of touch. Why? Because the president did not understand the gut-level appeal of the pickup truck at the center of Scott Brown’s winning campaign to wrest a Massachusetts Senate seat away from the Democrats.

“What if I have to haul a moose?” Mr. Gingrich said, to laughter. “You cannot put a gun rack in the back of a Smart car.”

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Dem Talking Points: We're Screwed! (TPM)

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TalkingPointsMemo: New Senate Democratic talking points, distributed in response to last night's special election in Massachusetts show the party pre-emptively placing the blame for a lackluster agenda moving forward on Republicans, who Dems say they now need to pass legislation.

"Republicans have an obligation to the American people to join us in governing our nation through these difficult times and to help clean up the mess they left behind," reads the memo obtained by TPMDC. "It is mathematically impossible for Democrats to pass legislation on our own. Senate Republicans to come to the table (sic) with ideas for improving our nation and not obstructionist tactics."

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