Live, From New York...It's Hillary Clinton!

Saturday Night Live opened tonight with a fake presidential debate hosted by mock Brian Williams and Tim Russert. Williams and Russert were bored by healthcare and were overly nice to Obama, while Amy Poehler, as Hillary Clinton, played mildly indignant. After the debate, instead of the opening credits, there was an "Editorial Response." The real Senator Clinton, seated at a desk and wearing the same brown tweed as Poehler's Clinton, said how she loved the skit and was happy to be back in New York, if only for a few hours. Then Amy Poehler, still in character as the senator, joined Clinton at the desk. They chatted, during which time Clinton asked Poehler if she really laughed like Poehler's Clinton and asked for her earrings back. The New York Senator then said, "Live from New York it's Saturday night!"

Watch the editorial response:

More on the rest of the show from the Chicago Sun-Times' Lynn Sweet:

Political satire contains an element of truth and in a cartoon, Obama was shown to be going to great lengths to prevent Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson from being seen campaigning for him. He is shown--remember this is a cartoon--meeting with Jackson in a broom closet before sending him off on a phoney diplomatic mission and putting a dog collar on Sharpton that zaps him if he gets to close to an Obama rally.

Giuliani dropped his presidential bid in January and has endorsed Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) who has not been on SNL for years. Giulianiappeared on SNL's "Weekend Update" segment.

"I would have done things differently," Giuliani said.

Specifically, what asked Seth Meyers.

"I've given it a lot of thought and realize that my one key mistake was years ago when I hosted this show and wore a dress. I really wish I could have taken it back."

So his mistake was not bypassing the early primaries?

"The Florida plan was solid. But the dress killed me."

The Florida plan was solid. But the dress killed me.

Comments

[illinoisinNYC]

She told everyone about the first show after the strike. She whinned about how mean everyone is and how nice SNL was...and then she and her staff spent the entire next week on the phone begging to get her on the show...maybe she didn't have to beg too hard. Part of her...Attack Attack Attack plan.

I am a bit tired of how pro Hillary everyone seems to be out East. Most of my rural midwestern democratic friends don't trust her and don't want her to be president, but the people on the Coasts just can't understand why everyone doesn't love her like they do.

has anyone else noticed this?

[riona]

You don't think Obama's people harassed SNL to get him on the show? Please.

Hillary has a lot of support in other states. She won Michigan, Nevada, Tennessee, etc.

[illinoisinNYC]

Ok...you may be right about Obama trying to get on the show too, but Don't say she has a LOT of support in other states. Give her Tennessee, yes. But she was the only one on the ballot in Michigan and Obama won more delagates in Nevada...that isn't 'a lot of support"

[foleyspond]

OBAMA'S NEW VIDEO!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=0mNDANincEU

[LARiverWater]

Hillary has too much baggage, that should be obvious. Bill's history cannot be erased so easily (his zipper and cigar gave us the Bush years). The Clintons going after every person who disagrees with them, are worse than Bush. Those who believe that Dynasties are not good for this country are voting against that. People will get to choose. But the messages are strikingly different. His message is that we all will make the change we need, not just him. He wants the American (we the) people to make it happen. As opposed to Hillary who says she is going to bring change to the country. Big difference. But the Racists have to stop and listen. Really Listen!!! Her 60 minutes comment was base, “As far as I know” he’s not a Muslim. Where are her tax returns? and White House papers? Where did $5 Mil. Come from? The press is not talking about this, but … yeah they’re out to get her.

[LARiverWater]

President Bush has come out in support of the Clintons. (talk about triangulation), and that "Obama has no experience". WAKE UP PEOPLE! The Repubs want the Clintons to get the nomination. It"s CRYSTAL CLEAR! It"s obvious and shame on us if we can"t see them for what they are. Just because we"re paranoid of them, doesn"t mean they"re not manipulating us. The radio news reports (AP news) of the election is playing only Hillary sound bites, listen carefully. The Right control most of the Radio networks. It"s starting to NOT go their way, and their only hope of winning is to run against the Clintons. Don"t be stupid & fooled by Coulter, LIMBOUGH and the rest. They"re actually saying they"ll campaign for her. They know she"s their only shot. I like her too (inspite of all the scandals), but no one will admit they"re really voting for Bill. She feels like the safe bet, like when you're playing not to lose. But energizing the right and dividing us into red & blue is exactly what will happen & what the Right wants. What we need is courage to change it all (she"ll be a part of it, but not front and center), to diffuse any power they have left. It will then be between new and really old, real change and another Bush term. That we can win on. Even Ann Coulter knows it..

[wekya]

As I said elsewhere.­...Hillary does not deserve to be president simply because she said, "Live from New York IT IS Saturday night." Maybe it's something about Bill parsing what "is" is, but this is a far more heinous act than not wearing a flag pin, or holding one's hand over one's heart for the anthem/pledge.

[demlover1]

I thought it was a pretty funny sketch. I'm glad SNL is attempting to even out the media bias. I'll admit that SNL has been pro-Hillary the last two weeks, but this only partially makes up for the anti-Hillary bias on MSNBC for the past few months.

By the way, there is an interesting article, for any undecided voters, which examines in great detail why despite all the media hype, Sen. Clinton might actually be the more electable Democrat against John McCain. You can find it at :

www.thepragmaticdemocrat.blogspot.com

[DatelessNerd]

Gee, this was almost as funny as when Nixon said "Sock it to me" on Laugh-In.

[Allen66]

google "obama and Tony Rezko", google Rev. Wright and obama- the story that obama's LONG time preacher who he knows very well said these states quoted below. (I dont think its the kind of change that we were hoping for)
More recently, his name is becoming nationally familiar as the longtime spiritual mentor of Barack Obama, who joined the church in 1988 - a move Obama says was important to shaping his identity as an African-American. In fact, Obama's book title "Audacity of Hope" was taken from one of Wright's sermons. (Plagiarism even then, huh?)

Here's some audacious comments from the good Rev. Wright on random topics:

On 9/11: "In the 21st century, white America got a wake-up call after 9/11/01...White America and the Western world came to realize that people of color had not gone away, faded into the woodwork or just 'disappeared,' as the Great White West kept on its merry way of ignoring Black concerns."

On Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan: "He brings a perspective that is helpful and honest...Minister Farrakhan will be remembered as one of the 20th and 21st century giants of the African-American religious experience."

He is NOT the kind of American President we want in office, our vote goes to Hillary who at least had the balls to reject Farrakhan's racism on MANY occasions.

[echopark]

I think the SNL skit was valid parodying how Barack has been treated by the press. He can't go wrong while Hillary is hounded.... Though the skit is kind of boring to be honest. I don't think SNL has been funny in years, I much prefer Mad TV which feels sharper and more on the edge. What does everyone think of SNL these days?
http://sodahead.com/poll/52586/?link=chrf

[afgail]

Can't seem to find the whole skit only the Hillary response. Where can I see the whole skit ?

[Anie]

These are the two links for that show:

SNL - Debate #2
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=224734

SNL - Clinton's appearance
http://www.nbc.com/Saturday_Night_Live/video/#mea=224732

[D2D2]

Please forgive all of my typos. There's a "that" that should be a "than", and a "there" that should be "their". My bad.

[D2D2]

It seems really funny to me (well, not really) that SNL decided to work overtime to bolster Senator Clinton in their skits, while simultaneously disrespecting Senator Obama by making him seem less than intelligent. Way to go SNL, pulling off a fabulous display of multitasking by playing up a truly offensive stereotype about black people, vindicating a candidate who has managed to drive her own "inevitable" campaign into the ground, and furthering the false notion that a white woman gets worse treatment in the media that a black man when both candidates have there challenges. Moreover, Senator Obama does not represent every black man just as Senator Clinton doesn't represent every white woman. Each candidate should be judged by how they run their respective campaigns and there ideas, period. Both candidates have certain advantages and disadvantages that should be explored, but when the media attempts to achieve their own subjective perception of "balance" it actually causes more harm than good. Saturday Night Live's skits may leave crowds with the perception that its harmless, good-natured humor based on reality, but therein lies the danger, because while Senator Clinton supporters may walk away feeling gratified and vindicated, it leaves supporters, like me, of Senator Obama feeling offended. I thought we were all good progressives, but apparently that isn't true (well, Paul Krugman believes those of us who support Senator Obama simply aren't progressive enough because we have disagreements, and its a given that he alone has the innate ability to make such judgments). In a single skit the media undermines the hard work and excellent qualities of a candidate who worked his way from underdog to contender by attributing his success to the medias mistreatment of Senator Clinton, which also takes her off the hook for her poor choice of campaign strategy and management of her staff, along with her handling of the media. It's just plain wrong.

[zagyzebra]

In point of fact, the media has favored Obama, and only now is beginning to scratch beneath the surface for a different perspective. The media needs to take the adversarial role with all the candidates, not just Obama, or Clinton, or McCain, but ALL of them. It is their responsibility. Favoritism is not what journalism is about, but rather critical thinking and hard digging.

[D2D2]

I disagree. The media has not favored Obama. Rather, I believe that the facts favor Obama in that he has not attempted to intimidate nor harass the media with each news cycle in an effort to shape stories to favor him, as the Clintons have. Furthermore, I believe that he has run a much more consistent and less negative campaign than that of Senator Clinton. However, I do agree that the media should scrutinize each candidate. If the media seems for favorable to Obama perhaps that is because he has run a much more positive campaign, describing his vision for America, while Senator Clinton's inconsistent message and troubled campaign strategy leaves her with little else to do than to downplay and bash her opponent.

I mean, how else can the media report a story where an underdog makes such tremendous headway and motivates so many people to show up and listen to him share his ideas, while the early inevitable front runner loses her first contest and proceeds to stumble from Super Tuesday up until the present? The truth reads like a big negative for Clinton, but its still the truth. (

[Rendon76]

I hate her. This is coming from someone who never understood why people hated her. I don't see how her recent behavior is going to sit well with the super delegates.

[LenP]

I think I'm going to be sick

[2liveNdie]

You would think with the long strike the writers would be more creative with the show. SNL will never be as funny as it was in the past. They need new material too.

[LiarLiarIraqsOnFire]

SNL is dead! It used to be edgy and full of political and cultural satire, not to mention the sheer comic genius of almost every skit & bit. The rotted and stinking carcass of SNL should be 'Taken Out Back & Buried'.

Good night Roseanne Rosannadanna, wherever you are!

[efranklin]

When Al Sharpton hosted Saturday Night Live a few years back, it was not broadcast in Massachusetts because it would give him an unfair advantage. It seems to me that the same policy could have enforced for the past two SNLs. Nothing like a few million viewers for free when your campaign is low on cash.

[plooger]

And then she's on The Daily Show, tonight, the night before the big primaries.