Max Baucus Creates New Audience For 2001 Onion Parody

While online media affords writers the opportunity to get their work out to the masses in a rapid, timely fashion, one of the unique privileges that the platform affords is the opportunity to very readily give an old article a second bite of the web-traffic apple when events unfold in a fashion that give it new currency. And at this very moment, the health care reform debate has given the news satirists at The Onion a chance to do just that.

Back in May of 2001, The Onion published a faux-editorial, purporting to be from Montana Senator Max Baucus, in which "he" opined:

I've been "serving" the great state of Montana in the U.S. Senate since 1978. You'll notice I put "serving" in quotes, because, let's face it, I suck. My wife has been pleading with me not to say this publicly, insisting that it's not true, that I'm a capable and dedicated public servant, blah, blah, blah. Bless her dear heart, but she's just being nice. Because, folks, I am telling you, I am hands-down the shittiest senator in the history of the Senate. The worst.

"Baucus" would go on to say, "I should just quit. Actually, I should have quit a long time ago. But I never did, because the people kept insisting I run for another term. I've been re-elected three times, and every time I am, I get the notion that maybe, if I made a real conscious effort, I could stop being such a lousy legislator."

That editorial was titled, "I'm Such A Shitty Senator," and it played off the humor that not too many people had really heard of or cared about who Max Baucus was. But eight years later, the health care reform debate would take off in Washington, DC, and Max Baucus would become a major player. And there, the full flower of Max Baucus' actual, ineffable shittiness would bloom, and The Onion shrewdly took advantage.

I spoke to Onion web editor Baratunde Thurston about how they maximized their opportunity at reminding people that they had been on the "Max Baucus is a shitty Senator" tip long before pointing out Max Baucus' shittiness became the new black:

Before the healthcare drama, this article got about 15 pageviews per day. No one cared. We noticed it popping up on a few blogs and decided to feature it in our In Focus section on the homepage and via Twitter in mid-September. That led to a high spike (up to 22K pageviews in one day).

Naturally, if Max Baucus had comported himself in any other manner than one befitting a real-life sack of actual human waste, The Onion would have not been able to bring readers back to their 2001 piece, and it would have remained a little-viewed piece of satiric arcana. Of course, as Thurston points out, 2001 was a pretty good year for The Onion's overall prescience.

What if The Onion, instead of titling their article "I'm Such A Shitty Senator," had opted to go with "I'm Such A Gape-Mouthed Whore For Health Care Industry Lobbyists?" My feeling is that it would have been more true, less funny, and just as sad.

RELATED:
I'm Such A Shitty Senator [The Onion]
Bush: 'Our Long National Nightmare Of Peace And Prosperity Is Finally Over' [The Onion]

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Comments

[Whycee54]

02:15 PM on 10/01/2009

What is wrong with his face?

[tbone99]

02:18 PM on 10/01/2009

The health care industry probably gives him all the plastic surgery he can stand.

[roncraw]

11:21 AM on 10/01/2009

They should take away every leadership position he has,he's a fake.

[newpantaloons]

09:41 AM on 10/01/2009

In his last re-election campaign, Max Baucus raised $11.6 MILLION dollars. Only 13% came from his constituents in the State of Montana. The rest came from...?

[Rescisco]

09:36 AM on 10/01/2009

Max Baucus - A man who makes loathing a necessity.

[StephJH]

08:21 AM on 10/01/2009

I began to have doubts about Max Baucus before ever knowing about the Onion article. He chairs the poerful Senate finance committee but the committee seems to chair him. He cannot get a useful bill out of them. He's incompetent. He takes hundreds of thousands of dollars from the health insurance industry and then opposes a public option. He's dishonest. the good people of Montana need real representation by an able senator. Please elect one next time -- not Max Baucus

[SEQUOIABISON]

08:19 AM on 10/01/2009

Since members of congress are blatantly taking bribes (donations) right out front for all to see, I guess the time has come for us liberals to match "donations" dollar for dollar with the healthcare providers.

Lets just be up front about this whole process, what will it take senator Baucus for us liberals to Buy your vote, how much do we have to "donate" over and above what the corporate leeches are giving you to get you to vote in the best interest of the people who elected you?

Apparently we cannot win this battle by simply getting democrats elected, we must match bribes with special interest lobbyists to get our representatives to comply with the will of the people. It looks like if we liberals can raise a few million dollars to donate to equivocating democrats, we can buy the votes that will give us a public option.

[kid5rivers2]

07:58 AM on 10/01/2009

Repost:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/09/30/reid-cancels-recess-to-ge_n_304226.html?page=2&show_comment_id=31939008#comment_31939008

[HansGenheimer]

05:48 AM on 10/01/2009

Democrats who voted against public option got $19 million from health care firms!

How can they and more importantly why would a politician vote against what the citizens want ?

Gallup polling suggest that nation wide 65% of Americans are for single-payer public financed insurance... 25% against... 10% undecided ....but the big money wins out again... I think we should have a Constitutional Amendment allowing the citizens to decide what we want. Not a few Democratic or Republicans ( I expected as much from the Party of "NO" but Montana's Democratic Senator Max Baucus receipt of $8 million from health care in "bribes"; In addition, five of Baucus former staff members — including two former chiefs of staff — are now lobbyists representing organizations with a strong interest in the health care bill., Senators Blanche Lincoln -Arkansas hack #2 got $4 million in health industry donations...Kent Conrad (D-ND) is hack # 3 receiving around $3 million. Like Baucus, both Lincoln and Conrad have former chiefs of staff who are now health industry lobbyists. Bill Nelson (D-FL) #4 at $2.5 million and Tom Carper (D-DE) the 5th Democratic no vote received $1.5 million to fill out the Intershame list.

Public financed campaigns will take the power out of the corrupt politicians and lobbyist hands. And put the power back in the hands of the people as the founders intended.

[newpantaloons]

09:52 AM on 10/01/2009

Just sickening, isn't it? I have watched politics VERY closely, all my adult life (My husband thinks I'm obsessed), but never have I seen the corporate bribes given and taken with such an obvious, NAKED greed! The only time they are interested in their constituents, is when they want us to vote for them, so they can continue on with their 'gravy train'. I have been thinking that there needs to be a 'citizen' panel that looks into their campaign donations, to see if they are being used as a personal bank account. That is illegal, but to just use them for their re-election doesn't seem to meet the greed factor they all seem to display for all to see.

Somehow, we have to take back this country and become what the Constitution says is "a government by, of and FOR the people". Funny, but the Constitution also lists only two crimes that should be punishable by death: Treason and BRIBARY!

[cyndeewi]

03:41 AM on 10/01/2009

Please get rid of this man!

[ChelseaC]

02:48 AM on 10/01/2009

You are indeed a very shi**y senator.


Yes dfranz, I agree, he looks backed up--lol.

[Lori Bowles]

01:27 AM on 10/01/2009

Jason your killing me, this is fantastic. The Onion is use to be one of my favorite sites in college. I think this should be made into a nice x-mas card for him and sent with love and signatures from all of us posters at HP and the Onion.

[mfprtoo]

01:23 AM on 10/01/2009

http://fuckyoumaxbaucus.com/

[ClaudiaL]

01:11 AM on 10/01/2009

I hope Baucas won't be the scrooge this Christmas. His facial expressions & actions scream out that he wants the part.

I'm sure the big insurance companies will give him the big scrooge hat to wear and a costume with big pockets to put all that money in.

[treetracker]

12:50 AM on 10/01/2009

My fax to him yesterday suggested he should resign and that every single cent I can scrape together will be given to his opponent (even if he is a Republican - as at least that person would have a R, instead of a DINO behind the name) when his next election comes around. I promised him I will NOT FORGET.

[ChicagoSuz]

07:41 AM on 10/01/2009

Save your money 'til you see if there's another Democratic candidate running in the primary first... then, you can throw your money at that person, instead of some nameless Republican. Just a thought...

[treetracker]

11:45 AM on 10/01/2009

I will be. Dem opposing him first in the primary. If he wins the primary, I'll donate to the GOPer. I want Baucus OUT! No point having a "D" behind his name when he acts like an "R". At least with an "R" you won't be disappointed with their saying "NO!" I expect better out of a Dem.

[hardlyhikin]

12:48 AM on 10/01/2009

I believe I've read Baucus gets more in donations from health insurance companies and big Pharma than he does from ALL the people in his state combined.

[newpantaloons]

10:02 AM on 10/01/2009

I posted this above, but he raised $11.6 million for his last campaign, and only 13% came from his contituents.

He's obviously 'shameless'.