Senator McCain Isn't Funny, So Stop Encouraging Him

As we approach the August vacation season, naturally our thoughts turn to President Bush who has a just-a-regular-guy penchant for both five-week paid vacations and participating in unrelated tomfoolery during times of crisis.

This week, for instance, as the stock market spazzed and the price of everything climbed higher; as disaster struck American soldiers in Afghanistan; and as more Americans lost their homes to foreclosures due to the effects of Reaganomics... President Bush played t-ball.

In the past, it's been guitar-strumming and cake-eating during hurricanes. It's been golfing while Bin Laden planned to attack inside the U.S. It's been pontoon-boating trips, Barney-Cam videos and hilarious slideshows during some of the bloodiest days of the Iraq occupation.

And during Tuesday's press conference, as the DJIA sank below 11,000 for the first time in years, here are some of the president's facial expressions while mumbling his way through questions about bank bailouts, lost savings and $5/gallon gasoline:

The only explanations for these faces are, 1) the president doesn't take his job seriously -- like always, or 2) he's being tickled.

Undignified displays of grinning nonsense coinciding with times in which he ought to be acting like a president will hopefully be recorded as significant part of his legacy. To be fair, however, President Hoover was almost as bad -- participating in an All-American Grabasstic League exhibition game while the stock market crashed. (Historical sporting note: the Dale City "Blustery Pips" won the day, 32-10. However, their team leader, Festus "Long Whiskers" Pennypacker, suffered from tired blood and had to take three penalties for "infield respites." None of this is Hoover story is true.)

And now it's clear that the president's would-be Republican successor, Senator McJackie the McJokeman, will prove to be even less serious and dignified in the role of Smirker-in-Chief. If that were even possible.

Last week, in response to a serious question about Iran, the Republican presumptive nominee joked about killing Iranians with weaponized cancer. This week, it's news about a joke involving gorillas and rape.

"Did you hear the one about the woman who is attacked on the street by a gorilla, beaten senseless, raped repeatedly and left to die? When she finally regains consciousness and tries to speak, her doctor leans over to hear her sigh contently and to feebly ask, 'Where is that marvelous ape?'"

Get it? Women like to be beaten and raped. Hoo-hoo! In days past, it's been jokes about wife-beating, bombing Iran, Chelsea Clinton's looks, and Alzheimer's Disease. Based on these precedents, I can only imagine Senator McCain's forthcoming zingers about still-births, burn victims and Thalidomide.

But not unlike the president's overly jocular behavior during serious questions or serious crisis, for Senator McCain it's all about context and tone. How should a president behave in public? No one expects the presidency to be monastical of course. In fact, many of our greatest presidents were able to use comedy to their advantage, and more than a few of them knew how to make with the profanity. But, like anything, there's a time and place for such behavior. There's a context.

--The president isn't you and me. You and I can tell whatever joke we want whenever we want because we don't have to represent 300 million people on the world stage. Your personal behavior doesn't necessarily get passed on to posterity as a reflection of an entire era in American history. So if you want to tell that gorilla rape joke to your spouse or parents, have at it. If Senator McCain wants to tell a joke like that, he embarrasses more than just himself.

--The president ought to have good judgment. No shocker there. Judgment in this regard is the difference between, say, an invasion of Cuba leading to thermonuclear war or, on the other hand, a smarter, more sensible quarantine option. (Historians will forever hypothesize how Nixon, for instance, would have handled those 13 days.) Is certain behavior appropriate or obnoxious? If a candidate is unable to control himself and blurts out a joke about bestial rape or killing civilians despite the fact that there are reporters everywhere and he happens to be running for president, it goes a long way towards determining whether he's someone who we can trust to make snap decisions with global implications or whether he's simply a tweaking street loon who talks to invisible shadow people.

--The president should know the difference between funny and not funny, or else -- stay away from the comedy. A sense of humor doesn't literally mean "the ability to recite a joke." Anyone can repeat a joke. But politicians like Senator McCain have managed to accumulate a captive audience of reporters who have to laugh at his jokes or else be tossed out of the barbeque loop. Consequently, he can tell one of his awful jokes and everyone in the corp snarfs up their cole slaw. This reaction has thusly given the senator the false impression that he's funny, when he's really not. The gorilla rape joke, for example, is only funny in the context of, say, a larger bit about unfunny jokes -- or bad comics who try way too hard to be funny.

There was a classic episode of The Larry Sanders Show in which Hank, played by Jeffrey Tambor, guest-hosts the show. The first night during the opening monologue, the audience laughs along with him because he's genuinely nervous and humbled. However, the next night, the novelty of Hank is worn away due to his enormous ego and so he bombs. Then everything goes to hell when Hank, still in the monologue, calls the head writer "a hopeless retard" -- thinking it would get a laugh. Instead, the audience is shocked into silence until someone yells out, "You suck!" Artie (Rip Torn) stops the show and airs a Best of Larry in its place.

Artie's advice to Hank: "Now Hank, what have we learned here? When you're vulnerable and humble, people like you. When you act like an asshole, people tend to think of you as an asshole."

President Bush has been Hank for a long, long time. Senator McCain, if elected, will be far worse.

Bob Cesca's Goddamn Awesome Blog! Go!

Comments

[FloridaGeek]

Seems that Bush is acting like most Americans; going about their lives. If you look hard enough there are always 12 bad things going on in the world. Some of us don't spend our days cowering in the corner worrying about things that really don't affect our daily lives one iota.

[BoulderSue]

I don't think he is so innocuous He has called his wife some prety nasty things in public, and check out what he did to his first wife. It compares unfavorably compared to what Newt Gingrich pulled, and tthat's going some. I don't think he likes women- notice how poor Cindy sort of trails along behind him like a neglected pet sometimes (no reflection on Cindy meant)? His other jokes not concerning women are about as funny as a heart attack. His attitude toward women was painfully revealed when he was asked about Viagra vs. birth control being covered by insurance. Such humor does not relect well on this country. And don't get me started on Bush's "humor".

[rockyroad]

Innocuous:

Barak is doing such a fine job in Iraq. God bless his cotton sox. Hope his wife is doing well too.

[nanton29]

Barack's comment on folks clinging to their guns and religion was an innocuos statement.

McCain's joke on rape and the gorilla in NOT funny and certainly NOT innocuous.

Thanks Huffpost for telling us about this. Not a word from Rush or Hannity about that, what a surprise!!!!!!!

[Kwaayesnama]

What are my choices?
McCain says you are better off under George Bush - Nope I'll vote for the smart black man.
He wants to continue killing more people looking for weapons of mass destruction that do not exist - Gee! I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for a man that does not know that 9-11 was caused by Osama Bin Laden not Sedam Hussein - Easy! I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man who does not know if the Sunnis or Sheits are our enemies - No way I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man who helped put our government on the China, Saudi Arabia credit card. - Not a chance I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man who wants a right-wing Supreme Court - I'll vote for the smart black man.
Vote for the man with the worst temper in the Senate to have his finger on the nuclear button - No way - I'll vote for the smart black man.

[RobtBrock]

I think that McCain is very funny: Every time he opens his mouth I hear the voice of Jim Backus. Hilarious, I tell you!

[berrycooda]

We have to be the laughing stock of the world.....ONLY IN AMERICA...is our President (present time
President Bush and also previous Presidents, Rep or Democrat so dishonored and ridiculed.
If this is free speech, then no wonder some countries forbid it.
Common decency and respect for the highest office in America would be more appropriate.

Anything goes with comedians, (and in some areas, reporters) . It is too bad they can't stick to facts at hand instead of trying to humiliate them for pronouncing wrong or how they look or facial expressions.
There are too many people trying to be "cutesy" and it comes off as insulting and "low class."
Apparently, they are trying to fill up space until the next "newsworthy" thing ,which will also be run into the ground, happens. At which time a camera and microphone can be in somebody's face until a tear will finally show up and make it all soooooo worthwhile.....

[mergina]

I DO NOT think this rape joke should go away. Joking about rape is a form of committing rape. There is NOTHING funny about this violent crime, unless you have a rapist mentality, you are a rapist, or you just suffer from the mindlessness testosterone creates in every male of the species. There is nothing funny about the years of psychological scars, the pain, the guilt, the fear of being out anywhere alone or never going out at night. No, THIS MCCAIN RAPE JOKE SHOULD MOST DEFINITELY NOT GO AWAY.

[pece]

IWe were talking about how most conservative and republicans have this smirk or their face when talking about kids getting killed overseas, people losing their homes, jobs.... they have jokes, but you know it all going to crash in on them, I trule beilve that it is going to be landslide this elction, that way they will not be able to stil it.I am so sick of them they are all a bunch of kluckers from the past hearless and gutless cowards......The whole world is sick of them.

[Thorn2008]

There is some pretty credible science on why individuals like Bush and McCain make those snide smiles and crack absured and often crude jokes in an attempt to disarm. The CIA teaches interigators and special agents to spot these tells as they are a sign of deception.
McCains grin actually has the ability to produce a chill. Creepy.

[Groobiecat]

Good points all, Bob. Finally, someone takes the POTUS (aheheh, he said "POTUS") to account for his unbelievably insensitive, puerile sense of humor/resp­onsibility­. Once, during a press conference in which he was asked about which authority governed the behaviors of contracted mercenaries in Iraq, Bush laughed nervously and made some inane comment about why he has "people" that can answer such things and that he would "get back" to the reporter on it and continued to laugh. Of course, the subject was about how hired contractors can kill with impunity in Iraq, and there is no governing authority for their actions. But his approach to handling the inquiry was to laugh it off. The insane are truly in charge of the asylum. McCain's "laugh or you're out" and good old boy dumb@ss jokes are a continuation of this legacy. And it's why the rest of the world is holding its breath--can the Americans elect a real president this time, they wonder? Can they elect someone who isn't a frat boy of one kind or another who have no sense of propriety (or humility)? Thanks for posting this well written and reasoned summary of why it's not a laughing matter.

[shillalagh]

mccain has a pattern with these jokes. that joke of us from 1998 "this is why chelsea clinton because janet reno is her father HA!!!!!!!H­A!!!!!!!!! is not funny, but cruel, both to chelsea and also to janet reno but, especially to chelsea who was 18 at the time. she didn't ask to be put in the public eye. if barack had done this? i can only imagine when is he going to be old enough to know better?

[mergina]

Yeeech! The prospect of this bad joke spewing antique actually getting into the white house is pretty disgusting.

[NotMcCain]

I hate to defend McSame, but the gorilla/rape "joke" was from years ago and McCain denies making it (he probably did, but in fairness, we really don't KNOW).

We -do- know the wit involved with him onstage singing, "Bomb, bomb, bomb, bomb Iran" which is documented for all to see on YouTube.

But, in his 10 appearances on The Daily Show, McCain has, on occasion, shown that he -can- be intentionally amusing, even deceptively likeable.

The same canNOT be said of the Smirker-in-Chief. Even this week with his parting "F-U" remark to world leaders at the G8 summit, "Good-bye from the biggest polluter in the world!", Bush is still the most UNfunny embarrassment to this country we've ever had.

I only hope that some day, maybe January 20 when he finally gets out of his WH coccoon, he will realize how DESPISED he is, how he and his "team" have systematically ruined so much about this country and that he will finally take it seriously and feel the appropriate shame, remorse, and guilt.

That's my hope--and it, more than GWB's or McSame's "jokes"--makes me smile.

[MilesTrane21]

I think McCain is extremely funny. He has a definite future in sketch comedy. He has a fairly good sense of humor, as seen on The Daily Show and also, less noticed, his extremely funny bits on SNL. He's much better at it than at policy, so why not encourage him?

[Wistful]

Thanks for speaking the truth, because of the Huff Post and other internet websites these fools will never again get away with their despicable partisan pandering; they may continue to do so, they just won't get away with it!
Just think what the media would be quacking away about if Obama or even, Hillary, said and acted as repulsively assinine and utterly stupid as McCain and Bush do!

Obama would be crucified for eternity all day, every day on MSNBC, CNN and, FascistFox is a given. The WaPoo would be writing editorials to prove their point that Obama just isn't fit to be president of the United States, especially after that distinguished example of a statesman and world leader, The Sociopath, held sway for eight long murderous years.
Why, How could Sen. Obama ever live up to McCain's and Bush's noble examples of dignified, statesmanlike conduct I can only wonder!

I saw a film clip just yesterday in which a group of the media's more reliable jackals were gathered around the pandered-to McCain, laughing like hyenas at his repulsive crapola that passes for 'wit' for this goose-stepping media -- Hi laughing your ass off fool, Karen Tumelty!

[Rjchinook]

McCain reminds me of my brother who is a sexist and I believe he actually hates women (I don't know how my sister-in-law has put up with him all these years). My brother is a Marine veteran and served in Vietnam (very limited time) and he cracks distasteful and crude jokes about women, minorities etc. all the time, and those are just the ones he dare tells in mix audiences. He's only in his late 50's but most all his male friends are the same way and have similar backgrounds. I'm not sure what causes this outright sexist and disrespect for women because after he got out of the military he grew his hair long and hit the tail end of the hippie movement. My father wasn't near as sexist as my brother and he's been that way before his military service. However, I think his military service made him worse.
Does anyone have a explaination for this type of extreme sexism?

[Princeton]

My guess would be that your brother is insecure about himself and these jokes somehow give him a false sense of security and superiority.

[SoberFan]

Sounds like your brother has a bad sense of humor and your sister-in-law loves him, rather than his jokes. If he was such a sexist, why would he be married? Open your mind.

[sprite]

You are kidding, right? Sexists never marry?