No matter how funny, cruel or lame they may be, no one can joke about the effects of political jokes on the popularity of US presidential candidates. With political humor and spoofs sprawled all over late night shows and the joke-opedia on the net, Barrack Obama, McCain, and their respective running-mates are saving some considerable campaign finances. Just like the old cliché, “bad publicity is still publicity”.

Famous for Being Joked About

McCain’s republican running-mate, Sarah Palin, has become a household name all over the world after the much-hyped about SNL spoof. Then there’s the Leno joke (actually, everyone has joked about this) of her being clueless on the first thing about foreign policies quoting “Up til now, most of her knowledge about foreign countries came from watching the ‘Amazing Race.’ … She met with the presidents of Afghanistan, Colombia and Iraq. She was excited because these are all countries you can’t see from Alaska.”
Ironically, she has gained more popularity all throughout America out of these jokes than out of being the governor of Alaska.

Barrack Obama is never new to Popville. He has been popular since his senatorial years and now, being the very first black presidential candidate. To say that he has been the hot topic of all these late night shows and even the male muse of political joke sites on the web is even an understatement. His fame has been all the rage this political joke season. “Barack Obama, you know has a lot of supporters here in America, but he’s very popular internationally. It’s quite interesting. This is a true story. It was in the paper. Barack Obama is so popular in the African town where his father was born, they’ve named a beer after him,” mused Conan O’Brien.

McCain, often targeted for his age, has benefited considerably because of the jokes thrown at and about him like arguments in a presidential debate. “No, no, he said he’d like to postpone the presidential debate until he’s, you know, ahead in the polls,” said Leno in his show.

The “Have-Beens” Being “In” Because of Jokes

Although already a former president, political jokes have never left Clinton ever since the Lewinsky scandal he has involved himself in. Now that his wife is also a strong name in the political rat-race, both of them have the butt of all late night jokes. Their relationship and political ventures have been intertwined in the jokes buzzing the internet. Conan O’Brien even joked, “This weekend, Bill Clinton said Hillary should not drop out of the presidential race. Yeah, when asked why, Bill said, ‘because then she’d come home’.”

Who Says Election Should Be so Serious?

November 4 is Election Day. That day begins the end. Anything can happened between then and now—economies failing, running-mates getting themselves into more trouble, and the Congress being clueless as to what to do with the Wall Street issue. On the other hand, if you want to stay positive about these topsy-turvy election adventures and laugh in the process, don’t fret. More political jokes are being baked in the oven.