2012: The Humor Primary
This Mark Shields column got me thinking:
Humor, most especially self-deprecatory humor, where a political leader publicly kids his own perceived weaknesses and errors, sends an emphatically positive message about that leader's emotional security. The politician who can laugh easily at himself tells his audience and the nation that "I'm really not that pompous or self-important. Even though I'm up here — in this office — on this elevated platform, I don't consider myself any better than any of you sitting out there."
Shields then provides some examples from Ronald Reagan:
As someone who earlier worked writing humor for many politicians from both parties, I can testify that only a special handful are both comfortable and convincing poking fun at themselves. There was no gag writer present when Reagan, as a candidate, was asked by a political reporter to autograph a poster photo of him and his chimp co-star in "Bedtime for Bonzo." Reagan wrote, "I'm the one with the watch."
During the 1980 campaign, after Reagan incorrectly insisted that trees cause more pollution than automobiles, he arrived for a speech on a California college campus, where some wiseguy grad student had hung a sign on a tree: "Cut me down before I kill again." To his credit, Reagan laughed heartily at the needle.
Americans love politicians who don't take themselves too seriously. A quick wit and a willingness to poke fun at oneself are winning attributes in any contest. This will be especially true in 2012, when the Republican nominee will be campaigning against a self-serious and pedantic incumbent president.
But who among the Republicans wins the 2012 humor primary? There are a lot of serious conservatives out there -- Mitch Daniels, Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Paul Ryan -- who have interesting approaches to the nation's many problems. But these guys are not what you'd call a barrel of laughs.
Sarah Palin has shown a willingness to crack a joke at her own expense. But her best lines have been written by her speechwriters; she hasn't quite exhibited an extemporaneous, Reaganite quick wit.
Who has? A certain former governor of Arkansas -- who also, perhaps relatedly, is tops in the latest polling of Iowa Republicans.
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Comments :
Aug '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
I dunno. I've heard Mitch Daniels being pretty funny.
Aug '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Good God! I just looked at the poll. It's Huckabee.
Please no.
Jun '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Rep. Thaddeus McCotter from Michigan is pretty darn funny, and conservative too.
Jun '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Former governor Gary Johnson of New Mexico is certainly down to earth and self-deprecating. Probably too libertarian though. It's also rumored that he takes the occasional toke.
Aug '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
I'll just say that I'm not a fan of Gov. Huckabee. In my humble opinion, he's more of a populist than a conservative from what I can tell. I wouldn't vote for him in the primaries.
May '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
A lot of people seem to be charmed by his pastor demeanor, but I find it off-putting. I don't want to feel like I'm sitting in church every time the President speaks.
Jun '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Churchill had a large ego, but he was a master of using humor, and much of it was self-deprecating. I agree with Matthew: people like leaders who are willing to take a ribbing, especially if they're willing to rib themselves. Which is one of the problems with Obama. He is fundamentally a wonk and his attempts at humor completely lack authenticity. People can tell. Where Reagan has a genuine smile, Obama's looks more like a grimace.
I love Reagan for lots of reasons, but his willingness to be the butt of a joke was genuinely endearing.
May '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Gee, thanks. I was really enjoying this post until the last sentence. Now I'm crawling on the floor looking for a stray Xanax.
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Just riding around on a Harley -- especially for vertically challenged guys like Mitch Daniels and, well, like me -- is evidence of a robust sense of humor.
Jul '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Huckabee would have to drop all that weight he put on since the last campaign. A better fat man would be the governor of New Jersey.
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
I agree about Mitch Daniels being funny. VERY dry sense of humour, however.
As for Mike Huckabee -- I'm moving to Canada should he ever achieve high office.
Aug '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Steven Potter: I'll just say that I'm not a fan of Gov. Huckabee. In my humble opinion, he's more of a populist than a conservative from what I can tell. I wouldn't vote for him in the primaries. · Aug 16 at 4:04pm
Me neither. He has called for cap'n'trade, thinks anthropogenic global warming requires gov't intervention because it's a a "moral problem", says he'd make the US "energy independent" by his second term (not gonna happen). He won't support free trade (wanting "fair trade" instead, and you know what that means). He increased spending in AK.
He sounds to me like a Christian Statist more than anything.
How he's "conservative" is how liberals accuse conservatives of being, even though the vast majority of us aren't: no abortion even for rape or incest, anti-evolution, and saying stuff like, "[I]t's a lot easier to change the Constitution than it would be to change the word of the living God" (guess what that means?).
Huckabee scares me. Not only would I vote against him in the primaries, I'd pay good money to see him beat!
May '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Mitch Daniels is like a a better version of Bob Dole. And while the perfect foil for Obama would be someone more avuncular, it would still be fun to watch.
May '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
I second Thad McCotter. His jabs with Dennis Miller and Greg Gutfield shows he can go toe-to-toe with anyone.
Jul '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
My take on Mike Huckabee is that, as President, he would make quite a good pastor.
Fred Thompson is pretty funny. One of my favorite moments in the 2008 Republican YouTube-Gotcha-Questions-Picked-by-Media-Liberals debate was when one of the question videos featured a grotesque, sinister animated Dick Cheney. When his turn came, Thompson said, "I'm just relieved. I thought that was supposed to be me."
May '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
I strongly encourage John Hinderaker and Beau James Lileks to enter in here and support my points- the guy who is at least as willing to laugh and crack jokes at his own expense is Tim Pawlenty. It is especially fun to see him and his wife in a less formal setting, where they toss the zingers back and forth at lightning speed. Go watch him in action at a state fair or the like.
One of his preferred methods is to tell stories about his daughters, where the punch line is a zap on him by the little darling.
Jul '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
A point of order: trees do contribute more to organic aerosol concentrations than combustion emissions.
Reagan was right about that to an extent.
May '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
I'll take that a step further: if somehow Huckabee were the nominee, I wouldn't vote at all in the general.
Aug '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
I live in dread that Huckabee might somehow become the GOP nominee in 2012. I might hold my nose and vote for him, but I sure wouldn't campaign for him. I think he is more of a populist than a conservative. Also, in one of the early televised '08 presidential debates he held his hand up when the assemblage was asked "who doesn't believe in evolution". Sorry Governor, it's a scientific fact and I have no respect for any politician who isn't informed enough to realize that.
BTW, understanding that evolution has taken place doesn't mean that one can't also believe in God.
May '10
Re: 2012: The Humor Primary
Bill F: ..... in one of the early televised '08 presidential debates he held his hand up when the assemblage was asked "who doesn't believe in evolution". Sorry Governor, it's a scientific fact and I have no respect for any politician who isn't informed enough to realize that.
BTW, understanding that evolution has taken place doesn't mean that one can't also believe in God. · Aug 18 at 8:06pm
Depends on the definition of "evolution", doesn't it? In one sense, though I agree with every other negative commenter regarding Huckabee (he is no economic conservative, nor does he respect limits on government), I had to sort of admire his courage in raising his hand when he had to know the insults that would follow. Compare that with Francis Collins, who makes speeches proclaiming generically described "evolution", and decrying intelligent design, when the substance of his words show that he clearly actually believes in intelligent design (as Meyer defines it).