or Powell's or me• • •
"Mike and Jon, Jon and Mike—I've known them both for years, and, clearly, one of them is very funny. As for the other: truly one of the great hangers-on of our time."—Steve Bodow, head writer, The Daily Show
•
"Who can really judge what's funny? If humor is a subjective medium, then can there be something that is really and truly hilarious? Me. This book."—Daniel Handler, author, Adverbs, and personal representative of Lemony Snicket
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"The good news: I thought Our Kampf was consistently hilarious. The bad news: I’m the guy who wrote Monkeybone."—Sam Hamm, screenwriter, Batman, Batman Returns, and Homecoming
October 03, 2008
The Trouble With Me
I'm a terrible political blugger because I would rather rip off my own head than listen to politicians debate. In most cases I'm tormented by the lies they tell. In the rare cases I think they're telling the truth, I'm tormented by their dreadful presentation (since most politicians are terrible performers). And I'm always always tormented by the fecklessness of the journalist moderators.
So I'm turning over reaction to tonight's debate to my cousin Yael Abouhalkah of the Kansas City Star:
By a knockout, Joe Biden was the more effective, better-informed vice presidential candidate Thursday night.Granted, Sarah Palin did not look like she was channeling a duncy Tina Fey. Palin looked far more confident than many people had expected. Her folksy approach to answering questions did get old rather quickly, though.
Overall, Biden's strengths overwhelmed Palin's.
Much more from Yael on the debate here. (For the record, our family agrees with commenter LD that Yael should "Put down the crack pipe you BIAS FOOL!!!!!!!!")
—Jonathan Schwarz
Posted at October 3, 2008 01:34 AMYou know, I've been looking for the blargherators NOT discussing the debates (sic) tonight, and even IOZ had up a post with his take.
Blargh.
Best posts on the debate (sic)? None.
Posted by: Rojo at October 3, 2008 02:18 AMYour cousin? Interesting, which Middle Eastern country is he or his family from? Whatever it is, the US-related shenanigans that drove him to the US should be delicious...
Posted by: En Ming Hee at October 3, 2008 09:03 AMHis father came here from Lebanon in the fifties. I don't think it was related to our shenanigans, however. If anyone, it was the French.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at October 3, 2008 09:12 AMinteresting to see that you are related to Yael. i'm from kansas city and like to read and watch him on a local public teevee political show.
Posted by: tony at October 3, 2008 09:18 AMQuite silly of you Americans to call these shows "debates." Nothing is debated. Each performer tosses in his/her chosen points and one-liners, and thus they skip from topic to topic.
"Carry On, Candidate," would be my title, should anyone choose to turn this TV presentation into a film.
tony, thanks for mentioning that. I'll have to tell him about it.
Posted by: Jonathan Schwarz at October 3, 2008 09:42 AMSo far I've seen one commenter at another blog mention Biden's regret that we didn'tdrive Hezbollah out of Lebanon. Ifill forgot to do a followup to see how Joe thought that would have worked.
Me, I want a foreign invasion force to drive the Democrats and Republicans out of America--I figure if I play a few more games of "Civilization", I'll work out the military and logistical details.
Posted by: Donald Johnson at October 3, 2008 02:24 PMHere is the Biden remark on Hezbollah--
"When we kicked -- along with France, we kicked Hezbollah out of Lebanon, I said and Barack said, "Move NATO forces in there. Fill the vacuum, because if you don't know -- if you don't, Hezbollah will control it."
Now what's happened? Hezbollah is a legitimate part of the government in the country immediately to the north of Israel."
For the foreign invasion of the USA, in absence of a Grand Duchy of Fenwick, I propose a giant Trojan Donkey as a foreign gift to the Obama administration. And then...
Alas, no Homer to write it up.
