Archive for June, 2008

Some Friendly Advice For McCain’s Veep Vetting Team

Thursday, June 26th, 2008

I was shocked to learn that John McCain is computer illiterate. Well, I have just the ticket:

Some Friendly Advice For McCain’s Veep Vetting Team
By Madeleine Begun Kane

McCain doesn’t use a PC
Or a Mac, so he needs a VP
Who can act as his tutor
In using a ‘puter
And help with the phone and TV.[tags]McCain’s Campaign, Computer Illiteracy, Campaign Satire, Computer Literacy, Election Humor, Mac Or PC, VP Vetting[/tags]

Posted in Campaign Humor, Election Satire, GOP Humor, Hi Tech Humor, John McCain, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Technology Humor, White House | 1 Comment »

I’m a 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor Finalist.

Tuesday, June 24th, 2008

Cool news! I’m a 2008 Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor Competition finalist. (The humor column that got me onto the finalists list is Guide For The Opera Impaired.)

“We had a delightful time selecting our top ten finalists this year,” said Robert Benchley Society chairperson David Trumbull. “It is a true honor to turn the job of selecting the top four essays over to Bob Newhart.”

“All of the entries are read blind. No one knows who wrote which essay until the judging is finished. This keeps the competition entirely merit based,” said Horace J. Digby, a past Benchley Society Award winner…

Newhart’s selection and ranking of the top four winners for this year’s Robert Benchley Society Awards will be announced the week of July 6th.

The Robert Benchley Society Award for Humor is an international writing competition dedicated to the warm, self-effacing comic writing style that made Benchley so beloved during his lifetime. …

I thought I’d celebrate with a limerick:

I can barely maintain my sobriety
Cuz the great Robert Benchley Society
Held a contest and wow,
I’m a finalist now.
Will I win the top prize? High anxiety!

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Posted in Bob Newhart, Humor Contests, Humor Writing, Non-Political Humor, Non-Political Verse, Robert Benchley Society | 4 Comments »

So, Is This Ageist Too? (Limerick & Commentary)

Wednesday, June 18th, 2008

I hope I’m wrong.  But I’m concerned that cowed (and confused) Dems may be backing off valid John McCain criticism out of fear of being called ageist.

As some Republicans see it, Democrats are deliberately talking in code about the presumptive 71-year-old GOP nominee as part of an attempt to highlight his age.

…

Obama aides deny any strategy to highlight age, and Obama, 46, himself told reporters last month that age should not be a factor. Indeed, he used to compliment McCain’s “half-century of service” to the country as a Vietnam War veteran and a member of Congress, but after McCain campaign manager Rick Davis argued that it was a sly way to inject age into the debate, Obama dropped the reference in February.  

…

But when Obama foreign policy adviser Susan Rice and Sen. John F. Kerry (D-Mass.) each described McCain as “confused” last week, Republicans became convinced that Democrats intend to run a crypto-ageist strategy, using words that create a subtle impression in voters’ minds.  

…

But the dynamic of Obama’s running against a candidate who’s a quarter of a century older is nonetheless creating an environment where some Democrats see the need to self-censor, proving that the McCain offensive is already working.

“I was going to say, ‘He lost his grip,’” said Democratic consultant Jonathan Prince, recalling a recent appearance on CNN’s “Situation Room.” “Those are normal words you use when you are involved in campaigns. You say, ‘They are nuts, they are off their rocker, they lost it.’ They have become very adept at grabbing every opportunity they can to turn it into a personal slur.”

The problem with John McCain isn’t his age per se.   McCain’s problem is he lacks the wisdom and maturity that ought to come with age.

And that brings me to my latest limerick:

So, Is This Ageist Too?
By Madeleine Begun Kane
 
Wah, wah, wah! Don’t critique John McCain.
If you do so you’re ageist — Insane!
I think that just maybe
McCain’s a big baby,
Too puerile to win this campaign.[tags]McCain Criticism, Democrats Humor, Campaign Satire, Election Humor[/tags]

Posted in Ageism Humor, Campaign Humor, Election Satire, GOP Humor, John McCain, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor, White House | 2 Comments »

Is Olbermann Turning Into O’Reilly?

Saturday, June 14th, 2008

Is it just me?  Or is Keith Olbermann turning into Bill O’Reilly?

The bombastic commentary.  The narcissism.  And, of course, the misogyny.

I’d thought that once Obama clinched the Democratic nomination, it would be safe to start watching Countdown again.  Without Keith’s daily anti-Hillary target practice, I might even be able to watch it without cringing.

Wrong!

Keith’s bloviating “Worst Person in the World” anti-Katie Couric tirade was almost enough to make me turn to Bill O’Reilly. Talk about desperate!

And that brings me to my latest limerick:

Is Olbermann Turning Into O’Reilly? 
By Madeleine Begun Kane

In the past I cheered Olbermann’s rants—
Loved his anti-war, anti-Bush stance.
But misogynous bluster
Is all he can muster
In Olbermann’s mirror-romance.

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Posted in Barack Obama, Bill O'Reilly, Campaign Humor, Election Satire, Feminism Humor, Gender Politics, Hillary Clinton, Keith Olbermann, Media Satire, Political Commentary, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire | 22 Comments »

Ode To McCainiac Recession-Deniers

Friday, June 13th, 2008

I can barely type (Damn you, broken wrist!) but  feel compelled to mock McCainiac recession-deniers, like Kevin Hassett of the American Enterprise Institute. Apparently, reports of the soaring cost of daily necessities and other bad economic news are “politically motivated pessimism” meant to boost Obama’s candidacy.

Ode To McCainiac Recession-Deniers (Limerick)
By Madeleine Begun Kane

Behold the recession-denier!
As inflation and job loss surge higher,
He will stubbornly claim
Lib’ral press is to blame
For making us think things are dire.[tags]Economy Satire, Election Humor, Campaign Poem, McCainiac, Recession Deniers, Inflation Limerick, Job Loss, Liberal Press, Kevin Hassett, American Enterprise Institute[/tags]

Posted in Barack Obama, Campaign Humor, Economy Humor, Election Satire, John McCain, Political Limericks, Political Verse, Politics Satire, Republicans Humor | Comments Off on Ode To McCainiac Recession-Deniers

Election Perspective (Haiku)

Tuesday, June 10th, 2008

The primary’s done.
But the election’s far from
Secondary.[tags]Election Haiku, Primary Senryu[/tags]

Posted in Election Satire, News Haiku & Senryu, Political Haiku & Senryu | 2 Comments »

No Posts? A Limerick Explains All

Wednesday, June 4th, 2008

This space has been quiet of late.
But it’s not that my readers don’t rate.
I’ve broken my wrist,
And my brain’s in a twist
From pain killers. Writing must wait.

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Posted in Health Satire, Non-Political Verse | 4 Comments »