Tuesday, May 20, 2008
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Should McCain Appear on 'SNL' and 'The Daily Show?'
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Posted by:
Mary Katharine Ham at
11:00 AM
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Laura Ingraham disagrees with me on this one (see us discuss it on O'Reilly last night). I can see the argument from fellow conservatives that this kind of thing is beneath the dignity of the office, but I can't entirely agree. Reagan's humor was one of his best qualities. It made him beloved and allowed him to parry everything from assaults on his age to the American value system (remember those old Communist jokes?).
In '84, Reagan had the luxury of being able to wait until a debate to deliver his immortal line:
In the first televised debate, Mondale put in an unexpectedly strong performance, questioning Reagan's age and capacity to endure the grueling demands of the presidency (Reagan was the oldest person to serve as president -- 73 at the time -- while Mondale was 56). However, in the next debate on October 21, 1984, Reagan effectively neutralized the issue by quipping, "I will not make age an issue of this campaign. I am not going to exploit, for political purposes, my opponent's youth and inexperience." It was a clever, quick-witted retort delivered in a dignified setting, and it had even Mondale in stitches. He undermined the age attack perfectly with his clear presence of mind.
McCain did the same on "SNL" and does it frequently with quick retorts in the town hall style meetings he loves so much. He cannot wait until official debates start to neutralize the age issue. He cannot tarry until the Democrats finally pick a candidate and he is given a setting that suits the dignity of the President of the United States.
I think comedy shows, somewhat counterintuitively, are McCain's milieu. He's comfortable and likeable in these settings, and in the case of "SNL" and "The Daily Show," they often give him a chance to hit on policy issues. When he appears on these shows there's a little bit of a challenge in it for Obama, who should be the one owning these stages. "I can operate on your turf, Junior," McCain seems to say. "Now, look what happens when you try to play on mine. You start saying Iran's not a threat. Amateur."
Don't get me wrong. He will not turn the masses of Obama drones toward him with these appearances, but he does escape the "humorless conservative" label and upholds the McCain brand, which at this point is a damn sight better than the Republican one if you're looking for a win in November. These appearances, for what it's worth, also put the one Republican that young people are more inclined to vote for in front of young people. It's not gonna win him the youth vote, but it's a decent (if not perfect) conduit for a couple conservative ideas.
Bottom line, it's good politics, and I don't think he's done anything to disgrace the office. It's the same quick wit we loved in Reagan; he's just practicing it in different venues. I think it's something conservatives need to do.
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McCain's appearance on SNL a few years ago singing the Barbra Streisand Greatest Hits was one of the funniest skits they had done in a long time. Don't underestimate the likeability and relatability factor. He is able to position himself as the relaxed populist while Obama looks like the humorless elitist.
Cindy McCain on Leno was also great - she was warm, funny and completely relatable.
c'mon - 43 year old McCain was able to woo and win a 25-year old blonde model who was a beer heiress to boot - isn't that every middle aged man's dream?? |
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A gently biting humor is the only way we are going to overcome the MSM bias and intelligentsia assumption of superiority--by making fun of them, and yet not seeming bitter or antagnositic about it. Direct assaults they can withstand. Gentle ridicule they cannot. It is their Achille's heel. Death by a thousand cuts.
For you see, if the audience laughs at the joke, it implicity ratifies the assumption behind the joke--and there is no counterargument possible, since, after all, no direct attack was made, and they will seem as whiners and uptight jerks. Especially if you gently mock yourself as well.
The key is to gently, ever so gently do it in seemingly good will--sort of a sideswipe that only later makes the recipient think "Hey, that sorry sack of ...."
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You're more correct than you realize. These center-left talk shows are where McCain is most-comfortable because he has more in common with them.
If only I could find more positive differences between the McCain brand and the RNC brand beyond pork, I'd be happier (or at least less-depressed). The problem is that not only both brands' having but a passing resemblance to conservatism, but the majority of the McCain brand's differences with the RNC brand is to the left.
As for the appearances themselves, one has to speak where the voters are. They aren't at the debates and the Rotary Clubs anymore.
One more thing; it's Tuesday; do we know where the latest HamNation is? :-) |
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I should have been paying more attention last night. When I watched, it looked like you two were lamenting over what steveegg is lamenting over in the comment before me: McCain should be appearing in more conservative venues and be nice to *us*, not them. And there's nothing wrong with any conservative thinking that way.
There wasn't any sarcasm in anything I said above.
I don't watch SNL. I haven't watched regularly in a year and a half. The current cast just doesn't please me. Too much snark. Plus, they made fun of BOR and FNC. But in the clips that I've been referred to at the SNL page on NBC's website, I've enjoyed what I've seen. McCain's sketches were quite amusing. I like a guy that can poke fun at himself...although it's better if I'm line with his ideology. |
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Sorry Laura but it's not "beneath the office" because he's not in the office (yet). Bush went on some entertainment shows as a candidate but not as President - so did Clinton for that matter. I don't think this harms the Presidency.
Buzz |
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A few people mentioned that McCain going on SNL is not speaking to conservatives and he should be doing more speaking to conservative groups. Lets face it though. Alot of conservatives do watch SNL as well as iconoclasts and people of all stripes.
McCain's best attributes is his sense of human and ability to reach different people. Shows like SNL showcase that. One interesting thing that I have seen in this campaign is McCain's ability to touch individuals, somehting Obama has not been able to do. This is especially important since McCain will be asking people to go with him on things they may not agree with like the war in Iraq, getting rid of Roe V Wade, and tighter boarder security. That is why it is the right thing to do the focus on groups like La Raza. McCain will never go along with their extreme positions, but by trying to argue against them in a dignified way he will certainly get the fence sitters.
Obama has not yet made this reach and I don't think he ever will. Obama's strength is the grand uplifting speech. He is not very good with convincing people that don't agree with him on all the issues. |
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Laura is right, but McCain's not IN office . . .yet. The SNL appearance ranks with baby-kissing, boilermaker-downing and other indignities which a _candidate_ must endure to prove he is one of us (frankly, I don't want a carbon copy of me running this country, but . . .). MKH has got McCain spot-on. Our issues with him are his tendencies to compromise born of being a legislator rather than an executive. At least he was comfortable on the show; Obama, though among friends/acolytes, would have the look that he wished he were elsewhere.
And, we're not supposed to notice, but Ham is looking a tad filled out nowadays. Give her credit for going on TV regardless of cause, but I hope it means there's a little Ham around the corner . . . with a daddy.
RNK |
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When did this happen? Where the hell have I been? All this time, I thought she was single.
I'm serious. This comes as a complete surprise to me and I am in total denial. |
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Caught the segment last night (Why did they save you till the end? Note to self-send complaint to the Bloviator) Anyway, generally I agree with Laura on this matter. However, in McCain's case I think it is a good tactic and therefore, I don't find it as off putting as usual. When Reagan was running he was still youthful looking and still had a youthful physical demeanor. McCain looks his age and his demeanor definitely has a curmudgeonly edge so he needs the face time on these shows to cancel his negatives with younger voters. Like you said. |
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That's a wild charge to throw out there. |
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"The Bloviator" is on vacation.
And I'm really consumed by this idea that MKH is pregnant. |
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Oh, thank God. I mean, I had to check the video from last night (via Hot Air) and last Wednesday (via FOXNews.com Video) to see if she looked pregnant. I couldn't tell. But then again, I couldn't tell with Carrie Lukas.
MK probably isn't pregnant. If she was, she'd announce it, wouldn't she? |
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RNK,
Come on, bro, have some class.
It's impolite to publicly speculate about that.
To my eyes, MKH appears as lithe and fit as she always has looked.
And in truth, she's 10 lbs. lighter than she appears on TV, since the camera tends to add about 10 lbs. to one's appearance. |
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I am so naive and gullible. Seriously. |
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Of course, he should appear on comedy shows as he does great in them. |
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I've noticed too that MKH is looking just a bit fuller. But pregnant? I just chalked it up to road food.
However...
"...I hope it means there's a little Ham around the corner . . . with a daddy."
...I'll have to assume that if that is the reason then there is indeed a daddy.
I mean, I love the Ham and all, and I think she may just be *the* up and coming star analyst on the right...but virgin birth?
I'm thinking no. |
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and sometime's you're wrong. This was Laura's time to be wrong.
- The Cat
P.S. MKH is never wrong :) |
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If McCain is great on SNL and other comedy shows -- why hide it? Isn't this the guy who's supposed to have a lousy temper? The guy who's too old?
McCain destroyed those false notions with edgy, self-depricating wit, proving he's actually really cool. I enjoyed every second of it.
This was one of the Dole campaign's big mistakes in '96. Turns out, Dole is really funny too -- but his campaign wouldn't ever let him show it. This only made it easy for his opponents to paint him as old and cranky.
Thankfully, it looks like the McCain camp is savvy enough to avoid that error. Let McCain be McCain -- the most authentic candidate of '08. |
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He was funny and got some good points across. |
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MK, I'm inclined to agree with you. I don't have a problem with these candidates appearing on shows such as SNL, Leno, etc. It gives us a different side of them that we don't normally see with the talking points and teleprompters. At the same time, I understand where conservatives like Laura are coming from. |
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I agree with MKH, with the caveat that not all politicians do funny, and those who don't shouldn't try. McCain was great on the show, both this time and when he hosted in 2002. Gore was pretty good back then, too; surprisingly so given his robotic image. Hillary Clinton? Not funny. I felt as embarassed for her as I do for most of the individuals we see in the first few weeks of American Idol. |
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