Who Says You Can't Make Fun of the Presidential Election?

There's been much teeth-gnashing among media folks following a New York Times story saying that people -- comedians in particular -- are uncomfortable poking fun at Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. This navel gazing came on the heels of the ill-advised New Yorker cover which was intended to mock critics of the Obamas . . . but instead got some Obama supporters really angry.

For those people who are pondering how to go about seeing and remarking on the humor in this election need to chill out and take a page from the guys at the JibJab web site who, since 2004, have regularly been dispensing humorous, bipartisan criticism via video about our elected officials with sharp incisiveness that sometimes teeters on the edge of impropriety. Which is what makes the JibJab videos so much fun. They know how to create satire that's clearly satire.

The latest JibJab video, released to kick off the general election campaign, portrays Republican presidential candidate John McCain as a tough, gruff, old military dude, while Obama is like a naive Bambi in the woods, cavorting with wildlife amidst rainbows. For those who are tired of the ultra-serious campaign coverage and want a laugh, this is a must. (I had trouble embedding the video, so click here to watch it.)

Image credit: JibJab.