Political Irony

Another Gem from humorist Andy Borowitz:

Responding to a chorus of outrage touched off by her comments about the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy, Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY) made a bold attempt at damage control today by distancing herself from herself.

Many political observers had assumed Sen. Clinton would respond in some manner to the controversy she had created with her comments, but few expected her to throw herself under the bus.

At a rally today in South Dakota, the New York senator said that the comments she made were “totally unacceptable,” adding, “I hereby reject and denounce myself.”

Attempting to reassure her dwindling base of support, she said that her comments “have no place in a political campaign, and the person who made them will have no role in my administration.”

Sen. Clinton also offered an explanation for her comments about the late Sen. Kennedy, telling the crowd, “I am still suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of my service in the Bosnian army.”

While early reaction to her latest comments was mixed, Clinton aide Terry McAuliffe called the speech “a home run.”

“She came out today and said she was disgusted and appalled by Hillary Clinton,” Mr. McAuliffe said. “That puts her in the mainstream of American opinion.”

Sen. Clinton’s decision to throw herself under the bus also drew praise from her husband, former president Bill Clinton, who joined in rejecting and denouncing her.

“When I heard her comments about Bobby Kennedy, I thought, wow, somebody in her campaign said something idiotic and this time it wasn’t me,” he said.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/andy-borowitz/hillary-rejects-denounces_b_103420.html

From an interview in 2000 with Jim Leher:

Lehrer: Finally for the record, you have not lost your desire to be President of the United States have you?

McCain: Certainly it’s been put in deep cold storage. haha..

Lehrer: You haven’t lost it?

McCain: Well, in 2004, I expect to be campaigning for the reelection of President George W. Bush, and by 2008, I think I might be ready to go down to the old soldiers home and await the cavalry charge there.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2008/05/23/in-2000-mccain-admits-hed-be-too-old-to-run-in-2008/

Sometimes, drama turns unexpectedly into comedy, as is the case with the current $290 Billion Farm Bill. First, congress passes this bill, brimming (as is usual in an election year) with earmarks (better known as “pork”). Second, they send it to President Bush, who vetoes it. Third, congress overrides the veto.

Then the comedy starts. Congress discovers that an aide dropped a 34 page section from the phone-book sized bill before they sent it to the president.  So the bill that was passed by congress was not the same bill that was vetoed. Congress tries to pass the 34 page section separately, but Republicans balk.

So now, congress is going to pass the entire bill again, then send it to the president, who will veto it again, and they will (again) override the veto.

http://www.reason.com/blog/show/126615.html