Article: NORMAN MAILER WOULD HAVE LIKED THIS ONE

NORMAN MAILER WOULD HAVE LIKED THIS ONE By Kevin A. Stoda Norman Mailer passed away the other day. Following his death, DEMOCRACY NOW reran an interview from him in 2004. In that interview, Mailer had warned the Democratic Party and the liberal or progressive establishments of Americans that they have been laughing and making jokes about conservatives, the religious right, and the Republicans for too many years-but to no avail! According to Mailer, the Democrats were continuing to lose ground despite being funny and making jokes at expense of others. A GOOD ONE Despite this sobering critique by Mailer in making his case that we need to seek hearts and minds-not a good laugh-in getting Americans to join the movement, I would have to agree that the particular e-mail joke that my mom sent me today is quite good and pertinent-i.e,. it needs to be repeated and studied by all savvy politicians. [My mom is a good bellwether of politics and humor in rural or middle America as she was born and raised there and was married to a Republican for years.] The joke, she forwarded, went as follows: "President George W. Bush was scheduled to visit the Episcopal Church in NW Washington as part of his campaign to restore his 28% approval rating in the polls. Karl Rove made a visit to the Bishop and said, 'We've been getting a lot of bad publicity because of the President's position on stem cell research, the Iraq war, Hurricane Katrina, and the VA Hospitals. But, we'll make a $500,000 contribution to your church if during your sermon you will say that the President is a saint. The Bishop thought it over for a few moments and finally said, 'The Church could really use the money - I'll do it.' The following Sunday, President Bush showed up for the sermon, and the Bishop began: 'I'd like to speak to all of you this morning about our President, George Bush. He is a liar, a cheat, and a low-intelligence weasel. He took the tragedy of September 11 and used it to frighten and manipulate the American people. He lied about weapons of mass destruction and invaded Iraq for oil and money, causing the deaths of tens of thousands and making the United States the most hated nation on earth. 'He appointed cronies to positions of power and influence, leading to widespread death and destruction during Hurricane Katrina. He awarded contracts and tax cuts to his rich friends so that we now have more poverty in this country and a greater gap between rich and poor than we've had since the Depression. 'He has headed the most corrupt, bribe-inducing political party since Teapot Dome Scandal. The national surplus has turned into a staggering national debt of 7.6 trillion Dollars, gas prices are up 85%, which the people of America cannot afford, and vital research into global warming and stem cells is stopped cold because he's afraid to lose votes from the religious right. 'He is the worst example of a true Christian I've ever known. But compared to Dick Cheney, George W. Bush is a saint.' PUCHLINE INDICATES: TIME IS VERY RIPE TO IMPEACH CHENEY In short, if this joke is doing well (in Peoria or) in rural USA at this point in time, the Democratic leadership is absolutely blind not to see that now is the time to impeach the vice-president. It is unimportant as to whether the impeachment is successful or completed by January 2009! In the 1860s, 1970s and 1990s the America public saw the impeachment process at work in Washington, D.C. Each and every time, the political party that was in power when the impeachment of the resident of the White House was begun won the subsequent presidential election. This is a no-brainer, America (especially you Democratic Party bigshots)! Wake up, smell the resurrection burning in America's hinterland, and jump in front of the long assemblage of conservatives, liberals and reformists calling for impeachment(s) of the residents of the WHITE HOUSE, now! p.s. Does anyone know the original source of the joke?