George Oames’s Reviews > The Truth with Jokes > Status Update

Man, George W. Bush sure was fucked, wasn't he? Glad all of that nonsense is over with now.

Reading this book is a lot like watching an episode of The Daily Show. The methodical way in which they pick apart the transgressions of the American right while adding 'humor' is practically identical (which, for the record, I agree with most of their points). The problem with this approach, and I believe this also applies to the left more generally, is that it is easily percieved as smug and morally superior.

Contains plenty of Truth. Whereas the chuckle-inducing Jokes are few and far between, but the cigarette-drag-inducing jokes are bountiful. It has mostly just been depressing. You can debunk lies and smears all you want, because your chosen flavor of Truth defines how you see reality. Even with jokes.
Really the most interesting thing about this book is how it foreshadows all the worst parts of today's politics.

The intervening 20 years since this book's publication have been even more ridiculous. The swift boat controversy is quaint by today's standards.
Franken writes as though the state of politics had reached rock bottom and could not get any lower. I don't blame him. Little did he know people would break out their picks and shovels and start digging even deeper. Back in 2004 we still had hope and optimism and trust.