The Mocking of the President: A History of Campaign Humor from Ike to Ronnie

Gardner, author of several political-humor books, here culls gaffes and jibes from nearly four decades of presidential campaigns. If his premisethat humor, especially satire, helps keep our politicians humanis neither profound nor thought provoking, there is nonetheless a lot of good fun in the book. Jules Feiffer, Art Buchwald and Mort Sahl are well represented, but Gardner does not rely solely on professional humorists for his material. Often, the laughs are supplied by the candidates themselves, as in Gerald Ford's unintentionally premature liberation of Poland during a 1976 debate, and by their families (e.g., Lillian Carter: ``Sometimes when I look at my children, I say to myself, `Lillian, you should have stayed a virgin' ''). Gardner also compares the reactions of presidents and candidates to barbs aimed at them. Lyndon Johnson, for one, was easily irritated at fun-poking, while John Kennedy could appreciate, if not always enjoy, a lighthearted skewering by the press. Appearing in an election year, the book provides a needed diversion from weightier political commentary. (June)