cover image Campaign Comedy: Political Humor from Clinton to Kennedy

Campaign Comedy: Political Humor from Clinton to Kennedy

Gerald Gardner. Wayne State University Press, $34.95 (0pp) ISBN 978-0-8143-2504-9

This is an amusing and extensive, if mostly unanalytical, compilation of the humor expressed in presidential campaigns and reigns since 1960. Gardner, author of All the Presidents' Wits and former writer for the satirical television show That Was the Week That Was , devotes a chapter to each candidate. Then, citing comedians, cartoonists, columnists and the politicians themselves, he describes the comedic themes concerning each candidate and recounts the best jokes. The author, who wrote gags for Robert Kennedy, occasionally offers inside information, such as compilations of unused zingers written for candidates Michael Dukakis in 1988 and George Bush in 1992. However, he offers little on the process of creating political comedy. And since his dollops of analysis are insightful--Ronald Reagan was a better joke teller than ``America's funny men,''--the book would have benefited from more such observations. (June)