He's funny too

Maybe I've just missed it, but it seems to me that one of the things that's being missed about Barack Obama is that he can be funny.

In a speech in Elko, Nevada, this afternoon, Obama relayed the story about John McCain, in the midst of a financial meltdown, boasting that "the fundamentals of our economy are strong." Obama responded today, "But it sounds like he got a little carried away, because yesterday, John McCain actually said that if he's President, he'll take on the -- and I quote -- 'ol' boys network' in Washington. I am not making this up. This is someone who's been in Congress for 26 years -- who put seven of the most powerful Washington lobbyists in charge of his campaign -- and now he tells us that he's the one who will take on the ol' boy network. The ol' boy network? In the McCain campaign, that's called a staff meeting."

He got off another good one in the same speech:

"[Y]esterday, John McCain's big solution to the crisis we're facing is -- get ready for it -- a commission. That's Washington-speak for 'we'll get back to you later...'"

Lot of worried people on our side have been calling on Obama to get angrier.  I just want him to move the jokes up a little higher in his speeches so they make the news clips.

Both quotes come from this post by Steve Benen.

Comments

[apostate]

I've actually heard that he doesn't have a sense of humor (at least about himself). But those are good ones.

[Scout]

apostate... heard that where? Have a link? He seems like a pretty humorous guy to me, as well as being as self deprecating as possible, given his obvious intelligence.

[Mike Schilling]

Oh, he's funny. Remember "You're likable enough, Hillary"?

[Falstaff]

He certainly seems to have a sense of humor about himself. Those "skinny guy with a funny name" remarks he makes are surely calculated, but he rarely misses an opportunity to make a joke about himself.

I dunno. Here's the thing: I'm glad he's bringing the funny -- I was streaming NPR late last night and heard him deliver that line about the staff meeting, and I laughed out loud with delight. I'm reasonably pleased with how well he's doing as a candidate. I don't think, as such, that Clinton would have been doing better. (I did vote for him and not her, but it was a very, very near thing.)

I just wish he was angrier. That's probably not politically expedient; the Republicans are trying to make hay out of the 'angry black man' thing, and besides, he does have that whole Gentleman Centerist thing going.

But, speaking as a left-leaning Democrat, I'm mad. I want to see people held accountable, and when I hear him riff on how we need to come together as a nation, my first reaction is something along the lines of "Well, sure, Barack, that sounds great, but can we hold the people who've screwed up our country accountable first?" I'm all for coming together. I just want to see justice done first, and I fear I never will.

On the other hand... at least he doesn't look like a stiff. Ah, well. Hang on tight, here comes October.

[Apostate]

Scout, I work with some of his law school buddies. They said so, so no sources.

They may well be wrong, though.

[Jennifer]

Oh he's a total wise ass (I mean that in a good way).

[Linkmeister]

He left here a long time ago, so his adult sensayuma hadn't manifested itself, I guess. His Punahou classmates don't use "funny" as an adjective.

[tdraicer]

Take away one anti-war speech and his skin color and he's Joe Lieberman. Sorry, the man is not on "our side" if by "our you mean someone who wants to bury the GOP rather than give it a group hug in the White House.