Not funny: Barack Obama

[bytor2112]

She then concluded: "Rush Limbaugh, I hope the country fails, I hope his kidneys fail, how about that? He needs a good waterboarding, that's what he needs." Obama seemed to think this bit was pretty hilarious, grinning and chuckling and turning to share the "joke" with the person sitting on his right.

There's not much room for differing interpretations of what Sykes said. She called Limbaugh a terrorist and a traitor, suggested that he be tortured and wished him dead.

What was his crime? Hoping that Obama's policies - which he views as socialist - will fail.

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[Wingnut]

Imagine if a comedian "joked" that Obama was a terrorist who was guilty of treason and should be tortured and allowed to die. There would justifiably be an outcry.

But when the "joke" comes from a liberal, Obama-supporting comedienne and the target is a right-winger then the likes of Hilary Rosen and Donna Brazile are on CNN saying it's just comedy and Limbaugh is "fair game".

Also, Obama's the President. Limbaugh is not.

[bytor2112]

Also, Obama's the President. Limbaugh is not.

I think the author agrees......"There would justifiably be an outcry." But his point is valid, there would be a huge outcry from the left. President Obama may agree with the "jokes", but he probably shouldn't have laughed at the idea of a U.S. citizen being called a terrorist and a traitor and suggested that he be tortured and wished him dead.

[Just_A_Guy]

It should at least give us pause when the person who wants to control the administration of all medical care in this country, finds humor in the prospect of the death of his political adversaries.

Obama probably wouldn't abuse the power that Congress is about to give him. But someone else might. Do we really want any one person to wield that kind of power?

[bytor2112]

It should at least give us pause when the person who wants to control the administration of all medical care in this country, finds humor in the prospect of the death of his political adversaries.

Obama probably wouldn't abuse the power that Congress is about to give him. But someone else might. Do we really want any one person to wield that kind of power?

Did our founders ever intend for anyone to wield that kind of power?

[Wingnut]

President Obama may agree with the "jokes", but he probably shouldn't have laughed at the idea of a U.S. citizen being called a terrorist and a traitor and suggested that he be tortured and wished him dead.

I agree with you here. Context is important. Personally, I thought this (see below) was hilarious, but the whole thing is probably not something that the President of the United States should be publicly laughing at.

"You know, you might want to look into this, sir, because I think Rush Limbaugh was the 20th hijacker. But he was just so strung out on Oxycontin he missed his flight."

[bytor2112]

I agree with you here. Context is important. Personally, I thought this (see below) was hilarious, but the whole thing is probably not something that the President of the United States should be publicly laughing at.

hehe...yeah it was funny.

[DigitalShadow]

If a comedian jokingly suggested Carrot Top should be tortured and killed for crimes against comedy, I would laugh, but not for a second think it was a serious suggestion. I think people are blowing this way out of proportion.

[bytor2112]

If a comedian jokingly suggested Carrot Top should be tortured and killed for crimes against comedy, I would laugh, but not for a second think it was a serious suggestion. I think people are blowing this way out of proportion.

Kind of like the Golf commentator that was forced to apologize about the Pelosi joke.

[a-train]

I agree, Limbaugh is a jerk and should be tortured and allowed to die.

-a-train

[DigitalShadow]

Kind of like the Golf commentator that was forced to apologize about the Pelosi joke.

Haven't heard about that one, but if it was a joke that he told himself, I think there is a big difference between having to apologize for telling a joke and having to apologize for laughing at a joke.

In any case, people in this country are offended and outraged way too easily about stupid stuff.

[HEthePrimate]

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Rush Limbaugh is an idiot. An idiot who's very successful at being a shock jock and making money, but an idiot nonetheless.

I agree with Sykes (except about wishing harm on Limbaugh)--to hope Obama's administration fails is foolish. I, for one, hope they succeed so our country gets out of the mess it's currently in.

If Rush wants to disagree with Obama that's fine, but hoping that our country fails just to make a political point is idiotic.

HEP

[bytor2112]

Rush Limbaugh is an idiot. An idiot who's very successful at being a shock jock and making money, but an idiot nonetheless.

I agree with Sykes (except about wishing harm on Limbaugh)--to hope Obama's administration fails is foolish. I, for one, hope they succeed so our country gets out of the mess it's currently in.

If Rush wants to disagree with Obama that's fine, but hoping that our country fails just to make a political point is idiotic.

HEP

Limbaugh is not an idiot....you probably never listen. He doesn't want our country to fail,he wants Obama to fail to pass his policies and so do I. Rush disagrees with Obama and so should we all. Massive spending and reckless and unsustainable debt is not the kind of change America voted for.....it is just a hyper continuation of Bush.

Edited May 11, 2009 by bytor2112

[Maxel]

HEP-

Which of Limbaugh's shows have you listened to to help you form your opinion of him? I'm looking for a venue to analyze his messages; which do you suggest?

[Moksha]

Yikes, insulting politicians and media curmudgeons! Who would have thought that possible on this forum?

Forget all torture procedures and just take away whatever drugs Rush is abusing at that moment....

For a media curmudgeon who makes his living saying outrageous things, there should be no thin skin when someone says something outrageous back.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Moksha
gramma airors

[MarginOfError]

The comments made about Limbaugh were in poor taste. I heard the audio and the crowd expressed some displeasure over them, thankfully.

The jokes about Biden, however, were quite entertaining.

[TeancumsSword]

If a comedian jokingly suggested Carrot Top should be tortured and killed for crimes against comedy, I would laugh, but not for a second think it was a serious suggestion. I think people are blowing this way out of proportion.

I hope a rabid dog rips out Wanda Syke's vocal box so she can never speak again...

Oh my gosh I kill me, I am so darn funny

[Yaqub]

I agree; it's not funny, it's morbid to wish someone have a kidney failure.

Obama has a strange sense of humor, if someone had a collection of every time he tried to make a joke; it would be interesting, to say the least..

Great post/thread btw

[HEthePrimate]

Limbaugh is not an idiot....you probably never listen. He doesn't want our country to fail,he wants Obama to fail to pass his policies and so do I. Rush disagrees with Obama and so should we all. Massive spending and reckless and unsustainable debt is not the kind of change America voted for.....it is just a hyper continuation of Bush.

Actually, I hear Limbaugh every day at work. My coworkers like him and insist on tuning the radio to his show every day. I've heard him plenty, and am of the opinion that he is an idiot when it comes to politics. When it comes to making money, he knows what he's doing.

HEP

[bytor2112]

Yikes, insulting politicians and media curmudgeons! Who would have that that possible on this forum?

Forget all torture procedures and just take away whatever drugs Rush is abusing at that moment....

For a media curmudgeon who makes his living saying outrageous things, there should be no thin skin when someone says something outrageous back.

The truth is often hard to swallow Moksha and seriously, ideology aside, Obama should have taken the high road and not laughed. It made him seem as low rent as the comic they hired.

[Moksha]

The truth is often hard to swallow Moksha and seriously, ideology aside, Obama should have taken the high road and not laughed. It made him seem as low rent as the comic they hired.

The thing about laughter is its spontaneity. You can only refrain from it after it escapes from your mouth. Next time you are in Vegas, avoid Wanda Sykes and head straight to Carrot Top.

[Maxel]

The truth is often hard to swallow Moksha and seriously, ideology aside, Obama should have taken the high road and not laughed. It made him seem as low rent as the comic they hired.

The thing about laughter is its spontaneity. You can only refrain from it after it escapes from your mouth. Next time you are in Vegas, avoid Wanda Sykes and head straight to Carrot Top.

I agree with both counts. The thing about laughter is there are different sources of it; Ms. Sykes appeals largely to the 'shock it out of you' kind. Honestly, only a few of her jokes were legitimately funny- the others required a hard-left mindset to get any real 'humor' value out of (unfortunately, because of the nature of laughter from shock, many would fall prey to 'laughing' at the joke).

Obama may have very well thought Ms. Sykes' Limbaugh 'joke' wasn't funny at all (I doubt it) and was laughing out of revulsion- then again, the Administration should have found someone with a bit more taste to represent themselves better. This doesn't exactly strike notes of a 'new era of bipartisanship'.

I would absolutely love to see the media outrage over a conservative- any conservative- employing the same type of jokes that Sykes did. I'm thinking they wouldn't be laughing at 'jokes' of Pelosi being a traitor and wishes that her kidneys would fail.

Whats most interesting/scary, to me, is that when Sykes began talking about Limbaugh, there was absolutely no tone of joviality- not even the paced tone of a set-up. It was a moment of unbridled hatred followed by a very, very bad joke. Who was it who said that, to make the public accept an idea all that was needed was to make them laugh at it...?

Edited May 12, 2009 by Maxel

[bytor2112]

Her "joke" about Sarah Palin was pretty foul as well........

[DigitalShadow]

I hope a rabid dog rips out Wanda Syke's vocal box so she can never speak again...

Oh my gosh I kill me, I am so darn funny

If it were in the context of a bunch of other jokes with a good set up that might be funny, but as it is that just makes you sound like a jerk.

I do find it quite ironic though that you laughed at the joke with the atheist getting punched in the face by the marine (and hoped it was true even), but seem to find this one in bad taste.

Edited May 12, 2009 by DigitalShadow

[TeancumsSword]

If it were in the context of a bunch of other jokes with a good set up that might be funny, but as it is that just makes you sound like a jerk.

I do find it quite ironic though that you laughed at the joke with the atheist getting punched in the face by the marine (and hoped it was true even), but seem to find this one in bad taste.

She wished Rush would get kidney disease and die; It wasn't a joke. And the thought of a socialist college prof get puched in the nose does amuse me, but I don't wish death on them. There is a difference, but if you can't see that, it's more your problem then mine.