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Are We Being Funny
May 5, 2006

I posted this piece on Urban Elephants, but I think it's very important for our candidates to see so I'm cross-posting it here:

With the endorsement of John Spencer by the Nassau and Suffolk republican committees yesterday, it looks like Spencer is on a roll to the nomination. And, there was a report on Newscopy the other day that if KT doesn't get the nomination (meaning 51% at the convention) she will drop out of the race. However, this is not what I find most interesting about these events.

The real interesting thing here is that Spencer was endorsed by the Suffolk committee, where the infamous "black helicopters" joke was uttered. Does this indicate they thought KT was either not joking, as she has repeatedly claimed, or just has such a bad sense of humor that she is unqualified to be our candidate?

You think this is silly? Well, I would contend that in serious or competitive races, the candidate perceived to have the better sense of humor wins. It is so clear at the Presidential level: Reagan-Carter, Reagan-Mondale (the classic!!), Bush-Dukakis, Bush-Clinton, Clinton-Dole, Bush-Gore and Bush Kerry.

In every one of these races, the candidate seen as more jovial was the winner. Bush 41, not known for a tremendous sense of humor, looked like Rodney Dangerfield compared to Mike Dukakis.

Now let's apply this to our races this year, especially the republican primaries. Spencer-KT? KT always seems so serious, even when trying to laugh things off. Maybe it's because she's laughing things off, instead of at them that it doesn't really work. Spencer, while a little dry, does show signs of genuine humor at times.

Weld-Faso? Well, Weld seems to have a pretty raucous sense of humor, like his not quite so famous "pub" joke on St. Patricks day. Faso appears to be devoid of humor, and instead always seems way too intense and uptight.

Pirro? In spite of the inability to riff when page 10 disappeared, she seems to have an ok sense of humor. Although it gets lost in her absorption with her past record and what positions she was the first woman to hold in NY. If she was more forward thinking and let more of her humor out, she'd do much better.

I can't speak to the two possible comptroller candidates. I have met Callaghan, and he seems nice enough, but not signs of a real sense of humor yet. Maybe the bowtie is throwing me off. The only guy who wers one who shows a real good sense of humor is George Will.

Then, of course, we have our two potential presidential candidates - one serious, one very laughable. And, in spite of how hard the idea of pataki running for president makes most of us laugh, he has shown no sense of humor whatsoever in twelve years in office. Of course, next to Cuomo the cadaver he benefited from Bush 41 syndrome (an opponent who barely registers a pulse with the voters at that time).

Rudy, on the other hand, shows a great sense of humor. With his willingness to dress up in drag and his quick wit in dealing with reporters, he is the stuff candidates are made of. Anyone who doesn't take himself so seriously that, as mayor of the world's #1 city, he will put on a dress and perform in front of the press shows not only tremendous humor but real courage as well.

Don't count this guy out of anything right now. A sense of humor like this can woo a lot of voters who may not be in total agreement with you on the issues, but respect a real sense of leadership.

So, if you agree or disagree with any aspects of my hypothesis, or have other good examples of where humor triumphed over wonkiness, please share them with us.


by christopher lanzillotti , Jun 8, 2006

Why wasn't anyone miffed at Spencer's suggestion that the Clinton's were behind McFarland's candidacy? This comment was as equally bizarre as McFarland's about the helicopters. Unlike Spencer, McFarland has no history of alcoholism.