His race for Dufur public office was not going well. The voters in Dufur (DOO-fur), a small town in Oregon, were leaning to his opponent in overwhelming numbers \u2013 or at least as overwhelming as a town of 500 can muster.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s when he made the remark that changed everything. With his campaign in dire trouble, and his support dwindling, he began walking all over town, announcing to everyone within earshot, \u201cAsk not what Dufur can do fer you … ask what you can do fer Dufur!\u201d That was all.<\/p>\n
It turned the election around (issues, shmissues) and he won in a landslide. A small one, of course.<\/p>\n
Of course, the authenticity of the preceding story is highly dubious. After all, it was told to me by my dad, a man known for hyperbole \u2013 and that\u2019s no exaggeration. But he claimed that it really did happen to a politician friend of his, and Dad always told the story as an example of a \u201cjoke under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
In this presidential election year, there are a lot of candidate qualities we voters can observe: Knowledge of the issues, skill at debating, ability to kiss babies \u2013 even the homely ones \u2013 and more. But it\u2019s also worth noting a candidate\u2019s sense of humor and how willing and able they are to use it, especially on themselves.<\/p>\n
The former TV talk-show host, Dick Cavett, who now writes an occasional blog for the New York Times, said that if he had been advising the Hillary campaign, he\u2019d have recommended that she walk onstage at one of her recent appearances wearing a flak jacket. The sight gag may have effectively made fun of the flap that happened in the wake of her story about landing under sniper fire on a trip to Bosnia, and shown an ability to laugh at herself, too.<\/p>\n
Cavett also thinks that just as surely as a president needs advisors of all kinds, he or she should also hire a comedy writer or two. Some people may not think much of the idea, but lots of unemployed comedy writers would probably support it.<\/p>\n
But it\u2019s especially impressive when a president, without the benefit of a writer, teleprompter or cue cards, can manage to toss off a witticism of his or her very own. Abraham Lincoln makes almost everyone\u2019s list of the very best. He was funny, self-effacing \u2013 and, of course, had the stovepipe hat. He probably would have still been funny without it, but it didn\u2019t hurt. Some experts think Dennis Kucinich could have gone all the way if he\u2019d worn a beanie.<\/p>\n
One time, when a debate opponent called Lincoln \u201ctwo-faced,\u201d Abe turned to the crowd and said, \u201cIf I had another face, do you think I would wear this one?\u201d<\/p>\n
There are some historians who think that a popular clown of the day named Dan Rice was a friend of Lincoln\u2019s and might have been the source of many of the president\u2019s jokes. But who wants to believe that? I\u2019d rather think that it Lincoln himself came up with all his own stuff. How funny could a guy named Dan Rice be? Shecky Rice, maybe, but not Dan.<\/p>\n
One time, Lincoln told one of his lazier generals to keep him informed of what exactly was going on in the field during the war. The general decided to send a sarcastic telegram to Lincoln: \u201cWe have just captured six cows. What should do with them?\u201d Lincoln wrote him back: \u201cMilk them.\u201d<\/p>\n
There is another story about a persistent office-seeker who came to Lincoln one day with some news: \u201cMr. President, the chief of customs has just died. Do you think I might be considered to take his place?\u201d Lincoln looked at him and said, \u201cIt\u2019s okay with me, if the undertaker doesn\u2019t mind.\u201d<\/p>\n
That joke has a similar construction to the one from Ronald Reagan years ago when he was running for a second term as president. At the time, he was in his early 70s, and the question of his advancing age was becoming a potential issue. That\u2019s when Reagan famously said, \u201cI will not make age an issue in this campaign \u2013 and I will not exploit my opponent\u2019s (Walter Mondale) youth and inexperience.\u201d<\/p>\n
John McCain, himself hearing murmurs about his age at present, ought to think about picking an opportunity of his own to say something like, \u201cAs a boy, I remember dreaming of becoming president some day like Abraham Lincoln. And I told him so one time.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of course, being witty is no guarantee of victory. Attesting to that is the 1996 Republican nominee for president, Bob Dole, arguably one of our funnier contemporary politicians. But Dole does point out, after all, that it\u2019s our very own Declaration of Independence that gives laughter a solid third billing: \u201cLife, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.\u201d<\/p>\n
I haven\u2019t decided which candidate I\u2019m voting for this year, but it definitely won\u2019t be for a grump. Unless it\u2019s one with a really solid tax plan.<\/p>\n
Pat Cashman is a writer, actor and public speaker. He can be reached at pat@patcashman.com<\/p>\n<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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