U.S. News & World Report: There’s Something Funny Going On

By Bret Schulte

After months of hopeful talks, John Kerry’s staff last week finally booked their candidate on one of television’s most influential political programs: The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.

It’s just the latest example of what political insiders and Internet junkies already know: In today’s climate, humor may be a candidate’s ultimate weapon. At the Democratic National Committee, “there is a conscious effort to inject humor” into strategy, says communications director Jano Cabrera. Before Kerry, Sen. John McCain and Bill Clinton had been on Stewart’s show. “It’s a great way of reaching younger audiences who don’t watch traditional news shows,” McCain told U.S. News last week by telephone. “When you’re meeting with voters, you’ve got to keep them amused as a way of keeping them interested.”

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September 6, 2004 | Filed Under Dean, News Mentions | Comment