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Political humor has an effect on any political race that involves it. Whether it be the campaigns of France or those of Jamaica. US elections are no different.

Political humor has had an impact on the campaigns of people like The Kennedys, Bill Clinton, and even former Democrat candidate, Al Gore. Political humor has also been historically documented to have played a role in the elections of Abraham Lincoln and even more significantly for Ben Franklin and Ronald Reagan. The three latter former US presidents are to this date subjects of political humor, though to a far greater extent than during their respective reigns.

The present elections face a big potential hit from political humor. Current president, George Bush, through his vast number of local and especially international follies, has presented himself as ideal fodder for humor on the upcoming elections. There are so many George Bush related parodies on the internet alone that depict him as either the stupidest US president ever or as the tangible incarnation of Satan, that it currently (8:40 p.m. G.M.T. 8th January 2008)encompasses over a terabyte of storage space.

Hillary Clinton, despite being a member of the opposition party and viewed on the international level as one of the more scrupulous people in American spotlight, will also be subject to political humor. Being Bill Clinton's spouse also subjects her to indirect humor, that although directed toward Bill, would affect her election campaign. Hillary Clinton is also subject to vast amounts of political humor on the mere basis of her being female and popular. Although, some of this humor may have little or nothing to do with the actual elections, it will definitely still be interpreted to be so by the general public.

Humor has demonstrated its ability to influence the outcome of elections in the past, and it seems that it will continue to do so in the future. Perhaps it may also prove to be an even greater factor in determining the outcome of the upcoming elections than most may suspect.

Learn more about this author, Sh'Ando Hunter.
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