(CNN) - Saturday Night Live, the longtime NBC sketch comedy show that has arguably wielded significant influence this presidential election season, skewered the McCain-Palin ticket for the second straight week in a row Saturday.
In the show’s opening sketch, a Darrell Hammond impersonation of John McCain is shown in an advertising studio recording his tagline for a bevy of negative - and ridiculously false - campaign ads. The ads level such allegations as Barack Obama wants healthcare coverage for the entire universe (including Osama bin Laden) and supports tax cuts for pedophiles.
The sketch also takes a dig at McCain's age, portraying the Arizona senator as unfamiliar with digital recording technology (After he is told it is a new technology McCain says, "Like 8-track?")
Politico reported Saturday the sketch was actually conceived by former SNL writer Al Franken, the current Democratic challenger to Norm Coleman's Minnesota Senate seat.
SNL has already proven its ability to crystallize emerging campaign narratives this election cycle, widely credited with raising a general perception the media was in love with Obama during the primary election season in a series of sketches last winter. SNL's portrayal of Sarah Palin last weekend also synthesized several questions raised about the Alaska governor's readiness to serve as vice president.
With a weekly viewership stretching into the millions that reaches a swath of (mostly young) voters who aren't as closely following the ins and outs on the campaign trail, SNL has a clear ability to shape general perceptions of both presidential tickets in the final stretch of the race for the White House.
Responding to SNL's depiction of McCain, spokesman Tucker Bounds said, "Saturday Night Live is funny, Barack Obama showing no sign of life or leadership during a banking crisis is not funny."
From CNN Politics
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i really dont do well in the cold but i will move from florida to canada if McSame is elected. i dont think the dollar will be worth much anyway if he gets in office
More Hollywood trying to buy the Presidency for the NOBAMA camp? Man, this is truely a joke if Hollywood can actually override the intellect of the American people and fool them into believing that Nobama can do anything for this country!!!! Wow, and we support these morons in Hollywood! What a catastrophe!
Al Franken penned this? LOL Has he ever paid the taxes he did not pay? What a fraud.
I feel like the skit wasn't that far from the truth. McCain's ads have been dishonest and out of line. Instead of making claims about Obama that aren't even true, you should be telling me what YOU can do for my country, Mr. McCain...or do you not have anything to offer?
faslse ads.
have you seen obama's lately?
they both twist the truth to gain vote.
Old man McCain and Palin are the best comedy act in town. However, the country won't have much to laugh about should they by some fluke move into the White House.
There are far too many people who unfortunately, will get to vote, that have no common sense; no concept of the issues involved, and who strictly hate conservatives, and boy do they love those liberals. What a shame!!
Media and shows like these play right into the mix.
Well, for a moment I thought I had tuned into CBS's "60 Minutes" by mistake. Then I finally recognized the actors. I don't know if I'd call it a mockery, per se-satirization, maybe. Doesn't mockery connote something more untrue?
SNL is know to be fill with democrate writers.
hollywood has a bunch of them.
Let's see if they give Obama the same treatment.
I want to see more cutting edge comedy about Palin, she is not off limits in this election. She must go through the same tough scrutiny and Obama and Hillary.
Hasn't the past 8 years been bad enuf for you people? Why would you want 4 more? Take the blinders off and take a good look!
Sometimes you have to use a little humor to illustrate just how scary this ticket is. Humor is the only way to get through to some.
it's a sad state of affairs that we have to rely on a comedy show to bring public attention to the underlying truths of this campaign.
good they deserve it!
Hmm, I dont watch SNL or even late night TV anymore. But have any of these shows even made an attempt to do a skit on Obama in such a negative light since he ousted Hillary?
Doubt it. This skit couldve easily applied to Obama with some of his ads. But the typical biased media continues to ignore Obama. They wont touch on any of his lies, inexperience, or hypocrisy.
The media continues to attack McCain/Palin while sparing Obama. Why they are so in the tank for this guy is beyond me. This includes CNN.
The biggest joke is Palen's complete ignorance of any worldly or foreign policy, but think of this: if Mc'Cain were to die in office, could anyone imagine, in their wildest dreams (nightmares) that person as President of The United States?!?!?!
It would be different if SNL was still funny...Most of the jokes are easy, contrived, and expected. Of all the real material out there worthy of satire, I thought they phoned it in...also, Franken stopped being funny after he got the limo...
Hilarious–and only funny b/c it's so true. McCain must be soooo ashamed of what he's become.
Skewer all you want-today–30,000 people showed up in Central Florida to hear Sarah Palin speak (McCain wasn't there)
This is unprecedented for a VP Candidate--Biden can't even draw 300 and no VP candidate has ever approached these numbers–
Sarah is the big winner in this election-she'll be a national political powerhouse for many years, being only 44.
Sarah Palin 12 7 16'
Gee, do people still watch SNL? I used to watch it when it was good but haven't watched it for years. From what I hear, I am in the majority.
This is a sad, sad commentary on our country's culture. I have no problem with SNL having an opinion or making fun of candidates. It's the fact that our society allows comedy sketches to so influence their decisions. People need to start thinking for themselves and spend a little time actually researching the facts before they make a decision as important as this election is. The American media has mastered the art of brainwashing and propaganda... but even more alarming is how the American people have mastered the "art" of conformity. Think about it. Is there any coincidence that the most commonly used phrase in America is "I'm original"?
McCain perpetuates the negative perceptive of the Rove/DeLay/Stephens party of deception, propaganda base on lies and outright corruption.
And hopefull open some eyes to the absurdity of what's being said by the McCain campain... "the sleaziest and least honorable campaign in modern presidential history..."
mccain lost his marbles a long time ago.
i just wish the msm were as responsible as snl.
mccain is a danger to our country and the country needs to know what a whack job mccain is.
no more bushes- america needs a real leader