It will be a return to laughing "with" rather than laughing "at" the incumbent.

For an alternative view see Colin McEnroe in The Hartford Courant this week:

http://blogs.courant.com/colin_mcenroe_to_wit/2008/11/wondering-if-obama-would-be-a.html

I saw Jon Stewart in an interview and he stated that when people complain of his show having a liberal bias, he points out that for most of the duration of his show's run, Bush & Co. were in power. They were center stage, affected a lot of policies, and of course, provided some hilarious sound bytes.

But if you pay close attention, both The Daily Show and The Colbert Report always poke fun at the same things: doublespeak, nonsensical ramblings, shocking statements, blatant contradictions, etc. As long as politicians have BS (and all of them do, just a little), they won't be out of material any time soon.

You think Obama is not ripe for Satire, then you're an idiot.

His too cool for school swavness, combined with his natural political moderation will create a billy dee slick willy character that will keep us laughing till we cry.

Add in the comic buffoonary of Joe Biden's constant in mouth foot, and you've got the makings for a comedy team to rival all.

Let's face it the troops aren't coming home on January 20th, and if you think that's not going to bite Obama in the ass as comics look for jokes, don't kid yourself.

Likewise if you felt that liberaly comics will steer clear of harming their fearless leader you obviously have forgotten the Clintons.

Barrak, Hillary, Joe, Nancy, none of these people are going any where, and they all are ripe for parody.

Not to mention Mitt and Sarah, whose comming battle will make Hillary Barak look like an ice cream social.

When a party holds onto power for a prolonged period of time, we tend to think that people are mocking them because they agree with us. In truth they are being mocked because they are in power. Now that Dem's hold the reigns, expect the Half Hour News Hour (is that still on?) to become funny, and expect Stephen to turn his wit on the failings of the current president.

Satirists may like Obama, but they always liked McCain too, that didn't keep them from savaging him when the opportunity arose.

And the more Obama controls his image and message, the more likely it is that control will become the subject of the joke.

"Given their angst and frustration, it is no surprise that liberals have been enjoying the loudest (and last?) laughs during our current, pioneering age of dark, ironic humor."

What, don't you remember all those SNL skits about Billy Boy? Or how about Clinton's closing remark to Lisa Simpson when she complained about his bad example: "Well I’m a pretty bad president".

If Obama wins, you can count on the laughter dying, as the realization sets in that he will be no more effective than Pelosi, Reed, Murtha, et al have been. Stop living in a fantasy world.

Yes, Stuart's ratings will fade as Michael Savage's soar. You see, conservatives welcome criticism of the republicans far more than liberals tolerate criticism of the democrats. Savage will rail and Stuart will be in a lose/lose situation. He won't be allowed to slam BO, and with a dem majority, won't be able to blame repubs. He will go the way of Air America. It's shaping up to be a boring (though Savagely manic) four years.

Looking forward to being equally poor? Spread the wealth around BO, baby (as long as it's your wealth, not mine).

While certainly some good time roys and rondas might skip out on John and company when they turn their poison pen to Mr. Obama. But they'll pick up a few good time bobs and bettys from the opposite camp.

The vast majority of comedy audiences have no interest in who is in or out of office they simply want heros brought low.

We all loved Clinton. He was a phenominally popular president, yet his slick willey persona dominated comedy at the time, as did Robo Al Gore, and Strait Laced John Kerry.

Jimmy Carter was mocked by Dan Akroyd phenominally well, and who can ever forget Jon Lovit's Mike Dukakis.

John Stewart will happily mock Obama and Biden (they've already started firing a few shots over the bow if you watch regularly) and their ratings will not suffer.

Funny is funny, and that's all the audience wants. If a candidate is popular you enjoy the good natured ribbing at his expense, if they are unpopular you enjoy them being hoisted by their own petard.

The crowds loved ceasar, but they also loved the bawdy burlesques of his persona.

That is the nature of comedy, it always has been, and always will be.

Like his treatment as a political messiah, the swooning everyone has done over him, the treatment of Obama as a celebrity. Unfortunately the media that produces things like SNL and the Daily Show are all so wrapped up in that perspective that they can't step outside it and see how ridiculous it looks, and how ripe it is for satire.

I say this as someone who voted for Obama not an hour ago.

I HOPE SO....

THIS BAND OF POLITICAL HOLLYWOOD, LIBERAL, ORCA WINFREY LEMMINGS, INTOLERANT OF ANY VIEW BUT THEIRS IS GONE... GONE

SOON

SMALL AUDIENCE WHO DIVIDE AND MOCK PEOPLE WHO DO NOT DRINK THEIR KOOLAID.

THOSE WHO CARE MORE ABOUT A CARIBOU THAN A HUMAN LIFE.... THE LEFT

SMALL CLOSED MINDS

WHY DO THEY GET SO MUCH PRESS?

IT WILL LEAD TO A HUGE CONSERVATIVE LANDSLIDE WHEN WE LOOSE OUR NATION TO GODLESS PEOPLE

"ONE NATION UNDER GOD" ANY GOD.... "FREEDOM OF RELIGION NOT FROM RELIGION"

YES I HOPE SO

WHAT A TERRIBLE COST TO PAY BUT AN ELECTORATE WHO IS SO UNIFORMED AND UNEDUCATED ON THE ISSUES

I'll give up 'comiseration' humor anyday.

Colbert & Stewart will be able to rip on Fox tv's coverage of an Obama presidency, I'm not too worried about them. They're funny enough to survive.