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Bill Tancer is the general manager of global research at Hitwise and a weekly columnist for Time Magazine.

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Jib Jab - Republicans, Democrats and Sense of Humor

July 18, 2008 5:17 PM

Political satire appears to be dominating campaign news this week. With the latest Jib Jab creation Time for Some Campaignin' this week, I thought it would be an opportune time to ask a new red-state, blue-state question: who has the greatest sense of humor, Republicans or Democrats?

The video which takes jabs at both sides of the aisle features, amongst others, McCain riding a tank over Barack Obama to Obama's frolicking in an idyllic forest, singing about change while riding a decidedly friendly unicorn.

Using the Mosaic segmentation of the U.S. population, I identified which of the 50 types identified most with the Democratic and Republican parties. The types that indexed the highest for visits to JibJab.com over the last four weeks were Major University Towns, Mature America, Academic Influences and Young Cosmopolitans which, with the exception of Mature America identify mostly with liberal thought and the Democratic Party.

The least likely types to visit JibJab.com in the same timeframe include America's Farmlands, Military Family Life and Upscale Suburbanites which all lean towards the right and identify mostly with the Republican Party. Perhaps Internet data along with humor levels indicates consumer's perception of bias in JibJab's satire.

July 18, 2008 | Permalink | User Comments (25)

User Comments

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You know, I'm all for spirited debate. Contention is what fires passions most of the time in political discussions, but we all seem to have forgotten to actually -LISTEN- to what the other person is saying, to try to see their point of view, to understand why they think that way.

Instead of that, these days we get one liners meant to incite, to antagonize. Part of the reason most Americans are sick of our two party system, is because we don't even try to promote the illusion that we're listening any more, it's all come down to "They said....!"

Objectivity has now become synonymous either with cowardice or stupidity and it's all come down to, for both parties, to 'my way or the highway' to coin a phrase.

Until any of that changes, (I won't hold my breath, knowing human nature as I do) we will be repeating and magnifying the mistakes of previous generations.

Posted by: Jaxitty | Jul 20, 2008 5:11:51 PM

Democrats don't have a sense of humor...just ask the editor or cartoonist at the New Yorker!

Posted by: Dan | Jul 20, 2008 10:46:59 PM

You know, I'm all for spirited debate. Contention is what fires passions most of the time in political discussions, but we all seem to have forgotten to actually -LISTEN- to what the other person is saying, to try to see their point of view, to understand why they think that way.

Instead of that, these days we get one liners meant to incite, to antagonize. Part of the reason most Americans are sick of our two party system, is because we don't even try to promote the illusion that we're listening any more, it's all come down to "They said....!"

"Objectivity has now become synonymous either with cowardice or stupidity and it's all come down to, for both parties, to 'my way or the highway' to coin a phrase.

Until any of that changes, (I won't hold my breath, knowing human nature as I do) we will be repeating and magnifying the mistakes of previous generations."

Thank you. Finally the voice of reason. Spirited debate is what it's all about! Not name calling (which has always been a sign of intellectual retardation).

Posted by: Phawkins | Jul 21, 2008 11:32:49 AM

I don't think its that funny.We are searching for a new and better president.Every one is hoping for a new president,lower fuel prices,newer people in congress,and better living on the united states map.And more economic growth.No more wars.and most importantly tons of employement opportunites every day.

Posted by: ct | Jul 27, 2008 4:38:33 PM

And we're going to get this by our leaders trying to tear eachother down, pointing out negatives instead of positives? Winning at any price?

Hate them or love them, politicians are a modern day predator that we tend to take our cues from. We've stopped asking why and or how and pretty much mimic them depending on how close they come to our own beliefs.

I've seen TONS of editorials likening this or that canidate to this or that historical figure, and while I understand why we do this, and that we must learn from the past, all we want to do is repeat it, with emphasis on the bad points we should have learned from.

I personally think it's time of our leaders to grow up and pay attention to the servant in Civil Servant. It's time to stop lining their pockets and their friends pockets and actually do their job, which is running this country, and it's time for US to quit being apathetic sheep and actually start paying attention and holding people accountable.

Posted by: Jaxitty | Jul 28, 2008 4:11:54 AM

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