Joke - Bill Clinton: 'Screw It, I'm Running For President'

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Discussion Overview

The thread discusses a satirical article from The Onion about former president Bill Clinton announcing his candidacy for the 2008 presidential race. The conversation explores reactions to the joke, the nature of satire, and the understanding of humor within an international community.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express amusement at the satirical nature of the article, highlighting Clinton's humorous remarks about wanting to be president again.
  • Others question why The Onion has not covered this story, suggesting it fits their style.
  • There is a concern raised by some participants that not everyone may be familiar with The Onion, which could lead to misunderstandings about the article's intent.
  • One participant suggests that a lack of understanding of satire might reflect on someone's intelligence, prompting further discussion about cultural differences in humor.
  • A humorous proposal is made about starting a serious news outlet named "The Carrot," intended to parody existing media.
  • Another participant recalls a previous joke about the forum being sold to Scientologists, indicating a history of playful misinformation within the community.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree that the article is a joke, but there is disagreement about the level of familiarity with satire among the forum's international members. The discussion remains unresolved regarding how to communicate humor effectively in a diverse audience.

Contextual Notes

Some participants note that the understanding of satire may vary significantly across cultures, which could affect how jokes are received. There is also an acknowledgment that not all members may be familiar with The Onion, leading to potential confusion.

Who May Find This Useful

Readers interested in satire, humor in media, and cultural differences in understanding jokes may find this discussion relevant.

Ivan Seeking
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CHARLESTON, SC—After spending two months accompanying his wife, Hillary, on the campaign trail, former president Bill Clinton announced Monday that he is joining the 2008 presidential race, saying he "could no longer resist the urge."

"My fellow Americans, I am sick and tired of not being president," said Clinton, introducing his wife at a "Hillary '08" rally. "For seven agonizing years, I have sat idly by as others experienced the joys of campaigning, debating, and interacting with the people of this great nation, and I simply cannot take it anymore. I have to be president again. I have to." [continued]
http://www.theonion.com/content/news/bill_clinton_screw_it_im_running

Edit: This is of course a joke and not to be taken seriously.
 
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:smile:
Clinton told reporters Tuesday that seeing so many "Clinton '08" posters "really got [him] thinking," and said that the fact that he was already wearing a suit, and smiling and waving on the campaign trail was an added motivator.

Old habits die hard.
 
How come The Onion hasn't picked up on this story?

:)

Zz.
 
Figures it'd be the blokes at the Onion.
 
At first I thought this was a story from some joke tabloid, but if it's in the Onion, it must be true!:rolleyes:
 
Ivan, you should have stated that this was a joke, a lot of people aren't familiar with The Onion.
 
Query: Can you really call yourself "smart" if you have no concept of satire or humor?
 
Poop-Loops said:
Query: Can you really call yourself "smart" if you have no concept of satire or humor?
Some people don't know what The Onion is and some members have posted articles from The Onion believing that they are true. Remember also, that PF is an International community and would not understand.
 
I'm going to start a news corp. named "The Carrot" and make it completely serious, but crappy. Sort of like Fox News, but crappy on purpose.

Just to screw with people.
 
  • #10
Evo said:
Ivan, you should have stated that this was a joke, a lot of people aren't familiar with The Onion.

That takes all of the fun out of it.

As I recall, we once announced that PF had been sold to the Scientologists.
 
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