Politics is absurd: Two funny takes on last night's debate

From Gail Collins at the New York Times:

The last debate! Couldn’t help feeling nostalgic Wednesday night. It was a little like the last bonfire at summer camp.

So many memories. That Republican debate where people had to raise their hands if they didn’t believe in evolution. The snowman who asked the question about global warming. The time John Edwards made fun of Hillary Clinton’s jacket. Dennis Kucinich. Ron Paul. “That one.” And now, the sufferings of Joe the Plumber.

And from Jonathan Chait at the TNR website:

I thought John McCain was more effective and coherent tonight than in the previous two debates. He mostly controlled the terms of the debate, in part by defining the average American as a plumber who earns more than $250,000 a year.

Isn't it refreshing that -- no matter who wins the election, or how bad the economy is, or how long our so-called culture wars persist -- we here in America will always get the chance to laugh at the absurdities of our politics? It's a good sign we can still laugh at ourselves.