No Laughing Matter

("Is Nothing Funny, Mr. President?")

"It is time to put an easy laugh back on top of the (Democratic) ticket." 

Did someone say Al Franken?

In his new book, Franken describes the difficulty of trying not to be funny as a politician, so a former comedian can be considered first a worthy candidate and now a meaningful Senator. But his journey as a member of Congress is speckled with tales of gently poking fun at the enemy. It is in those moments that alliances are formed and barriers dissolve.

Mr. Trump, on the other hand, builds not bonds but walls and resides in a dark humorless universe where one only laughs at, not with, others. His is a world of punching down, of mocking, of finding  the weakness and exploiting it. He does not deem his hair a comedy gold mine, but your ugly face, disability or menstrual cycle  is perfect fodder for his anger filled jibes. Even Hillary's bathroom needs was found somehow disqualifying.

And the principal catalyst for his presidential run was said to be his dyspeptic response to being the butt of the joke. He appeared as uncomfortable as a man sitting on a bed of nails as President Obama took him apart at that infamous Correspondents' dinner.

One of the shortcomings of Ms. Clinton was her inability to be the antidote to the dour Mr. Trump. Her smile seemed frozen in place and her laugh was drowned out in the cacophony of the campaign.

Al Franken is a serious man with serious goals for this country. But having the capacity to chuckle at his own inadequacies and help others find the humor in the midst of all the craziness might be his most valuable asset. 

And Mr. Trump is certainly no laughing matter.