Is it disrespectful to lampoon the President?

Answer 1

Nope. He does too good of a job as a set-up man. We have freedom of speech in the US, it was used a lot during the Clinton terms.

Answer 2

Presidents have been lampooned almost from the git go in America; in other countries people can be jailed or even beheaded for lampooning. So lighten up, it's still a free country unless Bush and Homeland Security decides the likes of us are a threat, and we get a free ticket to Guantanamo.

It sure raises hackles here, unless of course the shoe is on the other foot. It all depends on whose ox is gored.

Answer 3

Disagreements, complaints, dissatisfaction are rights that every voter has the right to voice. All public officials are put in a position to make decisions that are not popular with all. Voicing that dissatisfaction is the American way. If any of our leaders can't take the criticizing, they should not be in office.

On the other hand, blatant lies, name calling and wishing harm on ANY political official is wrong and shows how illiterate and immature a person is. Although morons are a fact of life, their small mindedness should be ignored as you would a small child that makes stupid faces at others. They are on the same intelligence level.

Answer 4

Its part of our right as a free people to criticize our President, and some of the best criticism is done through humor and sarcasm. Its strange that at times I can see more incisive analysis concerning the blunders of our President and his administration from the parodies on Saturday Night Live, MAD TV, Stephen Colbert and The Daily Show with John Stewart, than I can from CNN and ABC.

Furthermore, why should we concern ourselves with issues of respect when regarding our President, when he doesn’t behave in a respectful manner? He displays a flagrant disregard for well thought out opposing points of view. He engenders global acrimony and violence, and he trivializes intellectual pursuits. It surprises me that Americans are not more egregiously disrespectful to Bush. They have been surprisingly restrained.

Answer 5

I agree with what coragryph said. I might add that the current President totally deserves it. It's the least harm we can do- to laugh at him. He gives the comedians lots of material to work with.
Remember when Chevy Chase used to trip and fall, like President Ford? That's probably the worst that could be said about him- it's all in good fun- and when Phil Hartman was Clinton, eating off everyone's trays at McDonald's? It makes us laugh- no harm done.

Answer 6

If its clever, and not simple Bush bashing (i'm republican btw) then I don't have too much of a problem with it. I know I love to throw an intern under Clinton's desk while talking about him everyonce in awhile, but I'm not being mean spirited about it.

But if you're trying to be mean, hateful, and make up stuff about him or call him dumb etc then that just shows that you are an unmitigated @ss, with no respect for other people.

Answer 7

No, but don't waste your time unless it's a somewhat funny. That's what lampooning is about.

Answer 8

People have been doing it since George Washington!!! He's an elected official and we do not have to blindly follow him just because he's President. That's what being an American is supposed to be about, freedom of speech!!!

Answer 9

I think you can question his position on things and debate his handling of certain situations and his adherence or lack thereof for the law but calling him names and making things up that are not true is very disrespectful.

Answer 10

Not when the person being lampooned has shown that he doesn't deserve the respect associated with the office.

The office deserves respect. The person occupying it doesn't always, especially when they themselves have acted to betray their oath of office.