Now We're All Embarrassed

Jacob Sullum | September 1, 2004

Jenna Bush said her appearance with her sister, Barbara, was "payback" for all the times their parents embarrassed them when they were growing up. Apparently they hold a grudge against not just Mom and Dad but everyone who was watching the convention. Beginning with the opening jabs at a defenseless old lady (that slam against Gammie came out of nowhere!), every single joke fell flat, even the sly reference to their father's "young and irresponsible" days, after which you could hear the crickets chirping in Madison Square Garden. John Kerry's daughters are older and more politically seasoned, I guess, which helps explain their far more graceful performance at the Democratic convention. The Bush girls' cutesiness and staginess may have been unavoidable, but the Republicans should have hired someone to punch up their material--maybe one of those conservative comedians about which we've been hearing so much.