The weekend in jokes

Politicians love a good joke… especially if they’re the joke-teller.

Below is a small collection of the knee-slappers laid down during the Democratic State Committee gathering last weekend in Pittsburgh, along with the pa2010.com snap-verdict of their reception.

-Presenting Senator Arlen Specter with a blue “donkey-tie,” Gov. Ed Rendell says that Specter’s wife “Joan dresses Specter.” Received a 2 of 5 on the laughter scale.

-Accepting the tie, Specter explains he’ll put it on later by saying, “I have never liked to disrobe in public.” Received a 3 of 5 on the laughter scale.

-Auditor General Jack Wagner jokes that he knows what it’s like to lose to the late Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll. This one fell relatively flat, getting only a 1 of 5 on the laughter scale.

-Speaking at a labor rally about his hair-loss from chemotherapy, Specter says he could have shaved it and become “a sex symbol like Joe Hoeffel.” Hoeffel’s in the crowd, so this one got a 4 of 5 on the laughter scale.

-During his formal speech, Specter says of President Obama’s speech in Cairo: “When he was finished with it I asked him if I could borrow his teleprompters.” People like teleprompter jokes, but since it’s also an Obama joke to a Democratic crowd, it gets only a 3 of 5 on the laughter scale.

-Recalling Vice-President Biden’s longtime efforts to woo him to the Democratic Party, Specter cracks, “You know how repetitious Vice President Biden can be.” Received a 5 of 5 on the laughter scale… everyone loves a Joe Biden joke.