by TChris

If the late night talk show hosts either shape or reflect the mood of the country, John Kerry can take comfort in the fact that he is ridiculed less than the President.

In Washington, of course, everything must be studied and scrutinized. So the Center for Media and Public Affairs has divined that Bush remains the biggest late-night target -- the butt of 213 jokes from Jan. 1 through March 9 -- compared with 53 for Kerry (who barely beat the 43 jibes aimed at Dennis Kucinich). Even in February, when Kerry was surging to the nomination, it was Bush hands down, 121 to 25.

Even Jay Leno is taking hard shots at Bush.

"President Bush admitted that his prewar intelligence wasn't what it should have been," Jay Leno said. "We knew that when we elected him."

Ouch!

Leno and the other late night comedians make fun of Kerry's hair, appearance, and alleged flip-flopping, but 94 percent of the jokes about intelligence, and 89 percent about honesty, have been told about Bush. It will be a long campaign season for the President if the trend continues.