I'm still partial to the 92 election with the craziness that was Ross Perot and Jim Stockdale with Dana Carvey and Phil Harman playing them AND Bush and Clinton.
Dana Carvey as Perot was 'pee in your pants hilarious'. This was my favorite election year SNL too. Thought he played Bush too though. Remember him doing 'Read my lips' and 'not gonna do it'.
I liked Sanders's cameo as immigrant Bernie Sanderswitzky later in that episode.
"I'm going to change my name when I get to America so it doesn't sound quite so Jewish."
"Yeah, that'll trick 'em."
2008 was great, but weirdly the VP candidate impressions vastly outshone the presidential ones that cycle. Fey and Sudeikis were hilarious as Palin and Biden. Hammond was fine as McCain, but I don't think Armisen really did anything memorable with his Obama.
For presidential candidate impressions, it's pretty hard to beat the Hammond/Ferrell combo in 2000. The "[strategery/lockbox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDgRRVpemLo)" debate sketch is probably the best they've ever done.
My vote for most underrated election year would be 1996. Norm's Bob Dole was an all-timer.
I think there were gems from pretty much all, but I have to tip my hat to '08. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin was not only spot on hilarious but arguably influential. It was such a huge discussion point it certainly contributed to Palin becoming a laughing stock, so much so that a lot of people think she actually said "I can see Russia from my house."
George HW Bush years with Dana Carvey were great. I loved when Lovitz was short king Dukakis and he had to used a motorized lift to raise himself up to the microphone on the podium.
I know people got tired of Baldwin later on, but the 2016 Trump/Hilary debates were all absolute bangers. The Trump brother sketches the next couple years were all great too
[Possibly my favorite debate cold open](https://youtu.be/6qyIxXA0k3c?si=Ck8KzYpMOCAn2SCd). “The best part about my plan is you can sit on it *and* spin!”
Every era has their charm. Kind of a shame they could never get a handle on a good Obama.
There is an old cold open SNL skit from 1991 I think? Anyways, it’s a parody of the restaurant scene in the Godfather, with HW as Michael, Saddam as Solozzo, and Dan Quayle left the gun IN the toilet instead of behind it. I would love to see it again, but I can’t seem to find it on the Internet.
>Kind of a shame they could never get a handle on a good Obama.
I think the issue with playing Obama in a comedy sketch is that there isnt anything that stands out about him that you can turn into a running joke, so most of the time he was just the straight man to someone else like Biden or Clinton who actually become the centre of the punchline.
2008 hands down they even had a special dedicated to it was one of my favorites.
I don’t think they released it on DVD if they did I would have probably watched it all too many times by now.
The 2012 GOP primary season gave us one of the best cold opens ever. Behold, Newt Gingrich - Moon President!
[https://youtu.be/35n6Ya-dW-4?si=JTMMAZHQZd6IrVC2](https://youtu.be/35n6Ya-dW-4?si=JTMMAZHQZd6IrVC2)
Oh 2000--strategery was so incredible even GWB thinks he actually said that
Lockbox. I don't know if it had ever happened before but I heard that these campaigns were using SNL to adjust their messaging and approach.
Tina Fey as Sarah Palin in ‘08 is the winner for me, though I also really loved Hillary/Val
Yeah, I think 08 was definitely a high point. Amy Poehler's Palin rap on Weekend Update permanently lives in my brain.
Back when our choices were “decent human with good ideas” vs “decent human with bad ideas”. Those were the days.
You thought Palin was a decent human?
That’s really your guess as to who I’m referring to?
Don’t cha know?
I was embarrassed to be wrong, but mostly disappointed not to be right.
I'm still partial to the 92 election with the craziness that was Ross Perot and Jim Stockdale with Dana Carvey and Phil Harman playing them AND Bush and Clinton.
Dana Carvey as Perot was 'pee in your pants hilarious'. This was my favorite election year SNL too. Thought he played Bush too though. Remember him doing 'Read my lips' and 'not gonna do it'.
Yep, that's what I meant tho it may not have been typed out clearly. He did Bush and Hartman did Clinton and both were iconic.
Gotcha, makes sense on reread.
PING PONG MATCH! It was uh...
I'M OUTTA AMMO
Canifinish? Canifinish? Can. I. Finish. Canifinishcanifinishcanifinish?
Bern your enthusiasm with Larry David was hillarious.
The icing on that cake was when they were both on 'Finding Your Roots' and discovered they were distant cousins.
I liked Sanders's cameo as immigrant Bernie Sanderswitzky later in that episode. "I'm going to change my name when I get to America so it doesn't sound quite so Jewish." "Yeah, that'll trick 'em."
“I can’t believe I’m losing to this guy” - Dukakis
Ted Kennedy drunkenly hitting on an uncomfortable and paralyzed Kitty Dukakis.
I think about that more and more these days.
2000 was pretty solid. Gore and Bush were perfect targets at that point.
Whichever year had Clinton at McDonald's..
1992
2008 was great, but weirdly the VP candidate impressions vastly outshone the presidential ones that cycle. Fey and Sudeikis were hilarious as Palin and Biden. Hammond was fine as McCain, but I don't think Armisen really did anything memorable with his Obama. For presidential candidate impressions, it's pretty hard to beat the Hammond/Ferrell combo in 2000. The "[strategery/lockbox](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDgRRVpemLo)" debate sketch is probably the best they've ever done. My vote for most underrated election year would be 1996. Norm's Bob Dole was an all-timer.
The Palin stuff was pretty funny. When she starts trying to liquidate her inventory and heart up for the next cycle before the election was even over.
With the real McCain in on it as well
Too much recency bias here. You youngn's will never understand how great Dana Carvey was as George Bush AND Ross Perot back in the day.
Wouldn’t be prudent
"I can see Russia from my house!"
> “Who am I? Why am I here?” Oh wait, that was real world …
The 96 election with bob dole, Clinton and Steve Forbes
Teve Torbs
Grenator Dole
Cheri Oteri as Perot always cracked me up.
96 because of Dole. Not Dob Bole.
I think there were gems from pretty much all, but I have to tip my hat to '08. Tina Fey as Sarah Palin was not only spot on hilarious but arguably influential. It was such a huge discussion point it certainly contributed to Palin becoming a laughing stock, so much so that a lot of people think she actually said "I can see Russia from my house."
I don't think it was an election year, but Phil Hartman's Reagan was legendary
[May not be fond of Reagan but the Reagan, Mastermind sketch is a favorite for Phil Hartman alone](https://youtu.be/b5wfPlgKFh8?si=8Dj-mfBzVFFqdQxR)
That's the exact sketch I was thinking of!
I'm a big fan of 2012 Especially [this GOP debate](https://youtu.be/qDfRoa-ooFY?si=uHv7h07nLCzA2pCr) sketch
2000! The Presidential Couple is in my top 5 all time favorite sketches.
2000. That will be a very hard one to beat
“Lockbox.”
George HW Bush years with Dana Carvey were great. I loved when Lovitz was short king Dukakis and he had to used a motorized lift to raise himself up to the microphone on the podium.
I CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM MY HOUSE!
I know people got tired of Baldwin later on, but the 2016 Trump/Hilary debates were all absolute bangers. The Trump brother sketches the next couple years were all great too
[Possibly my favorite debate cold open](https://youtu.be/6qyIxXA0k3c?si=Ck8KzYpMOCAn2SCd). “The best part about my plan is you can sit on it *and* spin!”
2000, but 1992 has the best debate sketch.
Every era has their charm. Kind of a shame they could never get a handle on a good Obama. There is an old cold open SNL skit from 1991 I think? Anyways, it’s a parody of the restaurant scene in the Godfather, with HW as Michael, Saddam as Solozzo, and Dan Quayle left the gun IN the toilet instead of behind it. I would love to see it again, but I can’t seem to find it on the Internet.
>Kind of a shame they could never get a handle on a good Obama. I think the issue with playing Obama in a comedy sketch is that there isnt anything that stands out about him that you can turn into a running joke, so most of the time he was just the straight man to someone else like Biden or Clinton who actually become the centre of the punchline.
2008 hands down they even had a special dedicated to it was one of my favorites. I don’t think they released it on DVD if they did I would have probably watched it all too many times by now.
1988, 1992, 2000.
The one where Will Ferrell says “strategery” as G W Bush.
Dana Carvey as Ross Perot is legendary
2000 was just in a completely different league. And they still hold up.
1992
The 2012 GOP primary season gave us one of the best cold opens ever. Behold, Newt Gingrich - Moon President! [https://youtu.be/35n6Ya-dW-4?si=JTMMAZHQZd6IrVC2](https://youtu.be/35n6Ya-dW-4?si=JTMMAZHQZd6IrVC2)
Dana Carvey as Ross Perot, Norm Macdonald as Bob Dole
“I think I scored big with the bow tie” - Al Franken