Redefining The Animated Campaign

Online Video Spoofs Of Politicians Soar In Popularity

(CBS)  In their run for the White House, both Sen. John Kerry and President Bush have been targeted by virtual cartoonists who pull virtually no punches.

This year, the audience for political satire is as limitless as cyberspace, reports CBS News Correspondent Richard Schlesinger.

Some of the satire is produced by those supporting one candidate or another. Others take pot shots at both candidates. A few of the pieces are naughty and a few are cruel. But most of it is extremely funny and extremely popular.

Several of the political animations were created by the Spiridellis brothers, whose animated shorts are available on the Web site JibJab.com. They say their spoofs have been seen at least 65 million times.

"If this were a hit record or a hit single and we sold sixty five million singles, we'd be rich," says Evan Spiridellis, an artist. His brother Gregg writes.

In one Spiridellis cartoon, Bush gallops by singing "This land is your land, this land is my land. I'm a Texas tiger, you're a left wing wiener," and Kerry intones "You can't pronounce nuclear, that really scares me. Sometimes a brain can come in handy."

Internet videos like those produced by the Spiridellis brothers are instantly available to a worldwide audience, so anyone with a little money and a lot of attitude can reach millions.

These videos could re-define the way political races are run.

They've certainly already redefined the concept of an animated campaign.