Top 10: Best viral videos from the 2008 election

01.11.2008
After what seems like an eternity, the process of selecting the next American president is almost over. As in all good elections, it had cheap shots and low blows coming from all sides, tears shed, harsh words said and regretted later, brother turning against brother, and so on and on. But, thankfully, the campaign season generated, as well, some very funny satire and witty commentary, and much of it came in the form of viral video.

Some good stuff was created by like you and me, but the best stuff this year came from organizations like the Onion, The Daily Show, and Saturday Night Live. We've put together a list of what we think are the very best viral videos from and about the primaries and the general election.

A special note: The videos that made this list don't necessarily reflect the political views of either me or PC World--they are simply the ones that were the funniest or cleverest or that offered meaningful commentary on the race. Some candidates, obviously, were bigger targets than others. In 2004 it was JibJab's , and the . What video will we remember from 2008? Pretty likely it's on this list.

1. SNL: Katie Couric interviews Sarah Palin

The McCain campaign would probably never admit it, but 's spoof of Sarah Palin was so spot-on that you'd have to figure it into much of America's increasingly negative opinion of the vice presidential nominee from Alaska. Palin, with her sexy-librarian looks and folksy come-on makes a big target for parody, so SNL brought in a big gun to do the job. Fey had graduated from the cast of SNL and gone onto other things (30 Rock), but was called back to play Palin. What puts this video over the top: At one point Fey uses Palin's exact words from the latter's ill-fated interview with Couric, and the nearly nonsensical answer is one of the funniest lines of the bit. The only way things could get weirder is if "Caribou Barbie" begins borrowing Fey's SNL lines in her own press appearances . . .

2. SNL: George W. Bush endorses McCain/Palin