A perennial:

Did you hear about the fire at the White House? Firefighters were able to confine it, but Bush’s personal library was completely destroyed. Both books. Including one he hadn’t finished coloring yet.

Last week on PBS, I saw an ’80s video clip of Gore Vidal telling the same story about Ronald Reagan. It was an old joke even then. I first heard it on a 1971 comedy album by an odd comedian named Stanley Myron Handelman, with Spiro T. Agnew the butt of the joke.

The following joke arrived in email. I see that it’s already been posted around the web in various forms, with various people the butt of the joke. I suspect it’s another perennial.

President Bush recently went to a primary school in Macon, Georgia, to talk about the world.

After his talk, he asked if the children had any questions. One little boy put up his hand, and the President asked him his name.

“Kenneth.”

“And what is your question, Kenneth?”

“I have three questions:

1. Whatever happened to the weapons of mass destruction?
2. Why did you give a tax break to the super wealthy?
3. Did you steal votes to win both elections?”

Just then the bell rang for recess. President Bush informed the kiddies that they would continue after recess.

When they resumed, the President said, “OK, now where were we? Oh, that’s right, question time. Who has a question?”

A different little boy put his hand up. Bush pointed him out and asked him his name.

“Larry.”

“And what is your question, Larry?”

“I have five questions:

1. Whatever happened to the weapons of mass destruction?
2. Why did you give a tax break to the super wealthy?
3. Did you steal votes to win both elections?
4. Why did the recess bell go off 20 minutes early?
5. What happened to Kenneth?”