With the annual Alfalfa Club dinner just around the corner, Washington is entering the so-called “Silly Season” of political speechwriting, when humor prevails from the podium.

For those interested in what it’s like to write for the Comedian-in-Chief, I commend Mark Katz’ Washington Monthly piece from January/February 2004, “Mirth of a Nation.”

And for more recent thoughts on how to make ‘em laugh against an economic backdrop that is anything but funny, check out this interview with my West Wing Writers partner Jeff Nussbaum and our friend and colleague Eric Shnure.