As long as Bush was being portrayed as a loveable, alcoholic idiot, he was home free politically, especially in a country where Homer Simpson is beloved. In fact, it probably helped him by lowering expectations.
But I've noticed in the last week, the monologues have turned much more political, largely over the rising gas prices. Bill Maher has a really savage riff on Bush and Cheney revelling in higher gas prices benefitting their oil buddies down in Texas, while Saturday Night Live led with Dick Cheney claiming he actually supported energy conservation - noting that his lack of personality and animation was a dedicated energy conservation measure. "Cheney" then began promoting a How-To book on erasing one's personality, promising that the profits would not go to him but to big oil companies.
Less important but reinforcing the comedy indicator is a CNN poll showing a ten point drop in job approval, largely among independents upset about rising energy costs.
Heck, if things go right, the energy crisis will knock out both Bush and Davis by 2004 :)
-- Nathan Newman