In a mock campaign commercial on last night's SNL, Jon Hamm portrayed hapless Butts, New York candidate Pat Finger. Analysts were predicting an even poorer result for a subject of the show's opening satire, embattled Pennsylvania rep John Murtha. The attention paid to Murtha's recent gaffe (in which he called his constituents racists) will likely cost the congressman his House seat next month, observers immediately began to suggest. Can a few minutes really swing that campaign? Click for the video.Standing in the way of Rep. Murtha's re-election is Iraqi War vet Lt. Col. William Russell, who came into the race with a far smaller profile. After describing the area he represents as racist and redneck in separate recent comments, he was already expecting his five point edge over Russell to continue evaporating. And then this largely unfunny thing happened last night: Observer of the contest Mark Hemingway immediately wrote that the sketch
...may have just cost an embattled John Murtha his seat in congress. It should dominate the press tomorrow, and I expect it will be inescapable on the news in Murtha's district for the next week.
Although normally we'd be inclined to dismiss that as hyperbole, if it gives the Murtha story extra legs, Hemingway might be on target. As for the man they call Pat Fingers: it was good to see them give Jon Hamm something to do that doesn't involve trading on the reputation of a Don Draper character most of America doesn't even know, but last night's mock ad pales in comparison to the best version of that sketch ever done. Don't take our word for it. Here's Pat Finger... ...and here's the timeless David Cross-Bob Odenkirk sketch from HBO's Mr. Show: