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Last week, U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) received the greatest honor this nation can bestow: a parodic depiction in The Onion.
America’s leading satirical news site—arguably responsible for the ascendancy of President Joe Biden—placed Wyden among an “intimidating circle of senators” smoking cannabis on the steps of the nation’s Capitol while a nervous Biden crept by.
“Excuse me, folks, just trying to get through here,” The Onion quoted the imaginary Biden. “Oh, uh, no thanks, haha. I’m running late. Plus, uh, I heard that stuff can make you go crazy.”
The accompanying illustration shows Wyden sitting next to Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Corey Booker (D-N.J.), laughing at the frightened, straight-edge president.
There’s a substantive policy dispute underpinning the joke: Wyden, Schumer and Booker are co-sponsors of a Senate bill to remove cannabis from the federal list of controlled substances, a reform that Biden has repeatedly opposed.
Wyden tells WW he’s flattered by the portrayal.
“I commend the Onion artist,” he said, “for the likenesses of a crew I’m always proud to roll with on replacing outdated cannabis prohibitions with common-sense policies that help small businesses and restore the lives of those left as needless casualties in the failed War on Drugs. While I enjoy the parody, I also think it’s important to remember this is a serious battle for parity that has huge consequences for communities of color.”