The prospect of the Senate staying in session until Christmas Eve to pass a health care bill had Illinois Democrat Roland W. Burris waxing poetic on the floor Tuesday morning with a set of verses in the style of " 'Twas the Night Before Christmas."

Taking liberties with Clement Clarke Moore's poetic meter and rhymes, Burris began, "It was the night before Christmas, and all through the Senate / The right held up our health care bill, no matter what was in it."

Former House Majority Leader Tom "The Hammer" DeLay made his Dancing with the Stars debut last night, and we have just one word: Yikes! I mean, just look at that outfit. Apparently the judges thought the same thing, putting DeLay in 4th place. Politico edited together some of the, uh, highlights.

You've seen Rep. Joe Wilson heckle President Obama during last week's speech to a joint session of Congress. And you've seen Kanye West interrupt Taylor Swift's acceptance speech during the MTV Video Music Awards. Now watch Kanye West interrupt Obama in the latest, greatest YouTube Remix.

(UPDATE - Maybe this is why Pres. Obama called Kanye a "jackass.")

Joe Wilson went from an obscure South Carolina congressman to one of Google's top search terms in the time it takes to call the President of the United States a liar. And now Wilson has something else in common with Obama - he's got his very own site of randomly-generated one-liners. Remember 'BarackObamaIsYourNewBicycle.com"? Now there's "JoeWilsonIsYourPreexistingCondition.com." Click on the image below to open up the web site, and then hit refresh to cycle through such gems as "Joe Wilson let his dog poop on your lawn," and "Joe Wilson yells 'Free bird' at concerts."

It turns out that Sen. Al Franken is good at more than just goofy comedy routines and waging the longest election battle in modern Senate history. He also can draw a map of the entire United States from memory. Here, he puts his talent on display at the Minnesota State Fair (h/t Political Wire).

Arlen Specter has been in the midst of controversy for much of the year, having famously switched parties back in April and, most recently, been on the receiving end of angry constituents at a health care town hall.

Which would make one think that the Pennsylvania Democrat would want to stay out of the limelight during his down time. No chance. Specter, a huge fan of stand up comedy, recently took to the stage at the Pittsburgh Improv for a charity event.

"I'm delighted to be with you," Specter opened. "After being in the town meetings, I'm delighted to be anywhere."

Much of the routine was actually pretty innocuous, poking fun at deceased or retired politicians such as Strom Thurmond and Trent Lott. He did, however, get in a little jab at Sarah Palin (watch part II).

Displaying a sense of levity that was understandably missing from his encounter with Cambridge police officer James Crowley last month, Harvard scholar Henry Louis Gates Jr. gave some lighthearted comments about his now famous arrest.

Speaking at the Martha's Vineyard Book Festival, Gates joked that people told him he "looked taller" in his mug shot. He also said that he offered to get Sgt. Crowley's kids into Harvard.

On a more serious note, Gates also said that his arrest and the ensuing national debate showed just how deeply polarized the United States remains on issues of class and race.

There was a funny moment in the Sotomayor nomination hearings yesterday when Sen. Amy Klobuchar said she almost missed her questioning session because of an encounter in the women's bathroom with a chatty audience member: Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor's mother, Celina.

"She has plenty of stories she would like to share about you," the Minnesota Democrat said, prompting a laughing Sotomayor to respond, "Senator, don't give her the chance."

Klobuchar praised Celina Sotomayor's patience, saying that her own mother has been leaving her messages during the hearing asking when she will get her turn at questioning.

"My favorite one," Klobuchar said of her mother's messages, "was, 'I watched Sen. (Dianne) Feinstein (D-Calif.) and she was brilliant. What are you going to do?'"

We weren't the only ones who felt deja vu with the president telling jokes to a crowd of journalists at last night's Radio and TV Correspondents dinner. Referring to his performance just last month at the White House Correspondents dinner, President Obama said in his opening remarks, "I want express my appreciation to be able to tell jokes that weren't funny enough for me to be able to use when we did this five weeks ago." The president also cracked jokes about his irascible chief-of-staff Rahm Emanuel, and his Mr. Miyagi-like reflexes in killing a fly on television.

Anyone surprised by President Obama's sometimes biting humor at the White House Correspondents Dinner obviously didn't catch then-candidate Obama roasting John McCain at the Alfred E. Smith Memorial Foundation in Manhattan a few weeks before the election. By now you've probably seen the highlights of the president's stand-up routine this past Saturday night, but the whole thing is worth watching. Our favorite joke of the evening: "No president in history has ever named three commerce secretaries this quickly. Which reminds me, if Judd Gregg is here, your business cards are ready now."

Watch the rest of Obama's routine after the jump...