Even when the rest of the show isn't quite so funny, Saturday Night Live has always been able to count on political parody to keep the 30-plus-year-old show relevant. And this year is no exception.

Energized by the way Hillary Clinton responded to their parodies last week, the show had the woman on herself Saturday, speaking to the program's presumably young, presumably hip audience just as Clinton needs help beating back a younger, hipper opponent. And just as I'm linking  the sketch here today, expect the cable channels to recycle her clip throughout the day -- manna from political heaven for a candidate fighting for her life just before her campaign's most crucial election.

Doesn't hurt that SNL has had such a tough time finding a comic to impersonate Barack Obama -- Kenan Thompson, the show's only regular black performer, is about 100 pounds too big for that feat -- that even the multi-talented Fred Armisen is relegated to just a few lines in every sketch, a marked  contrast to the eloquence of the guy he's spoofing.

You could almost sense Clinton's relief in Saturday's sketch -- finally someone in showbiz was coming to her aid, just as so many have been jumping ship. I couldn't help wondering: If Clinton pulls off another upset on Tuesday, will it be due to a Saturday Night Live bump?

And how relevant will the show seem then?

Check it out here: