Look Who's Talking?

Cal Grondahl, 10/2/13:

The government shutdown is a nuclear fireball, and this family -- representing average Americans? -- is very stupid to stand and watch it, since they'll all die of very painful radiation poisoning within a week.

Or is it supposed to be a spaceship taking off? (Or landing?) It's not exactly a mushroom cloud, but it's not exactly anything else, either.

And the punch line seems to be completely unrelated.

Or is the government shutdown the shockwave from the mushroom cloud, which should be labeled something else? I'm so confused.