Jon Stewart: Crossfire "hurting America" - Salon

[Tuttle]

"I think you're a lot more fun on your show," said Tucker Carlson to "Crossfire" guest Jon Stewart this afternoon. "And I think you're as much of a dick on your show as on any other," Stewart shot back. It wasn't the faux avuncularity we've come to expect from Stewart on "The Daily Show" but there, of course, he's playing a role. Here he was himself -- and he wasn't buying any of it.

From the moment Stewart sat down he made no secret of how repugnant he found the show. In fact, he said to Carlson and co-host Paul Begala that he had been so hard on the show he felt it was his duty to come on and say to their faces what he has said to friends and in interviews. What he said was that their show was "hurting America," and he was being only slightly hyperbolic. Stewart told them that when America needed journalists to be journalists they had instead chosen to present theater.

http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/index.html

Tut-tut

[Bonobo]

1. My Man!!!! Way to go!!! Hoo-hoo!!!!

:toast:

[Eric J in MN]

2. Sam Seder on The Majortiy Report Radio Show tonight

said that Jon Stewart can speak his mind because his ratings are so good.

[TexasBushwhacker]

11. That kind of pissy of Sam

Is he saying that Jon would be kissing their ass if his ratings we low? Does Jon REALLY care if he gets to go on Crossfire again? He's not Michael Moore. He's got his own damn show.

I must admit though, I don't know why Jon thought what he was saying would make any difference to the "pundits" on Crossfire? But I thought Jon did fine and did his best to remind Paul and Tucker that THEY'RE the ones that are supposed to be asking the hard questions. He really did make them look rather lame, and got in a comment about Tucker's stupid bow tie.

[Erratic]

3. Read the transcript!

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0410/15/cf.01.html

It's long, not going to quote anything. He's trying to be serious and the hosts are taking cheap shots at him. I hope it gets played again because I want to see this.

Go Jon!

[nebula]

4. download the show here

Bittorent download

[Ketcham]

5. I can't

I'm on a college campus and they've blocked bittorrent. Is this hosted anywhere else?

[nebula]

6. I'm not aware of any other links to it.

Maybe someone here with the webspace can download it,


then host it on their server. Then you can get it from them.

[melv]

8. look in the Media Room instead of General Discussion

you'll find it posted there.

[Lefteous]

7. There's another thread with links

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=109x14508

[Carla in Ca]

10. Here is clip of last few minutes of the show.

<http://homepage.mac.com/duffyb/nobush/iMovieTheater231.html>

[belle]

9. Awesome. Marry me, Jon.

[The Night Owl]

12. Sorry, but in my opinion, Stewart came across as a snob on Crossfire.

It is so easy to say a pox on both your houses and to hell with it all. That is basically what Stewart did. BFD. I was not impressed at all.

[LuminousX]

15. Jon Stewart is BEGGING the media to help the people and you think

he is a snob?

Whatever.

Jon Stewart tells them he doesn't want to talk about O'Reilly and vibrators, and you think he is a snob?

Wow.

[porkrind]

19. Tucker Calson is a scumbag

Jon Stewart was totally fair in coming down extra hard on Crossfire and Tucker Carlson. These people are unscrupulous scumbags. Have you ever watched the show? Tucker is a real asswipe.

[The Night Owl]

27. Carlson may have deserved Stewart's wrath, but Begala did not.

Stewart called both Carlson and Begala hacks. Did Begala deserve that? I don't think so. Begala is one of the strongest advocates we have out there.

Crossfire is just a small show on CNN. Who cares if Crossfire is not everything it could be?

[Cleita]

21. Err, a snob or an ELITIST?

Is this what you are saying? I suppose the pox only goes in one direction. God forbid someone should say the truth and catch them in the middle of their own propaganda dump.

I was so impressed that it will totally blotch out your "not impressed". This man is brilliant!

[crimson333]

24. It was all staged

thats why you here them saying that was great to each other as it was going off the air

[jdj]

25. no, honey, the breck bowtie boy would never allow that.

wishful thinking.

[IHateFundies]

13. News corporations look to Comedy Central for cues on Integrity

Jon Stewart and The Onion are Better Spin and commentary than the regular conservative/liberal pundits and editorialists. The internet bloggers and prolific posters here on forums like DU are as good, and often much better, than the "partisan hacks" that Stewart talked about. That's why I'm here, reading and posting, and not watching TV.

The AP wire, when they stick to simple facts, is our primary source of news. They tell us which politician said what, which corporation did this, or which organization said that. They are obviously very selective with the facts, and insert a certain amount of spin, but they are the closest to raw data we have.

The comedians, satirists, bloggers - and trolls - provide better commentary, spin, emphasis, and analysis than CBS and Westinghouse, NBC, Microsoft and General Electric, ABC and Viacom Disney, and obviously Fox and Newscorp.

It's a sign of the times - Comedy Central is more honest and makes more sense than the "real news". I wonder if the people living under Soviet Empire felt the same way about Pravda and the Official News?

[chookie]

14. Much broader than Crossfire

Not like they are the exception....

He called bullshit on what has been a devastating trend in American "journalism" for the last 20 years.

My red blood cell count skyrocketed with this rare opportunity to take in pure oxygen, rather than hot air.

Jon said what has long needed to be said. It doesn't have to be this way; how it has become is bad for our country. Period. If these guys had been honest, it could have developed into a valuable discussion -- but they are locked into their stupedia methods.

He was really there to attempt to engage them in a honest discussion -- not to insult them or degrade them. It could have been great. He tried. They failed.

[LuminousX]

17. He was there to beg them to do better

Anyone remember the original Crossfire with Mickael Kinsley and Pat Buchanon? That was solid stuff.

[chookie]

20. I have always been impressed with Jon's civility

He's had on some pretty creepy characters, in my view -- Karen Hughes, Richard Perle, Wolf Blitzer, Ralph Reed, Racicot, etc -- and he has never failed to treat them with respect and conduct a civil discussion. There have been a few times when he did, politely but plainly, point out that someone was a bit "out there" ( a guy STILL claiming close ties between OBL and Saddam comes to mind) -- but again, never in anger, never to humiliate anyone, never contentiously -- just honestly.

Same courtesies he extends to people closer to his own views.

Yes -- if Pres Bush was on the show, Stewart would be respectful, just as he had been for Kerry. He is NOT a partisan hack, blind to one side, and not to another. Many times we have seen him point out crazy things our folk have done. But never has there ever been any kind of vicious ambush, or shouting down. Instead, it's like a Mad Tea Party that everyone has an equal seat at.

He's the Court Jester of our time -- the guy who can get away with speaking the truth. He doesn't suck up to anyone -- he survives because he is enormously entertaining and charming and does indeed dare to say the things that need to be said, and heard.

I heard Jon interviewed by Charlie Rose -- fascinating intellect. Says his approach is bred in the bone -- when your ancestors have long had Cossacks chasing you across the Steppes to kill you, you find it is useful protection to be cute and charming and make them laugh..... And so it has been with all the *great* clowns.

Jon did not appear on CrossFire to be the amusing monkey - (what a stupid trap *that* schtick is to get caught in) -- he was there as a serious American citizen. He raised excellent issues. But the CrossFire folk just do not receive signals from the frequency of intellect and facts.... I sure as hell appreciate him putting his neck out -- to some degree stepping out of the "court Jester" role to speak simply as a citizen -- he's doing so because the stakes are so high -- not out of any partisanship.

Ah well -- he tried -- but he seems to have to make do with CHarlie Rose and Bill Moyers for now, the few remaining denizens of Planet Reality.

[Zang]

16. cool

Jon's been trying to get a good rivalry going with any news show/pundit and no one has bitten yet....until now

[LuminousX]

18. Bull

He consistently says his show sucks ass, that it isn't real. He is acting as a concerned citizen begging news programs and journalists to HELP THE PEOPLE.

[Jack_DeLeon]

22. I downloaded and saw the show...

it was pretty amazing. I totally agree with Jon Stewart.

Crossfire and shows like it = wrestling.

They arent there to get any honest intellectual debate going, its sad that its pretty much entertainment and not news.

[Zinfandel]

23. To Carlson: How old are you? Jon Stewart was great & very pissed...

Admit... it's softball bullshit, but who didn't know that? Stewart was indeed to the fucking point...better than I am now!!!

[IHateFundies]

26. amazing wasn't it?

It's the best TV moment of 2004.

[morgan2]

28. this story made it to slashdot

complete with bit torrent links

[TexasSissy]

29. Did something set Stewart off? Why would he agree to be on the

show if he doesn't approve of it?

I love Stewart. I used to like Crossfire, but they changed the time, so it comes on now while I'm at work, so I don't see it anymore.