Jon Stewart Bends Over For Hot Dog-On-Man Action

[Bark Bark Bark]

Burnout Goldberg writes a silly little table-book for neocons to masturbate over, and Jon fries his ass so thoroughly you smell bacon.

Colin Powell waves a vial and declares that if The Little Prince doesn't get everything he wants from Congress, civilization will fall--and Jon gets on his hands and knees and swallows.

(F/T)ucker invites Jon on "Crossfire," and Jon uses the opportunity to burn the show to the ground and destroy the yo-yos sitting there.

Rick Santorum shows up on The Daily Show--audience reaction ranging from boos to very mild clapping--and Jon softballs him SO gingerly, the afterglow renders Santorum unable to stand up for minutes afterwards.

W. T. F.

I can stand the cheap, pointless shots at Kerry. But what the Hell is going on here? Are there two Jon Stewarts?

[autorank]

1. If he destroys them, they won't come on (pols). If not, we're pissed...

...so he tapdances on some creeps who deserve it. It's a rough gig. I love the guy but I think he could do his naive thing and ask some really hard questions. He did make points with "Little Ricky", particular on what makes a good person. Ricky had to agree. The Powell thing, well...who doesn't give that guy a free pass. He probably never buys a meal when he goes out (LOL).

[deadparrot]

2. Jon did fine.

He's said it before--he hates all the showboating and yelling that goes along with the news media today, ala Crossfire. He wants civilized, intelligent debate, he doesn't just want people hurtling insults at each other.

[Greeby]

3. Well

It just shows the sad state of US media, that you expect the Daily Show to ask the hard questions of political figures.

[Bark Bark Bark]

12. Check my examples again

He tore Goldberg apart. He left Tucker damn near in shock and tears. I expect him to ask the hard questions because he has shown that he's fully capable of doing so*.

But Santorum? "I'd just like to ask...and I wanna point out, I'm not in disagreement with you here...but if I may...what is it that people misunderstand the MOST about you? ...Sir."

Granted, he brought out a few things he brought out with Goldberg: we're NOT in the sort of moral decline that neocons keep banging their pan over; the neocons are responsible for a lot of situations that MAKE for a fatherless family, and so on.

But if he's going to softball Santorum because he doesn't want neocons to avoid appearing on the show, how is he any different in that respect from reporters who defer to Chimpy because they don't want to lose "access?"

*You're right, though. The US Media is in a sad state, because they've shown time and again that most of 'em WON'T ask the hard ones. The ones that will are a dwindling list, and we cannot survive without them.

[RaleighNCDUer]

51. Maybe a difference there is that Tucker and Goldberg are in the

same game as he is - they both comment on the newsmakers. He takes them to task for not doing their jobs, leaving him among the very few who is asking real questions.

Powell and Santorum ARE the newsmakers. They have the political clout to shut him down, see him banished to HBO or Showtime like Bill Maher. And if you want them to come back, or want to get any others in their profession to show up you gotta treat them with kid gloves. He gets a few good shots in, and a few is better than none. He doesn't need to bash them down - just to show them to be real people and, therefore, not above criticism.

[Ian David]

56. If you want to trap beavers, you don't leave the dead corpses in the trap

That's an old French-Canadian saying.





That I just made-up.

[Why Syzygy]

4. Rather vague

and due to the fact that I don't own a t.v. and only catch cute Jon when visiting friends .. I have very few clues as to the point of your post.

From what I've seen, Jon stokes the wingers a bit but he is biting his tongue the whole time.

Probably a be nice to the bad guys scenario. :shrug:

[Swamp Rat]

5. It was a brilliant idea, actually.

The monkey performed EXACTLY as we expected... and a lot of politically disconnected Americans got to see what THEY represent. ;)

The Grand Hypocrisy Party.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bark Bark Bark]

7. I've never filled it out.

Whose business is it? Certainly not yours.
What exactly are you trying to imply?

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[evlbstrd]

11. Back off.

You got your answer.
And welcome to DU.

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[evlbstrd]

18. When you're on the internet,

you have to be careful. Search the Andy Stephenson posts.

[DS1]

26. Are you on CRACK?

I think I'll fill out Superman
Somewhere in Gotham
female

:eyes:

[Bark Bark Bark]

13. Make me.

You might want to review the Rules before you continue this, buddy-boy.

[Name removed]

16. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

20. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Jax]

21. Oh gee

what a surprise...

:eyes:

[Name removed]

27. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Bark Bark Bark]

32. Evlbstrd, DS1: Thanks, But Don't Worry About It

Whoever he/she/it was, not a problem to me anymore.

[Thtwudbeme]

34. I have been reading DU since day one

I have been posting on DU since a couple of months after that.

I just found out that a DUer that I have been reading and thinking "oh she seems cool" for FOUR years is a man.

Some of us don't need to read "profiles" to enjoy others opinions on political and public subjects.

What is your problem?

[Name removed]

37. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[noamnety]

9. I'm sorry

if you feel that Jon has lowered the journalistic standards of fake news reporters in some way.

[EFerrari]

23. LOL!

He's besmirched all of us fake reporters.

:rofl:

[DrGonzoLives]

57. BURRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRN

n/t

[tuvor]

10. For fuck sakes, get over it. And then

put that energy into bitching to the lazy media who're fucking supposed to be doing what you think the country's best court jester's job should be.

He isn't Tucker's monkey, and he ain't yours, either.

[mikelewis]

14. Ummm - It's a FAKE NEWS SHOW

They even state that in thier slogan. Seriously, it's a comedy show. He's a comedian. He offers funny political commentary and political satire. He is not the Democratic Hatchetman. If you want to get pissed at someone, get pissed at our leadership. They're the one's who should be asking these questions.

Lord above, I'd love to see you insult Colin Powell and make it funny. I guarantee you, pissing off a General is most definitely not funny. Watching Powell kick the living shit out of him might be funny. Not only is Powell a Genral, he was also the highest ranking diplomat in the country. Are you so sure of your debating ability that you could take on Powell and not look like a complete idiot? The same thing goes for Santorum. What would he benefit by letting him talk circles around him. He is a Senator. Granted he's a cock-sucker but a Senator Cock-sucker. You want to go a few rounds with him, that's fine but I'm sure he has enough pull to make life pretty difficult for you afterwards if you win. Give the guy a break, he's a comedian.

[EFerrari]

25. Senator Cock-s#cker!

This thread just helped me shed ten years. And I'll be here all week, try the veal!

:rofl:

[ConfuZed]

17. It's just satire

Its not a real news show I don't expect him to act like a real reporter or conduct interview like a real one, I admire him for repecting all of his guests.

[Toots]

50. "I admire him for repecting all of his guests."

That is the key and it is something we have completely over the right wing. We have and show respect. They do not even know the meaning of the word. I think Jon did a great job considering who his guest was.

[Bark Bark Bark]

19. Well, At Least There's Americablog

I can understand rushing to the defense of Stewart--I've done that myself--but this whole "oh my, NOBDOY should dare criticize Colin Powell" crap is...astounding. We're up against the Swift Boat Liars Party, guys. They're busy smearing another 'Nam vet, and you're scared of hurting Colin's feelings?

Hey, what does John A. think?

http://americablog.blogspot.com/2005/07/santorum-is-on-daily-show-tonight.html

And finally, could Jon Stewart have given a more softball interview to the guy? Geez. Rick Santorum isn't a nice guy who disgrees with you. He's compared gay couples to man-dog sex. He suggested in a fundraising letter that gay marriage was worse than 9/11. The man is a pig. He deserves at least as harsh an interview as (Jon) gave that goofy conservative book guy last week.

EDIT: Oh, hooray, I've gained a stalker! I'd have to take him back off "the list" in order to see his name, which I've already forgotten--but what would be the point?

[evlbstrd]

22. Man, this reminds me so much of a Simpsons thread.

Homer said something that pissed someone off.
Hello? Cartoon! Satire!

[Stirk]

24. It was an *interview*, not an ambush.

Jon Stewart generally gives his guests very fair interviews and allows them stand on their own. Santorum is a charlatan, and it was clear enough to anyone paying attention.

Stewart doesn't underestimate his audience, and neither should you.

[w13rd0]

28. Oh please...

...so, your point is he savages "media personalities" but shows a modicrum of respect for elected officials. Please...

It's on Comedy Central.

[Bark Bark Bark]

31. No: My Point Is

He rakes Man-On-Dog Santorum on a regular basis when they're not face-to-face. Without "ranting" or "ambushing" (and let's be clear about this; these guys HAVE wonks to scope out the bookings; "ambush" is a lame excuse whiny simp Goldberg whipped out when his piece-of-crap book was unanimously reviewed as a piece of crap on MSNBC), Stewart regularly boots around media personalities and elected officials alike--hard. This is the guy who coined the label "Douchebag of Liberty" to describe Bob Novak. This is the guy who created "Mess-O-Potamia" when everyone else was parroting White House TPMs about our Awesome Success.

...Or, I should say, irregularly.

Modicum of respect for elected officials? I can't believe I keep reading this, here, on a DU discussion forum, where we don't even respect our own. (And Colin Powell? Not elected.)

You just said yourself it's on Comedy Central--home of That's My Bush! Stewart's got less "modicum" to worry about than Jay Fecking Leno. If FOX's Family Guy can depict George W. Bush as a shrieking, giggling man-infant, Stewart's home free to back a freakish bigoted scumbag like Santorum into a corner with his own words on one of the top-rated "news" shows on cable.

When he kicks hard, everyone lauds him as the Last Honest Commentator. When he pulls his punches, suddenly it's all, "oh, please, it's just Comedy Central."

I don't expect consistency from DU, where Clinton is simultaneously worshipped and despised, but I'm free to complain about it when I see what appears to be a "fix" on Stewart's show.

[REP]

29. Jon Insulted Him Several Times

My favorite one was at the end - "I always enjoy these exchanges where both sides can learn something - well, at least I learned something."

And of course, bringing up Bill "Double Down" Bennett as an example of virtue ... and having to explain the betting reference to his dimwitted interview.

Yes, Jon could have kicked him harder, but that's like winning a race against a cripple and a pre-schooler: what have you really proved?

[Hippo_Tron]

30. I do wish he had asked "So, should we make divorce illegal too?"

But other than that, the interview went fine. Frankly as Santorum sat down, it looked like Jon was having second thoughts about inviting him on the show. He seemed very uncomfortable talking to him at first (I can't imagine why...)

The truth is that if he had tried to destroy Santorum it would've turned into a shoutfest like crossfire which would've accomplished nothing. Two people who were on opposite ends of a "moral" issue were trying to have a civilized discussion about a moral issue, which is EXTREMELY hard to do because there is little substance to these debates, just what you believe.

[symbolman]

33. Did you see his monologue?

He said something about how he wished that Santorum and his followers in the green room hadn't said, "UNCLEAN!" when he walked into the room.. very telling and the audience ate it up.

What kills me is the audience, why the fuck do ANY of them clap when someone like that walks onto the set?

Should be dead silence, or are we all trained chimps now, when the applause sign goes on so do we..

Might want to figure out how to pack the house the next time someone like InSanatoruim comes on or Powell so that NO ONE CLAPS.

THat would send a nice little message across the airwaves, excuse, cable waves - WE actually OWN the airwaves, the public getting screwed by the Media OWNS the airwaves they play that shit on..

When I get time I'm going to DEMAND MY Airwaves back, at least the 22 seconds a month that *I* should legally OWN.

THENm, We can demand that certain time periods belong to individual citzens and not corps, then we put all of our time periods together for one Progressive hour,eh?

Thousands of Citizen Seconds if you will. :)

Back to Jon - Jon SKEWERS them sometimes without saying A WORD. Watch for it - he at one point tonight simply paused and InSantorium started to sweat.

But InSantorium is VERY DANGEROUS in that he sounds nearly sane. My question would be, "What are you going to do about all those child raping Mormons in Utah if you believe in 'one woman, one man' arrangements? Why don't you start with THOSE people instead of Gays who don't even reproduce?"

Love to hear him answer that one :)

[ThomWV]

35. How Soon We Forget - Its A Comedy Show

Really, its meant to be funny. He even mentions it now and then, the show is not to be taken seriously - and of course it is taken very seriously by those of us who watch it twice a day.

[Le Taz Hot]

36. Oftentimes, the smartest move

is to let them hoist themselves on their own petard. Really, most of these people are so utterly ridiculous that no thinking person would ever take them seriously.

[peekaloo]

44. Exactly.

Nothing Stewart could have said would have changed Ricky's warped views on marriage/society/sexuality.

Parading their hypocrisy is revelation enough, imo.

[Justice]

38. Did you watch Santorum on Newsnight last night - contrast was

interesting.

Santorum was much more argumentative on Newsnight. Aaron Brown actually told his control room to hold the break for commercial so he could keep interviewing Ricky.

Ricky is very argumentative. He says that liberals teach tolerance of everything. Everything is acceptable. He defines himself by saying what he is not - he does not tolerant everything - there are limits.

Ricky was much milder on Stewart's show.




The only thing I wish both of them didn't do was really really thank Ricky for coming on.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

39. This begs the question

Why is he making these rounds, on forums which would not be the sweetest in the world? because he has that presidential itch in his crotch. That explains his book, it explains his promo appearances, and it explains his efforts to sound sane. Remember, he is being surrounded by a group of ultra-religious yes-men intent on putting him in the White House.


Does that mean that Santorum is insane for believing that he can actually win the presidency, or is our nation insane because he may actually get elected?

[knitter4democracy]

46. Actually, he admitted why he was on.

He said that he has a very tough race ahead of him this time and that that's why he wrote the book and is doing the book tour. Very interesting...

For anyone really interested and listening, there was more than enough to make you seriously question the guy. He dodged any serious questions off his favorite topic, he deflected and demurred too much, and he obviously had some sort of script in his head. That would lose my vote right there if I were on the fence.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

54. I saw the entire replay a bit ago

I was not offended by Jon, not at all. In fact, since they agree on ice cream. . . .


Stewart and his crew are tremendously talented. It is a sad comment on our mainstream media that more people trust them for real news than the cable biggies or boredcast news.

[knitter4democracy]

59. Wasn't it funny how Santorum wasn't even sure about ice cream?

He hesitated before he answered, like he was worried it was a trick.

I'm still giggling today. :D

[underpants]

40. Anyone notice the Puma and TAG for Men ads on in the middle?

-From my Lounge thread on this-
Sen. (p)Rick "Mad Dog Love" Santorum was on (at least one thread about it in GD)and during the commercial break in the middle of Jon Stewart's polite discussion there were two ads that probably had the all so righteous Santorum squirming when he watched the first telecast.

One was a Puma ad-the first half had gymnasts (male and female) doing a routine, the second half of the ad was a Rockettes like dance troupe high kicking and bending over to show their backsides.

That was funny

THEN there was the TAG for men body spray ad-A young man shows up to pick up his date... the hottie mom answers the door.. cut to shot of young woman (I will assume she is supposed to be over 18-I hope anyway) pulling up her jeans from the backside... cut to the young man entering the house.. hottie mom catches a whiff of his TAG for Men body spray and corners him near the staircase....her top blouse button pops off and she is clearly aroused... Disclaimer warning about the possible effects of TAG for Men body spray on girlfriends, girlfriends Mom, girlfriends Mom's friends, or any combination of "Girlfriend" "Friend" and "Mom" that they hadn't mentioned.

Too damned funny.

[mccoyn]

41. I must apoligize for ruining the fabric of society.

I'm not married to a woman making babies, so, according the Sanatorum I'm ruining the fabric of society (I may not be gay, but his arguments still apply to me.) I switched away at that point; I just couldn't stand it.

Jon didn't have to turn liberals off from Sanatorum and only liberals watch The Daily Show these days. So there was nothing gained in that route. By opening up to the other side they might gain viewers who are more moderate or conservative. They need those viewers (and guests) if they are getting rid of the couch.

[knitter4democracy]

48. Apparently not.

In that article in the New Yorker about the home school college preparing the next neo-con generation (Jon interviewed the writer one night a few weeks back), she said that they all watch the Daily Show and love it.

[Toucano]

42. Jon was great with Santorum!

He softly and amiably let Santorum's ridiculous bullshit rise right to the top.

Didn't you see him crack Santorum with the Bennet gambling gag? Santorum dropped his "virtue" instantaneously. He totally didn't see it coming.

Thanks Stewart!

[sleipnir]

43. Yawn....weekly "I hate Jon Stewart" Thread...

He's not the Mouthpiece for the Dem party, and I honestly don't understand why people think he is.

Last night I think he honestly tried to reason with Santorum and he actively listened to him, even though he disagrees. Which is something many of us on DU should try.

[Bosso 63]

45. Satire lets the truth come out under the radar.

I love to watch right wingers try to attack Jon as he just side steps them like a Zen master. They reveal themselves for the fools they are.
Don't get me wrong, I would love to see someone land a K.O. on these idiots, but I think in the long run Jon does more damage to the right than Dan Rather ever could.

[tinfoilinfor2005]

49. I'm in total agreement with your post...

Jon allowed Santorum to build up to his main message, and what came out of his mouth? "Victoria's Secret ads scare me." Even the heartiest wingnut must have thought, "huh?"

[SheepyMcSheepster]

47. don't watch it then

you don't like jon and how he handles guests? then don't tune in. pretty simple. it is not as if he is some key political dynamo. he is the host of a fake news show, he is a comedian........the first thing that pops into his when running an interview is his next joke.

[MsTryska]

52. if you think there aren't lawyers involved

saying you can ask this, but don't talk about that - you can say this, but definitely NOT that...and blah blah blah, then i don't know what to tell you.


i thinkt he difference you may see, are in who's lawyers allow what type of questioning.

[Shadoobie]

53. Was Jon raised by single mom?

During one exchange, it sounded like Jon was about to say that he was raised by a single Mom, before getting cut off by Rick (They were both cutting each other off). Is this true? If so, Jon demonstrated extreme calm and professionalism but not tearing Rick's head off. If he didn't hold back enough, he may have gone over the top.

I for one enjoyed the interview. As Jon said, it proves to me that you can have a well reasoned debate but you get to a point where there is a wall and nothing can be said that would change the other's persons mind. The best alternative is to convince people that they should allow others the freedom to make their own choices instead of trying to legislate one form of morality.

Greg

[K-W]

55. He is a comedian on a comedy show, he is under NO obligation

to grill people.

If every now and again he takes a conservative down a peg or two take it for the bonus it is, dont start expecting him to do it every night.

[Bark Bark Bark]

58. Crooks & Liars Says It Better Than I

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2005/07/26.html#a4152

Many people have emailed about this segment. They think Jon was too soft on Santorum. You decide. Usually Jon does goes after these intellectual midgets, but not tonight. What is really sad is that we have to depend on The Daily Show to point out the lunacy in most things instead of the actual news services and when Stewart doesn't then who is left? I have to say that Aaron Brown did a nice job last night.

Video link included, although the rerun's on tonight...

[Moderator]

60. locking....

This is flamebait.