It was impossible for Jon Stewart and Colbert to hide their choice yesterday

[Laura PourMeADrink]

I think Democrats fall into two categories:
1) The bleeding heart liberal eternal optimists
2) The realists and cynics

I think, as a general rule the former flock to Obama, the
optimist. The latter to Hillary, the realist.

Yesterday, it was virtually impossible for the media to hide
their choices.

Anyone who loves Obama was gushing after the most brilliant speech
(Chris Mathews).

Anyone who leans more toward realism could not hide
their cynicism - Jon Stewart mocked the speech as '30 minutes
of free air time.' Colbert mocked it by saying he would show
Rev Wright's rantings every night until the election. And the
jury on KO is still out - but he was less impressed as well. If
you think about their personalities - they are all prone to
cynicism.

[babylonsister]

1. Maybe they're just reacting to this? Or don't like to be categorized?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=103&topic_id=344921

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. Except that Jon said that finally a politician spoke to the American people as adults.

Not to mention the long follow up with Larry Wilmore. Colbert is covering it today.

[IdClaire]

35. I think he was joking about that

if you listen to how he says it and look at the speech they showed right before that, it looked like Obama was scolding a child. Just my take though...

[islandmkl]

3. it appears we all saw some of the same things quite differently...

probably has to do with predisposed positions....

to say KO was 'less impressed as well' seems to be relying on your readers not having watched 'Countdown' last night...



might as well spell right, occasionally...

[Skwmom]

4. I'm a realist who realizes that Clinton will be more of the same.

The Clintons are part of the problem, not the solution.

[Cha]

44. When I saw that "clinton is a realist" I

almost spit my orange juice! clinton is a conniving, power hungry, lying warstarter, who will do anything to get back in the white house. She's no more realist than "there were Weapons Of Mass Destruction".

hilary has her own fucking reality and it ain't pretty for America.

[Zueda]

5. Do you understand Colbert?

[Johonny]

6. maybe but

I think he was pushing Obama as a realist last night. Obama gave a speech that dealt with the American public as if they were adults and could realistically talk about race.

[Coexist]

7. wrong - Stewart is a comedian - and did not mock it - praised the

strategy of a free 30 minute campaign commercial.

Also, did you notice when Carol King said she is supporting Clinton, the usually exuberant audience was silent.

Colbert is also a comedian.

Get a grip.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

23. Gee thanks for that last line! I would bet my last dollar that Stewart

is for Hillary. No Obama supporter would have had her on
his show the night before 3/4. No Obama supporter would
have brought up the 'Hussein' middle name deal like he
did at the Oscars. No Obama supporter would have taken
that speech and cast his comedy in such a negative way.

[Cha]

46. Carole King...too

bad. Is it because hilary is female or she has a dirty campaign? Who knows?

Glad the audience fell silent..these people who are still supporting hilary after all her dirty lying tricks need to take a real close look at hilary's "experience in the dark arts".

[PoliticalAmazon]

52. Hillary could get 30 minutes of free air time too if she had something besides negative sound-bytes

Hillary could get "30 minutes of free air time" too if she has something besides negative, divisive sound-bytes to say.

[high density]

8. "Their choice?" What does that mean?

Stewart summed it up by saying Obama talked to us about race as if we were adults. I think he liked the speech. Remember it's a comedy show.

[Texas Hill Country]

9. The president would have a hard time getting the dedicated 39 minutes of uninterrupted airtime...

that Obama got...


It was kind of messed up, but great speech none-the-less.

[redqueen]

13. Watching his campaign is a masterclass in strategy. (nt)

[WolverineDG]

20. Maybe if the president spoke in complete sentences

in a language that resembles English, the media would stop cutting away from his speeches....



dg

[rniel]

10. how about

Not categorizing people like that. Let's just say anyone who wants america to do better should vote democrat. That would include a lot more americans in the tent.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

31. why not. I find it very interesting. To me, it's almost like a mini-GE

with the conservative dems going for Clinton and the left
wing dems going for Obama. But the twist, is states
like Montana going for Obama.

But, I do agree that any dem will make america better.

[yardwork]

11. I think you are comparing apples and oranges.

Chris Matthews is a conservative-leaning commentator who absolutely hates the Clintons. I sincerely doubt that Tweety "loves" Obama - I'm sure he'll be pushing for the Republican to be elected. Along the way he'll bash the Clintons whenever the opportunity arises. Anyone counting on Tweety's support for Obama will be very disappointed.

Jon Stewart and Colbert are comedians. They will mock all leaders. If Obama is elected they will mock him mercilessly. They've had lots of Republicans providing material for the past seven years, but they won't hesitate to make fun of Democrats.

Keith Olberman is one of the real journalists left in the U.S. He'll call things like he sees them, attempting to be non-partisan. He's been very critical of Hillary, though. I'd say he leans toward Obama.

By the way, I'm a cynical realist who supports Obama.

[LulaMay]

22. KO is one of the last "real journalists"? The only thing he called before this were football games.

This building up of KO is downright silly, and frankly looks like it's going straight to his head.

We all have appreciated his special comments to Bush, but in all honesty, he started giving them so often with what seemed to be a growing indulgence in hearing his own voice and imagining how people would praise him the next day...that they were getting tiresome.

The notion that he's a "journalist" is downright silly. He was a SPORTSCASTER.

He doesn't do dangerous overseas coverage, investigative journalism. He doesn't find and report the news like Bernstein and Woodward. He isn't a news anchor in a serious tradition of Cronkite, Rather, Walters or Linda Ellerbee (not that anyone is anymore). Heck he isn't even an investigative style talk show host like Dick Cavett was (when we had real talk shows).

Can you honestly imagine any of those people, or an investigative journalist doing nightly ET style quips about Britney Spears? (Okay, maybe Barbara Walters now...but even she wouldn't say what she does on The View is journalism) Give me a break!

KO is a BROADCASTER, an ENTERTAINER, a PUNDIT, an OPINION GIVER.

That's okay, but don't call him a journalist.

[stillcool]

26. "Special Comments"

some of us remember those. He is the only one who has called Bush out on his long, long list of actions taken against the American people. I guess to some of us that still 'matters.'

[LulaMay]

32. I said they were appreciated. He got his news for those comments from journalists.

[stillcool]

34. Funny though isn't it?

that he is the only one who bothered to report the "news"? I guess you expect more from him. Interesting. Nothing 'matters' does it?

[LulaMay]

38. That is ludicrous. He commented on things for the most part which were already reported.

It's just that so many people choose to get their 'news' now from shows like his.

[stillcool]

41. Nothing 'matters'

There is no one, no 'news' show, that went anywhere near the topics that he covered. His contributions to imparting knowledge to the American people may not 'matter' to you, but to some of us his lone voice in our reality, 'matters' a great deal.

[ZinZen]

36. I love KO but he is not a journalist

Journalists are objective and present the news without their opinions. KO is more of a pundit because I can usually see his bias and he presents strong opinionated commentaries. If I was looking for real journalism I would not look at the cable shows. Again, I love KO and his special comments.

Tweety's bias depends on which way the wind blows or his mecurial moods. Does anyone have a problem with Dan Abrams? I find that man to be one of the most abrasive and obnoxious hosts this side of Tweety.

[LulaMay]

37. I think some people have forgotten, or never knew.

[yardwork]

53. Here's the sad part. You're absolutely right - and Olberman is still our only TV journalist.

That's how bad it has gotten.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

27. Well, I beg to differ with Tweety. I watch him a lot. I think he

is a bleeding heart liberal old school (used to be a dem and was in the peace corps).
He has consistently praised Obama - and says he gets chills from his speeches.

As for Stewart and Colbert - yes -- they are both comedians. But, I still contend
that if you are for someone - Obama - you would never make light of his middle
name being Hussein (Oscars), or have Hillary on your show the night before
the 3-4 election.

Good news about KO.

[Adelante]

12. I think you have it very wrong

I didn't see the shows, but Obama supporters are often realists, such as I, and one of the reasons for my support is that Obama is a realist. I always call him a "pragmatic idealist," so I am not saying his supporters are not idealists, but realists don't have to be cynical, either. You have too few categories.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

29. thanks - I like that "pragmatic idealist" ! nt

[insanity]

14. It's about comedy

They are comedians.

It was nice to be spoken to like an adult though.

[blueview]

15. I consider myself a realistc/centrist for the most part...

...and I highly prefer Obama.

In general, you may be right with those assumptions, but occasionally there definitely are exceptions. I look at Obama as a unifier that can appeal to a broad demographic.

[Hippo_Tron]

16. I'm a realist who supports Obama

Realists who support Hillary ignore the fact that swing voters historically reject the policy wonkish candidate that the Democratic "base" likes. Democratic voters vote based on what they think about a candidate, swing voters vote based on how they feel about a candidate. Bill Clinton said it himself on the Daily Show in 2004 "Democrats win when people think". Unfortunately we can't rely on the electorate to think because we could end up losing like we did in 2004. We need a candidate who knows how to play on peoples' feelings and Obama is clearly the one who can do that.

[theredpen]

17. I don't see how Hillary's supporters can be considered realists

...since they can't understand that she can't win the nomination.

Obviously, some of them do and have resigned themselves to vote for "the lesser of two evils" in the fall, but the most vocal ones here are still pluggin' away for NOTHING.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

24. LOL - Great line !! I haven't followed the numbers

in the last week. Is it truly impossible for her to win?

She only needs to make up around 110, right? I think
she can pick up 38 in FL (if they count it). Can she
make up the difference with a big win in PA?

[theredpen]

42. Florida is off the table, I believe, and she needs 70% in all future contests to catch up

The superdelegates could still throw her the nomination at the convention, but they'd need a compelling reason to do so.

[catgirl]

18. Colbert was mocking the media and RW fanatics

Stewart? Who cares.

[thevoiceofreason]

19. KO didn't fawn -- but he liked it immensely

You could tell from his delivery.

[Yael]

21. What ARE you on about?

For one, this realist/cynic (and Edwards Refugee) supports Obama. Not because of idealistic dreams, but because I believe Hillary can't pull of the GE and it will hurt us down ticket. I also have had it with her bend to power that will destroy the party.

I watched KO and TDS last night -- and KO was definitely impressed with the speech. Jon noted that "11 am Tuesday, a politician talks to us about race as adults". How is that "mocking"?

[Cha]

50. Thanks Yael,

I needed that! Here's our young realist now..

[zarath]

25. Jon Stewart seemed to praise it

When he said that it was the first time a modern politician had spoken to us about race ... as adults.

I agreed with that sentiment.

[Arugula Latte]

28. You have that completely wrong on Stewart.

Didn't you get the satire when he said that "30 minutes of free air time," etc. was just playing to his weakness? Obama is a master orator and Stewart was pointing that out. Then, he looked at the camera and said something like: "At 11:00 am, the country was talked to on the subject of race as if they were adults."

[otohara]

30. Misunderstood On Your Part

he liked the speech - I could have done with out seeing Rev. Wright rants again.

[Laura PourMeADrink]

33. right. that's what I am trying to get at. Sure - they are satirists - sure

they are comedians -- BUT, you can still be funny
without calling attention to bad things (if you
are true supporters).

[blm]

39. REALISTS know Clintons protect Bushes. REALISTS read National Security Archives not talking points

from a Clinton campaign website.


Realists know that outstanding matters of the illegal operations being run by GHWBush and Jackson Stephens that were downplayed and covered up throughout the 90s led directly to Bush2, 9-11, and this Iraq war, and leading us to war with Iran.

Is protecting BushInc being a REALIST Democrat or is it being a COMPLICIT Democrat?

I think it is far more pragmatic to deal with this nation's problems and historic record as it EXISTS, and that it is the coverups and closing of books that has led to everything wrong, dangerous and deadly that is happening in the world today.

[Political Heretic]

40. Um....they're comedians? Their job is to mock?

[knixphan]

43. why do corporatists

always refer to themselves as realists?

[LisaM]

45. 30 minutes of free air time? Try NINE HOURS

I heard nothing else on the radio all day long yesterday. Which may have done more harm than good, even people who liked it must have gotten sick of it after several hours of being told it was the Greatest Speech Ever Delivered.

[ElsewheresDaughter]

47. that's exactly what I said it was on Tuesday night "30 minutes of free campain air time"

hell no one could afford that much air time on all 3 cable networks and countless other hrs in the reg MSM.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

48. As one of DU's most bitter cynics...

I think you're completely full of shit.

[backscatter712]

49. Stewart and Colbert are comedians,

and they make fun of everyone. They make fun of Obama, they make fun of Hillary, they make fun of Bush. They eat sacred cows for breakfast.

They are not journalists. They are comedians. Granted, we live in a sad state of society when the comedians tell more truth than the journalists, but they still go for the ha-ha factor first.

Colbert, in particular, satirizes Bill O'Reilly and other right-wing blowhards by mimicking them, so just by saying "I'm gonna broadcast Wright's rantings every night until the election" doesn't mean he's really flaming Obama, just staying in character.

[OzarkDem]

51. Obama may be a good candidate some day, not yet

I know of many talented Dem men and women who will be great candidates for the highest offices some day, but like Obama, it takes a little more than a couple of terms in the state house and a term in the senate.

Dems have a longstanding tradition of producing Presidents of the highest caliber, far better than Republicans. Obama will get there some day, perhaps, but he still has a lot more to learn.