I really like Jon Stewart when he's not trying way too hard to be funny.

And that is what the administration does and that is almost criminal.

Ahem. It isn't criminal. Hasn't ever been criminal. Since WW2, it is the American way. "Do as we say, and let our corporations rape and steal your natural resources or...." Then ya just shock and awe them to death. Bomb 'em. Call 'em terrists. Call 'em any evil name you can think of. Kill the motherf*&kers! Kill 'em all. Rape their women. It's all ok. Don't worry. One of the US presidents will go on national television, wave a flag, and say how much those disgusting people threatened the American Dream. It's worked for decades from South American countries, to Iran, to Korea, to Vietnam, to Iraq, to Afghanistan, to those horrible blood thirsty Palestinians. G-damn it must be VERY hard to be proud of your history. No wonder it is sugar-coated in your US history books.

Sorry for the technical difficulties, things seem to be working now.

What is the Republican party's problem with dogs? McSame wants to kick Chloe the studio dog...Mittens like to drive his dog cross country in a cage on top of the car. I would hate to hear what Larry Craig does to his dogs.

A crime doesn't have to be on the books to be a crime. Initiative force is a crime.

Guys with testicles acknowledge that it *is* criminal.

I think Stewart has been remarkably gentle on McCain since he got the nomination. He's said several times that he thinks any of the three remaining candidates would make a good president (or words to that effect). He hasn't been calling out McCain for following the Bush agenda down the line.

this video is very revealing. when mccain disagrees with how someone views a situation, he makes an audacious summary of their point and then talks over them until they back down. there is no logic to his arguments, it's just a stupid tug of war. let the man be the senator of Arizona, but we need a fresh start in the white house.

In the last 8 years we have found out just how important comedians can be. They seem to be the only ones who are able and willing to call politicians out to the mat and say what everyone thinks and get away with it. They seem to be the only ones who can make a real difference, remember Crossfire?

We need more Jon Stewart’s.

McCain doesn't want defeat and doesn't want to retreat because of pride.
Even if the war is wrong, McCain won't back out just for reasons of pride.

And when pride clouds reason, then unreasonable decisions happen.

John Sidney McClueless III wouldn't know a civil war if Abraham Lincoln freed his slaves.

hey, is the surge still working?

How long will the surge be working?

When does it become past tense? When will the surge have worked?

Why is the reporting out of Wyoming stuck at 78% for so long.
Hillary still likes Diebold machines more than she likes caucuses.

McCain will say or do anything to get elected. He will sell his own mother out if it would help him get over.

I believe the pro-war people underestimate the longevity of the Iraqis memory and lifespan as a region. America has been a country since 1776 more or less but the region around Iraq has been populated for thousands of years. They have grievances and tribal spats for thousands of years. These people think differently. Americans think short-term disposable capitalistic bs. But the Iraqis thinking is stuff that has existed for thousands of years and we cannot grab our minds around their thinking. Maybe if we left immediately there would be a civil war, or maybe they could wait until we left after 20 years, or 100 years. The Iraqis would fight on generational. And that is the difference between us the middle eastern thinking. Our thinking is immediate theirs appears to be millennial. Or maybe not.

Orangutan. Hussein. @ 25:

Why is the reporting out of Wyoming stuck at 78% for so long.
Hillary still likes Diebold machines more than she likes caucuses.

Can't say as I'm surprised, considering DLC Clintonatic Party and all.

QuickTime version has no sound (for me.) WM version is fine.

ConcernedCanuck@3
"Ahem. It isn’t criminal. Hasn’t ever been criminal. Since WW2, it is the American way. “Do as we say, and let our corporations rape and steal your natural resources or….” Then ya just shock and awe them to death. Bomb ‘em. Call ‘em terrists. Call ‘em any evil name you can think of. Kill the motherf*&kers! Kill ‘em all. Rape their women. It’s all ok. Don’t worry. One of the US presidents will go on national television, wave a flag, and say how much those disgusting people threatened the American Dream. It’s worked for decades from South American countries, to Iran, to Korea, to Vietnam, to Iraq, to Afghanistan, to those horrible blood thirsty Palestinians. G-damn it must be VERY hard to be proud of your history. No wonder it is sugar-coated in your US history books."

Yea, there is NOTHING good about the United States of America. You're right; we are all into the killing and the rape. I can't remember a single US President since i've been watching TV who *didn't* go on and on about how much of a threat everybody we bombed and raped were to us. I guess it's as you say, "the American way".
And although you can't vote in our elections, or sign our petitions, at least you take the time to come here and tell us about how completely fucked up we are in this country. Thank you for that.

I know this is off topic (unlike your original post, which was just, spot on), but i'd like to remind you that fifty thousand Aboriginal children need a proper burial.
http://www.hiddenfromhistory.org/
http://canadiangenocide.nativeweb.org/
I didn't get that from any of YOUR history books, but i would assume it's there.

Stewart sucks up to McCain by using that same old tired and seeming unquestioned line that others have used when he tells McCain that he "respects your service". What does Stewart respect, the fact that McCain was killing innocent Vietnamese people from 20,000 feet up in the air? One suspects that it would be a cold day in hell before this liberal icon would have any member of the VVAW [Vietnam Veterans Against the War] on his program or anyone who was in the documentary Sir! No Sir!, which focused on the GI movement that took place during the Vietnam conflict at or near military bases at home and abroad those many years ago. This statement by Stewart simply proves that even alleged liberals like Jon Stewart are not immune from allowing their emotions to overrule their brains.

Zarqawi says this and Zarqawi says that.
he's been dead for over a year now.
He must've meant Zawahiri.
either that or he's listening to the dead

ConcernedCanuck @ 3:

And that is what the administration does and that is almost criminal.

Ahem. It isn't criminal. Hasn't ever been criminal. Since WW2, it is the American way. "Do as we say, and let our corporations rape and steal your natural resources or...." Then ya just shock and awe them to death. Bomb 'em. Call 'em terrists. Call 'em any evil name you can think of. Kill the motherf*&kers! Kill 'em all. Rape their women. It's all ok. Don't worry. One of the US presidents will go on national television, wave a flag, and say how much those disgusting people threatened the American Dream. It's worked for decades from South American countries, to Iran, to Korea, to Vietnam, to Iraq, to Afghanistan, to those horrible blood thirsty Palestinians. G-damn it must be VERY hard to be proud of your history. No wonder it is sugar-coated in your US history books.

Could not agree more but how do we change what you so accurately describe. Looking for that answer.

This link has some interesting tidbits: http://www.freewarehof.org/myths.html

Every nation sees itself as superior to all other nations. Patriotism is universal.
It is built partly on fact but mostly on myths created by its people and government.

Everyone who believes in a god is convinced totally that he sides with them. On such mirage will Muslims and U.S. Marines lay down their lives believing their cause just, and parents accept the sacrifice of their children.

Patriotism must be drilled into young minds if children are to grow up willing to die for the homeland. (Calling it fatherland or motherland makes it easier to die for.) "We are the best" is echoed in education codes throughout the world requiring school books to promote one kind of government, one economic system, one superior nation. For the US it's the typical words in the Texas legal code: schools exist to indoctrinate "democracy, patriotism, and the free-enterprise system."

Convincing people they are the greatest and the government is worth dying for is so easy that every government is successful. Children believe authority. First interpret history so you look good, then create myths of moral superiority. Your young are now willing to die for you unless someone drastically re-programs them. Which isn't easy. As Mark Twain observed, "You can't reason someone out of something they weren't reasoned into."

Which do you feel is better, believing myths, or knowing the truth?

Howard Zinn presentation at MIT (3/05) on The Myth of American Exceptionalism:
http://mitworld.mit.edu/video/258/

Chris Gamble @ 2:

I'm as liberal as they come and I'm not afraid to say John McCains a good guy. Too bad he's a repub who will follow Bush/Rove.

I'm sure he is a very nice little war monger. He's old and knows little about the economy. No one talks about the fact that he cheated on his first wife every chance he got. He has a terrible temper and was the least liked senator in the senate. If he becomes president, I hope everyone who voted for him gets drafted.

Neither Obummer nor Clinton could be bothered to vote for the bill that would ban waterboarding and other types of torture.

And we're supposed to feel that there's some great difference between McCain and these two disgusting pieces of sh-t?

They can all go to hell.

Do you think McCain can be a diplomat when he can't even talk in a civil way to Jon Stewart?

I especially like he's reflexive tough guy talk of when Stewart tells him to settle down and he says "you settle down, my friend". Stewart was pretty calm for this to be said to him.

McCain's humor is sadistic: "Bomb, bomb, bomb Iran," "Kick that dog." He's a warmonger, rightwing paternalistic asshole. He should be spending his golden years with his grandchildren, and petting dogs, instead of "kicking" them.

Kathy in St. louis @ 48:

Chris Gamble @ 2:

I'm as liberal as they come and I'm not afraid to say John McCains a good guy. Too bad he's a repub who will follow Bush/Rove.

He could be a good guy on 99.99% of the issues. If he wants to continue this debacle in Iraq, that's a deal breaker. This war is ruining our country, our reputation and our economy. When we are done over there we could be a real 2nd rate power in this world. So, forget the good guy stuff. He's kind of a blockhead if he doesn't get this.

And don't forget that he said his model for a Supreme Court Justice would be in the mold of Alito and Roberts...the 2 most right-wing wackos in Supreme Court history. Considering the implications of that is mind boggling scary.

Does anyone know someone that is voting for McCain? I want to belittle them. I'm sorry, I know I should not pick on those that are handicap.

Chris Gamble @ 2:

I'm as liberal as they come and I'm not afraid to say John McCains a good guy. Too bad he's a repub who will follow Bush/Rove.

McCain is a republican, that makes him WRONG!

Concerned Canuck@36

So you don't miss my point, i'll spell it out:
I'm not trying to point out "those evil Canadians"; i'm focusing on one single Canadian. I can easily ignore it when the same people respond to everything with "Hillary is the devil!", but i have to say something when i'm summarily told that the American way has been to kill and rape. Obviously it has happened and is happening; that's why we're all here bitching - the US is certainly far from perfect. But in response to your post: there is A LOT to be EXTREMELY proud of with regard to American History, and my guess is that most Americans would be terribly insulted by your complete generalization to the contrary. You define the word 'ironic' by coming to THIS website and implying that THESE people would have any difficulty finding _something_ to be proud of in their country (do you really not understand that the people reading your post are united in their effort toward CHANGE in our government?!). Incredible.

For the record, i love the Ontario Canadians. Living in a border state (Michigan) i of course know a bit more about your government and some of your larger social issues than i would otherwise. I cross that border 4 times a year minimum.
My fully-functioning cerebellum (and my age) would never allow me to get into any type of "you've killed more people than we have so who are you to talk?" context. I would suggest articulating a logical followup and leaving out the citation of millions of dead nationals if you want to get a response (let alone if you wish to be taken seriously). Do you honestly *not* understand me pointing out the Canadian genocide in response to your generalization/condemnation with regard to "the American way"?

Please, for the sake of productive and thoughtful deliberation, *do not* go on.

Great interview. Stewart holds McCain's feet to the fire. So many reporters for whatever reason, are just so willing to accept a candidates canned response, not press the issue, and move on.

Stewart gives a great analogy of architects of this war to an architect building a house with no doors or windows, and then blaming the critics for not being able to see in.

McCain repeats the myth that if we "surrender" in Iraq, Al Qaeda wins. To which Stewart responds that war critics realize that there is a threat from organizations like Al Qeada, but that the war in Iraq, does not reduce that threat, and may very well increase the that threat.

McCain is nervous and uncomfortable (weird karate chops near the end of the segment). He get's booed when he makes a blanket statement about the troops supporting the war, and when McCain starts to characterize the war as "unpopular" Stewart stops him mid sentence, and corrects him and says, "its not about popularity"...and then goes on to say its about how the government has conducted itself and the war.

All in all a great interview and great television. Mainstream journalists should take a look at comedy central to see how politicians interviewed.

The QuickTime clips have no audio track.

Whatever humanity McCain possessed was left behind him in the Nam, and very likely there in the cockpit when he knew he was going down.

John McCain is pathetic. Stewart owned him. McCain's bombastic manner would be the kill-shot to what remains of US dignity.

- Paine

VegasRage @ 17:

We need more Jon Stewart’s.

Yeah, that's right, that's exactly what we need. More comedians to prop up and pander to the extreme right...

This little interview may have been an example of Jon Stewart standing up to McCain, but it's also a good example of Jon Stewart licking McCain's ass every chance he got...from saying he "loved him" to actually stroking his hand. The overall takeaway from any Jon Stewart/McCain interview is that liberals, right leaning democrats and indepenents should not fear McCain--he's a good, decent, honorable man, someone we can respectfully disagree with but one that would lead this country well were he to be elected.

Which of course is patently false and dangerous.

So in conclusion--thank you, no, what we don't need is more Jon Stewarts.

I wish this Jon Stewart had interviewed Hillary Clinton this week instead of the chicken "How are you holding up?" Jon Stewart it seemed we got instead.

Jon Stewart seems a very self-effacing person, so I'm sure he would refuse the title of "Best Journalist in America." Regardless, this title may very well be accurate.

Perhaps he might agree with it, though, if we first admit that his competition is so outrageously pathetic.

You know what? I think the problem is so many politicians have become like the famous Iraqi Information minister.
http://www.welovetheiraqiinformationminister.com/
There is no global warming on the streets of New York! We will crush the recession like a sand flee beneath a camel.
The surge is working. There is no civil war in Baghdad. Regulation is the problem not the solution.

How refreshing to watch a civil exchange between two intelligent adults on a sensitive and divisive topic. It may have gotten heated, but it remained civil.

Name calling gets us nowhere.

Senator McCain: "It is what it is."

Well, I think that just about sums it up, doesn't it? The handy catch phrase that avoids having to address any of the points raised by Mr. Stewart.

Is it asking too much for the candidate of a major political party to be a little bit deeper intellectually than that coach on that beer commercial or slacker/stoners like the Great Lebowski or Jay and Silent Bob?

How the GOP has fallen. What was once the party of intellectual giants like Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln is now reduced to the likes of George Bush and John McCain.

Boy that McCain is a stubborn self centered ignorant old bastard isn't he?

He listens to NO ONE.

He is FIXATED on his own views.

He INSISTS ON WINNING THE CONVERSATION.

KUDOS TO JOHN STEWART FOR STANDING UP TO THIS STINKING OLD BASTARD.

God have mercy on our nation if the vote is stolen again, because that is what it would take, and this old stinking killer bastard becomes the occupant of the white house.

We should all we working to pack the congress to ward against these thug killer bastard repornicans.