Daily Show: Beware the Rogue Surrogates
By SilentPatriot Monday Jul 14, 2008 1:30pm
After a long two-week hiatus -- during which I didn't know what to do with myself from 11pm to midnight -- Jon Stewart and his crack "Daily Show" staff had a lot to catch up on Monday night. Luckily for them, there was no shortage of absurdities to mock, ranging from Phil Gramm's demeaning remarks about American "whiners" to the Viagra/birth control conundrum Carly Fiorina got McCain embroiled in. It's nice to have you back, Jon.
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Download | play (h/t Heather)
By the way did you know that while we were gone for two weeks the Presidential race was not suspended? Not only that, they ratcheted the f*#%-ups by releasing the surrogates. As you know only two men can run for President at any one time and obviously they can't be everywhere. They're not Mario Lopez for God's sake. So they have friends, surrogates, meat-puppets if you will, people who can amplify their message across a broad range of media.
Transcript below the fold:
By the way did you know that while we were gone for two weeks the Presidential race was not suspended? Not only that they ratcheted the f*#%-ups by releasing the surrogates. As you know only two men can run for President at any one time and obviously they can't be everywhere. They're not Mario Lopez for God's sake. So they have friends, surrogates, meat-puppets if you will, people who can amplify their message across a broad range of media. Uh in the case of Senator John McCain, his surrogate's job, to ease voters concerns over traditional Republican weak spots, like the economy when people are suffering the GOP can occasionally appear callous, dismissive of real people's needs while seemingly unwilling to lend a helping hand to regular folk because they're too busy, uh, cupping Exxon's balls. So... they send out people like Phil Gramm, John McCain's chief economic advisor to talk to an editorial board, as the one at the Washington Times to let Americans know John McCain feels their pain.
[Cut to video.]
You read more about the Phil Gramm influenced McCain plan to fix the economy in his new position paper, Walk It Off America, My Ten Point Plan For You P%#%@es To Learn To Suck It Up. Seriously, what Phil, this is...uh...Phil Gramm's comment is offensive in two ways. One, it's insensitive, and two, how's an economic expert not understand that most of our whining jobs have already gone to India? Now, you know they don't do it cheaper they do it better.
After something like that the McCain campaign needs another surrogate to go out and kill off the first surrogate. Uh..it's like an adoption. You adopt a kid it doesn't work out you got to adopt a bigger kid to muscle the other kid out of the house. Am I right is that how it...wha...wha...? I'm not a good parent. So here we go former CEO of Hewlitt Packard Carly Fiorina.
[Cut to video.]In your face Gramm! Carly Fiorina will be talking for John McCain from now on. Not just about economic issues. Issues that are important to women like last Wednesday when she said "There are many health insurance plans that will cover Viagra but they Won't cover birth control medication. Those women would like a choice." She speaks for, she speaks for you. She speaks for you, right John McCain?
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Don't you find it painful watching Jon show the facts and use it for comedy? I haven't been able to watch for a long time now. Most folks I talk to feel the same way. It is the only source of real news and it is comedy. Laughing and ignoring the kind of problems we have aren't helping much these days. I think they may be making us less and less sensitive to how we, and the drain that leads to the sewer, seem to be getting so much closer together.
If it wasn't for Stewart or Colbert, I would end it all. After all the bullshit MSM throws at us, they are our only hope.
oldtree: Life is like a sewer - what you get out of it depends on what you put into it.
oldtree @ 1:
hah get over yourself.
Jon Stewart should have a job in the Obama Administration as White House Press Secretary.
Well said, oldtree, but you're whining. :)
P.D. @ 2:
But I thought Princess Leia said Obi Wan Kenobi was our only hope?
In historical monarchies, the court jester was frequently the only one who dared speak the truth. It's no different now. Be glad we have these programs at all. If it wasn't for Colbert, Stewart and the like, we might have absolutely no mainstream media dissent whatsoever.
If you're going to wait for a perfect media before you watch it, you're going to wait a very long time.
Have you tried watching overseas media?
Ruthless@7, LOL. I wish we could find a Jedi to help us wade through the mess we created for ourselves. But one Jedi won't suffice. We need the entire Justice Leaugue!
Jon was a little harsh on Clark I think.
I'm a huge Jon Stewart fan -- have missed him terribly while he was on vacation.. I still consider him one of the best sources of real (if fake!) news..
But did anybody else notice last night that he also managed to misrepresent the whole Wes Clark imbroglio? No mention of Bob Schieffer's part in that mess. Made it seem as if Clark (and by implication, Obama) were taking cheap pot shots at McCain..
I guess I'd hoped he would've lampooned the MSM and republics for their over the top reactions to Clark's comments.
Oh well -- can't have everything -- but can forgive Jon Stewart almost anything!
David
That clip will literally never get old......Welcome back Jon and Stephen!
http://liberalretort.blogspot.com/
"Walk It Off America, My Ten Point Plan For You Pussies To Learn To Suck It Up"
Best book title EVER. Although in some areas you guys really do need to suck it up. $4 a gallon gas? Boo hoo. Most of the rest of the western world would kill for that price so seriously, knock it off.
Jon Stewart is precious. I hate it when they re-run his shows because I have seen them all before anyway and who wants to see a stale dated current affairs show?
oldtree @ 1:
It reaches a point where it just isn't funny anymore. It reached that point for me a long time ago. I have nothing but respect for what Jon is doing, but I simply cannot laugh anymore. Because the consequences of the actions by those he is laughing at are too dire. People are dying every day because of these republicans (and all their enablers). I simply cannot laugh anymore.
I like what Jon Stewart does. He tells the truth, which is rare. Indecision 2008, knock me out until its November, I'd rather be asleep.
What the heck was that sound after the McCain clip? lol. That by itself was probably the best part of the clip.
It almost seemed like Jon felt obligated to take a shot at Obama as "balance". What Clark said is simply the truth - perhaps it's an unpleasant truth - but it is true. Lots of pilot were shot down in Vietnam, many were held as POWs. Are all of them legitimate presidential candidates? Of course not.
In addition, as David says in #11, Clark was repeating the wording of Schieffer, he didn't pick the words himself. Everyone's afraid of questioning McCain's status of "war hero". He obviously served his country; most say with honor, some say not; he was imprisoned as a POW; he came home.
With the possible exception of the length of his imprisonment, how many others did the same? Are they all talked about as war heroes? What about the thousands who never came back? Who never had a chance to dump their first wife and marry an heiress?
McCain is a veteran who served his country. He suffered as a result of his service, as countless thousands of others have suffered. He was fortunate to come home, unlike many others. He is no more (or no less) a hero than are the thousands of other veterans of Vietnam whose records compare to his.
His story may be compelling, but it is more a fable of how the American dream is just a dream for all but a few who are fortunate enough, or connected enough, to make it work out.
Now I understand why Hillary supporters are rooting for McGrampa.....it's because of McGrampa's stance on birth control.
Stewart wants to looked balanced - especially where his very good friends John and Cinvdy McCain are involved, but having that clip of Clark completely out of context was pointless. It makes you wonder what they do to the ring wing clips.
And he has no balance where Israel is concerned, IMHO.
And I'll ask what no Obama surrogate can say. People say McCain was tortured, but nobody knows how exactly. Fox News talks about the VC "breaking chairs over his back daily" and "enduring years of torture". Does anyone know the actual story. People assume he's disabled due to torture, but his arms don't work well because of the injuries he suffered when his jet crashed into that lake, and the locals pulled him out. Years of captivity would be a terrible thing to endure. Isn't that enough. What are the facts here - anyone?
Lyon @ 13:
If we had health care and some of the other benefits the that rest of the developed nations have $4+ a gallon wouldn't seem bad. Since we don't have that I'll complain about the price of gas until the cows come home, asshole.
I really have to disagree with oldtree. It's nothing new that we ignore our political problems here in America, if anything, Stewart is calling more attention to them or at least training the young people for the next generation to be comfortable trying to confront them rather than ignoring them like the last 40 years.
What is better is sites like DFT are taking a cue from Stewart and incorporating political humor too. Anyone see this one from a bit back?
It's a pretty said state of affairs when most of the truth we get is on the Comedy Channel.
It sounds like people are blaming Stewart for his show being the only popular presenter of facts. Television shows that don't get watched get pulled. Watch Democracy Now, it presents the news in a very non-biased manner. Check out Noam Chomsky, just google him. You'll be amazed by his ability to present facts in a manner that makes his points almost unarguable. I have no idea why propaganda gets better ratings than news but it does. People would rather be told how great they and their country are than be given actual facts. You can try to start a business going door to door informing people but you will be beat out by the guy going door to door stroking people off with an American flag. I think looking at Socrates' views on democracy would be a good first step in understanding our situation.
At his age, Mcsame can't remember which drug makes it stand up or which drug makes it senseless.
People need to understand that Jon Stewart's show is comedy that thrives on making public figures and events look ridiculous. It's not a show whose primary goal is to paint a realistic portrayal. That said, in a world where people regard TDS and TCR as two of the most legitimate American news sources, should these shows hold themselves to a higher journalistic standard? Tough call.
Some funny stuff, but what was the bullshit about Wesley Clark at the end? I would have figured John Stewart to be smarter than to echo the same tired ass knee-jerk response to what Clark said. Did he even watch the whole interview? Bob Schieffer was the one that implied Obama was not as qualified as McCain because he had not flown a plane that was shot down. How is it "douchey" to suggest that being a pilot that was shot down and captured does not, as a point of fact, qualify you for being president of the united states?
now that stewart and colbert are back, watch mccains numbers go downhill. he's had a free pass for the last 2 weeks.
surfjac @ 5:
He wouldn't want it. And tbh, I wouldn't blame him. The job is one of the job most thankless not to mention the headaches that ocme with it. It makes us wonder why Dana Perino spills so much drivel, besides the fact that the works for the Bush Administration.
I saw the McSame clip earlier and never noticed the scared white-eyed look until last night, like horses when they are frightened.
Of course he could have been cornered just as it occurred to him that he needed to do a number two, and I guess at his age he was really scared he would do it in his pants.
I watched Wes Clark when he was on Face the Nation and I didn't have a problem with anything he said and in fact, I agreed with what he had to say.
gempei @ 31:
Depends.
Kyle @ 25:
If you actually look at national news ratings over the last 20 years, I believe that you would find fewer people are watching the drivel they spew and the numbers continue to decline. I can't remember where I saw it, but the media was viewed very poorly by the USA public in it.
I love Jon Stewart. I did wonder about the Wes Clark jab though.
The TDS show that made me most uncomfortable though was when they attempted to mock torture. That's the one topic I couldn't laugh at.
Love Jon. Love Stephen. (As a matter of fact, last night's 'the WORD' segment was brilliant.) But I was very troubled by the Wes Clark douche comment as well. I don't know why they did that.
I wish that when Gen. Clark was asked about McCain's war record, he had simply replied, "If a war record is a prerequisite for the presidency, then the Republicans blew it in 2000 when they nominated Bush instead of McCain."
Jay @ 36:
Because it was a real jackass thing for Clark to say. Although I don't want him elected McCain is more than qualified to be in office. It was totally unnceccessary to take a cheap jab at his military exerience just as it would be if McCain were a democrat. Take your partisan goggles off.
Quick note to Mr. Stewart: in this campaign, McCain is a meatpuppet.
Joe! @ 38:
Yep, it's sad to say, but Jon Stewart may be the closest thing to a true No-Spin Zone on American TV.
I love Stewart's work but he was waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay off the mark when he attacked General Clark.
Joe! @ 38:
Did you not hear the interviewer claim riding in a jet makes McCain a superior candidate.
Jersey Jay @ 20:
I agree about Clark. Here is a four star general, wounded in Vietnam and receiving the Silver Star, head of NATO, third highest ranking West Point grad of all time (to McCain's graduating 5th from the bottom) and he is supposed to be kowtowing to McCain? He only told the truth, and Obama needs someone like him to give military and national security balance to his ticket. The Republicans probably want Clark least of all in the second spot.
Court Jester @ 18:
Coart Jester. Well Said. I agree 100% with your comment.
the Daily Show sucks.
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