Salon's WAR ROOM on Jon Stewart's SLAPDOWN of CrossTired!

[nostamj]

<snip>

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.

Carlson, trying to affect an air of dry amusement that a comedian would presume to lecture him, important pundit that he is, but looking as if his bow-tie were about to start spinning, could barely contain his outrage. In an absolutely mind-boggling moment, Carlson tried to counter Stewart's criticism by pointing out that during John Kerry's recent appearance on "The Daily Show," Stewart asked the candidate softball questions. "If you want to measure yourself against a comedy show," Stewart said, "be my guest."

Paul Begala tried to put a more conciliatory face on things by pointing out that theirs was a "debate" show. Stewart was having none of it. "I would love to see a real debate show," he said. And went on to tell them that instead of holding politicians' feet to the fire by asking tough question, "you're part of their strategy. You're partisan -- what's the word? -- uh, hacks."

It's almost a cliche by now to talk about "The Daily Show" being more trusted than real newscasts, but Stewart showed why. He pointed out to Carlson that he had asked Kerry if he really were in Cambodia but "I don't care," and when Carlson asked him what he thought about the "Bill O'Reilly vibrator flap," Stewart said, "I don't." It was as concise a demonstration of the triviality of the media as you could hope for.

"I thought you were going to be funny," Carlson said towards the end of the interview. Stewart responded, "No, I'm not going to be your monkey." And that was what was so bracing.

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

[alittlelark]

1. I listened to an excerpt on Rani Rhodes

OMG - he was brilliant. I am sooo glad I have it TIVOed for later!

[Cassandra]

3. I hadn't taped it...

so I was REALLY grateful to Randi for broadcasting it. John was fantasic! I hope they post the transcipt.

[Dudley_DUright]

9. Ask and ye shall receive

Stewart on X-fire transcript:

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

[JanMichael]

13. I haven't seen the video but the transcript suggests that Jon kicked...

...their Corpo asses. Period.

[thinkingwoman]

2. I watched with my 2 teens

I had tears in my eyes!

I love Jon Stewart. He spoke for us all.

[lightbulb]

4. Stewart is going places

Would love to see him run for office one day.

[patrice]

5. I saw it; my Libertarian husband and I cheererd.

One of the few things we agree about.

My personal experience : Grassroots are fired up to be active on media reform.

[Sterling]

6. JS is is the man.

Sometimes I think he is the sole voice of reason left on TV.

[blue sky at night]

7. Suit him up!

How refreshing to hear someone go on that show and KiCK their asses. Suit this guy up and run him for office. I have to pinch myself, all this good news in just a few days, and Air America got their act together with the server. Heard the audio feed of Stewart on Crossfire on the Randi Rhodes show, my eyes were popping. I have got to start making time to catch the Daily Show. The man is a HERO!

[Sterling]

8. He had a Bullworth moment today.

I am so pumped up. More so than from anything that came out of any Dem candidate in the election.

[morgan2]

10. damn someone gotta get me a video of that

ill host it for others to download

[nostamj]

12. it's already posted in the MEDIA forum

hosted by bpilgrim's globalfreepress site.

[Pithy Cherub]

11. Jon Stewart delivered a

broadside to the trivial-obsessed moribund media right below the waterline! Well done from the least likely source, a serious comedian that used pompous network hacks for straightmen. WELL DONE!