November 9th, 2010
04:12 PM ET
Stewart responds to critics with rally proposalAfter facing criticism for his recent Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear in Washington, D.C., Jon Stewart has come up with the perfect solution to keep everyone happy: Another rally. On last night's episode of "The Daily Show," Stewart aired the grievances of left-leaning critics, including "Real Time" host Bill Maher, who claimed the rally was about nothing, and Keith Olbermann, who said Stewart created a "false equivalence" between the services of MSNBC and Fox News. Stewart then joked that he will hold another event on November 13 to make it right, calling the occasion "the Rally to Determine Precisely the Percentage of Blame to Be Doled Out to the Left and the Right for Our Problems Because We All Know That the Only Thing That Matters Is That the Other Guys Are Worse Than We Are and/or Fear." On a more serious note, Stewart, whose October 30 rally drew crowds of over 250,000, added, "Contrary to what some people may believe, I do think the rally was about something, just not necessarily what they wanted it to be about or what they think it’s about."
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Hey guys here's a novel idea. Ever stop to think that maybe, just maybe, you won't agree with everyone all the time? And maybe, that doesn't mean that you have to get on the internet and explain how that person is wrong just because you didn't agree with them? And maybe, just maybe, you're not quite as important as you think you are.
I wish John Stewert had´nt been so hard on the president when he interviewed him . He didn´t do
nothing but help the republican cause . He and the gays moaing about their BS agenda as if it´s as
important as the finacel crisis we´re in he should maybe work with the gays on like a gay muppet show
and shaddup about the President
Bill Maher, please just STFU.
The mouth that roared has gone on long enough.
Bill Maher and Keith Olbermann are an embarassment and a big joke! They cry and complain and every educated individual in America knows that they are both hypocrites! Watch! – you'll see by all the responses and agreement with my post!! Have a nice day America!
What Stewart's rally was trying to do was UNITE people. He recognizes that our country has become so divided politically that it IS impossible to get anything done (see the last few months of Obama's administration). And the REASON that he's not able to get anything done is both because the Republicans are refusing to cooperate and also because the both sides are too busy throwing barbs at one another. Maybe Bill Maher and Olbermann just didn't get it because they'd rather continue hurling insults and placing blame at the other side. But Stewart GETS IT – we all need to put our differences aside and realize that this country WILL go in the toilet unless we start to get along, respecting one another, and learn to WORK TOGETHER. Kudos John!!!
The idea that if the Democrats stop telling the truth about the Republicans, the Republicans will stop telling lies about the Democrats is just plain stupid. This President bent over backwards to be respectful toward Republicans and all they did was bite his hand. The Health Care Reform bill contains numerous concessions to the Republicans, in return for votes it never got. Not every "barb" is a lie. The problem isn't that both sides are uncivil. "The problem is that the right won't behave with a shred of truthfulness, responsibility or honor. The Democrats risked defeat to do the nation's business, and passed important legislation. The Republicans sought political advantage by opposing reform and trying to prevent economic recovery. Frankly, I consider them traitors. I know that's a barb, but they earned it.
I'm surprised that people, especially Maher and Olbermann, haven't figure out what Stewart's rally was about. The "Rally to Restore Sanity" was announced within days of Glenn Beck's rally, it took place in the same general location, and the use of the word "RESTORE" was no coincidence. Even Stewart's logo for his rally was similar to Beck's.
So, what was Beck's rally about? As it turned out, nothing. It was just a lot of weird, quasi-religious hokum delivered by a man oozing with a messianic complex. Stewart's rally was a parody of Beck's from the start, but neither Stewart nor Colbert could say that openly, because it would have sounded like they were defending a political position.
The Rally to Restore Sanity was about the insanity of politics and how getting obsessed with it generates that craziness. The theme of the rally was "It's crazy to call other Americans you disagree with unAmerican". Clearly, this was targeted at the right-wing media, especially Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh. But, if Stewart and Colbert had come out and said that, they would have become part of the problem and not the solution they wanted. Maher and Olbermann are smart guys. They should have figured this out by now.
Stewart is quickly becoming the voice of the people. We're in a ressession that is'nt ending & people just want answers & solutions.
I'm not sure which is more pathetic, the fact that we're looking to a comedian for these answers, or the fact that he's the only one trying to provide them.
Sounds like Stewart is learning just how vicious the left can be when you don't toe their line. And if Olberman believes that MSNBC is anything more than FoxLeft, he's delusional.
I would say 70% – 30%, give or take.
The main point of Jon Stewart's rally was to really blast the media. Of course the media didn't like it!
The reason Jon is so popular with the moderates is because we find it much more appealing laughing than crying.
I would love to see Stewart run for President in 2012 or 2016. He may not win but he would address the retardness of political campaign and bs campaign promises. Better yet I wouldn't mind seeing him in office. Someone that is aware and not accepting of the corruption that undermines the oath to serve the American public.
Stewart's strength is being able to point the finger and shine light on absurdities taking place both left and right (mostly right, but he's taking more justifiable shots at the left lately). Putting him into the political arena as a candidate would ruin that ability.
I do understand what the rally was about. The news, including CNN, made it out to be a big joke, just a bunch of comedians running around. The problem is the people that didn't understand.
I assumed Stewart's intention was to make light of both sides of America's lame bipartison political landscape. It's part of his alure. Not to be a platform for the left, whether it is the middle or far left. John is a liberaL and is open about his thoughts in a self deprivating manner. He isn't a Maher who comes across bitter . Maher is especially bitter and probably jealousbecause a doesn't have the gravitas to inspire a rally. If Stewart
Jon hit a nerve on the news media, both Fox , NSNBC, CBS, ABC. Admitidly AI prefer Oberman over FOX or any of the others. But I also think that many of the cable heavy weights have too high opinion of themselves and were offended by the mass appeal of the Stewart/Cobert rally. Stewart /Cobert frequently cut to the quick and nail the issues, something that cable news seems incapable of doing.
Maher's statements were accurate. The right makes stuff up and the left, for the most part, cares about truth and facts. Stewart seems to miss this somehow.
Really RB? I think you're the kind of person (Far left or right) that he was talking about.
The Rally was something. It was proof that we can be far right or far left... black, white, hispanic, purple, whatever... and just get along. Come together for the better of things despite what our opinions of somethings are.
blah blah tea bag blah blah sissy pants leftist blah blah stewart blah blah rachel maddow is a cow blah blah obama is from kenya blah blah rush limbaugh controls the world
I was there. The rally was about sending a message that we're sick of politicians bickering with each other instead of solving problems. All they care about is tearing down any idea, good or bad, that comes from the other side. If 250,000people showed up to send that message, you can bet there are millions more who feel it. The political system has been hijacked by people who don't care about us – they care only about themselves. And that goes for left and right.
Stewart wants to be another Al Franken, using celebrity status to pave the way to a political career. Because the hallmark of liberalism is wanting to tell people what to do, how to live, etc.
Really? Can you back that statement up with some facts? Because last I checked it was Republicans who want to outlaw gay marriage and abortion, and dictate morality. All the Liberals I know are very much live and let live kind of people.
Why would Stewart want to be in politics when he's enjoying the career of his choice? I believe he's brighter than most members of Congress and would bring some sanity to the political arena, but would have nothing to gain.
I think the fact that extremist media outlets are criticizing Stewart's rally as being about nothing is proof that it actually served its purpose. The reason they dont get it is that civility, actual discourse, and sanity have no place in their media outlets.
The rally WAS about sanity, civility, and knowledge. Jon's speech at the end was very moving – and profound.
I am a conservative latino voter. My political leanings are right of center. So a lot of what stewart says and does is opposing my positions. But damn it the guy is funny and relevant. He is a freaking comedian and olberman is a twit to expect stewart to be "serious". Fox and msnbc are both polarizing. Too bad we don't have an impartial news outlet...wouldn't that be something.
Bill Maher is to wacky for me to respect and I wish he would shut his pie hole. by calling the tea party "tea baggers" he lowers himself to the same level as that group asking for Pres. Obama's birth certificate.
See, that's what the rally was about. You don't agree with Jon's political leanings, but you give him credit where it's due. The message of the rally is that we want politicians to drop the partisan bickering and work together to solve problems. I think most people on the left and right have more in common than they realize, and it's politicians who polarize us so we stop listening to each other. All they care about is themselves.
100% Correct!!
Comments : "Conservatives blah, right wing blah leftist blah democrats blah teabaggers poop..."... Umm who said john stewart was wrong??? Ahaha the guy is a comedian, he brings out the truth in his comedy and all of u prove him right..just because u don't like the truth doesn't mean the guy is bad at what he does...
Anyone/anything is better than Rubert Murdoch's domination & Fox News. They are disgrace 2 America. Party of No still hasnt accepted their losses. The demographics of those that comprose tea baggers will reveal low levels of income, low levels of education and unstable people.Christine Mc's comments about mice with human brains & confidential priliged info about Chinese is stupid. Republicans want stimulus $ but complain about .Hipocrites!
And I used to like Olbermann, but it turns out he's nothing more than a leftist Bill O'Reilly. Both the far left and right are equally as bad and stupid.
Disguised politician!!!
Those of you mericans that are offended to your core by John Stewart and the like take a four fever pill by mouth. Thank you!
An unfunny jerk is what Stewart is.
You know how I know you've never watched the Daily Show?
Leftist liberal garbage. The lib media is a tool of Satan and always has been during this planet's 5,000 year history. Now if you'll excuse me I'm gonna jump into this helicopter and go hunt some dinosaurs.
The rally had a point. It got people talking. If it had no point there wouldn't be this much energy generated from it. Everyone is so fast to dismiss Mr. Stewart simply because he is first and foremost a comedian. Yet he had 250,000 people attend HIS rally. Yet, Mr. Beck's rally held less people, yet no one is dismissing it, even though he is just a talkshow host. The rally to restore sanity and/or fear was created to show people the density of some people and thoughts, and how rediculous people have become in the political spectrum. The figure behind it is to wake people up, and get them thinking. Don't do something because its a straight party vote, don't do something because your friends are doing it, don't do something that the media is pushing until YOU as an individual decide what is ok and right for yourself, because that is the beauty of this country.
Peace.
When did we all start taking ourselves so seriously ..... political discourse has its place as do those who comment or open our eyes/ears to the irony. I am not a big fan of Fox or MSNBC but do enjoy a good laugh via Stewart and Colbert..."Twain's" of our time.
I think the main reason for the talking heads complaining about the Stewart rally is his dig that broadcast news focuses on non-real issue and that the news we get is really tabloid news like the National Enquirer. BTW who is Keith Olbermann and Bill Maher and why would any comment from hacks like them matter?
There is no comparison between Maher and MSNBC and Beck and Fox News. Maher and MSNBC are not fabricators. They care about the truth, even though they have an ideology. Fox News amplifies smears like the ACORN scam and the supposed New Black Panther Party, and imaginary voting fraud, and Andrew Breitbart's smear of Shirley Sherrod. Why do their commentators ask every guest if they believe the President is a Muslim, as if it were a matter of opinion? Complain about shows with an ideological bent if you want to, but don't suggest that every show with an ideological bent is a pack of lies. That's only on Fox, now that Lou Dobbs has been fired.
Maher's and Obermann's criticisms of the rally were well taken, and I'm sorry Stewart isn't taking them more seriously. I like John Stewart a lot, but he did indeed create a false equivalency between people like Glenn Beck and people like Keith Olbermann. And in doing so, he - Stewart himself - damaged the political discourse in the way he often accuses others, rightly, of doing. If he can dish it out, he should be able to take it - and that means not mocking every criticism of himself.
It's a rally put on by a comedian for a comedy channel... the irony is that you are expecting serious political discourse from a comedian....
Ever heard the term, "It's funny because it's true?"
There WAS serious political discourse. It's just that it was off-base, suggesting there's Lunatic Left as large and irresponsible and corrupt untruthful and impactful as the Lunatic Right, that it defines the Democrats and MSNBC as the Lunatic Right informs the Republican Party, that there's some kind of equivalency between a Democratic Party that passed Wall Street Reform and Health Care Reform on a party line vote and a Republican Party that voted against these things on a Party Line vote. It's cheap of Stewart to court the reputation of equal opportunity satirist by pretending there's a "center" neither party is occupying, and a standard of conduct neither party is observing. The Republicans have abandoned the center to the Democrats, and it isn't the Democrats who flooded the campaign with secret corporate money. Stewart's intentions were serious, and so were most of his remarks. Where he was right, he was funny. Where he was unfunny, he was often wrong.
W0W!! I am stunned that any of you watch the politics on TV. Oberman, Maddow, shultz ,O'Donald are great news commentators. U might learn something about fairness.
You've got to be kidding. Those people are basically propagandists for the progressive movement. I'm not even making any judgement on the rightness or wrongness of the progressive movement, but if you can't see their complete and utter bias, you are blind.
Oh, crap, another rally? There goes my plans for the 13th...
Politics are so lame... So nobody vote. That will teach government to take young people seriously. Did you hear Obama has 79% support amongst unlikely voters? Helpful...
No dimwit, that ensures that the older voters (who WILL vote) get their way. Take a lesson in government before you speak.
[x] Jen makes interesting point
[ ] BioHzrd understands sarcasm
Please help! Someone bullied me today! What do I do? I'm so scared! D*** you Neil Patrick Harris!!
Stewart was missing bite and tried to play it down the middle.
who cares??????
I have read many, many comments about our "politics." A few observations: Special interests/lobbyists run this country– not Democrats or Republicans. Special interests/lobbyists have been around long enough to have worked out the kinks/flaws in their execution. New Presidents/Senators/members of Congress (as well as returning ones) can't outflank well oiled machines that have seen and dealt with every scenario and figured out (through trial and error and over time) how to pull strings behind the scenes to really get things done. I'm not sure this is a bad thing. There are lobbyists for all types of special interests from unions to big business from environmental protection to oil, etc. Maybe, one might feel that they would be better represented in government by donating to the lobbies that best represent their interests.
What really needs to be done before this who's crazier then who is... Get rid of lobby's and limit senate terms and someone should start an independent news channel that has a segment that simply checks facts , ex. All this obama spending 200m a day over seas is ridiculous but fox news talked about it and SOME of the millions watching fox news believe it because they don't know any better
Enough already Stewart, you proved your point. You pulled a Wayne's World: Build it and they will come... You did, they came. I don't identify you as a political/american icon. I know you have lots of fans, I'm just sick of seeing these ads promoting your nonsense. Who let the dogs out???
What language was that meant to be exactly? Sock it to me, baby! Dy-no-mite!
Ads? You mean the ads for his show that are shown on Comedy Central??
Love Stewart but rally was a missed opportunity
Agreed. I thought Bill Maher's position was pretty much spot on. Sorry, Jon.
Definitely the most sensible responses to a political story I've seen in quite a while. Maybe the rally worked better than people think. Sanity is definitely evident in these writings, nice change from the bile and hatred
Ditto!
If you think that the rally wasn't about anything, you simply don't get it.
See, I get it. The directions, actually "legitamate" votable choices, that we have to choose from are pretty pathetic. The world is spiralling in the wrong direction, either far right or left, and it is so frightening....
THAT WE NEED TO LAUGH.
...to keep from crying.
Ed Shultz and Glenn Beck are two sides of the same coin. Who represents the edge? Jon Stewart I guess!
Stewart = genius! Thanks for showing the absurdity of our national politics. The right, the left, they are all lost. "We the People" need to dig in and support our comedians for showing the truth about how politics has become a show that tries to instill fear in the general public about issues that they don't want made law.
People still watch cable news? – wow, just.....wow.
I like what the rally is supposed to be about, and what it says it is about...but I think there is a disconnect between the rhetoric and the reality. The problem with Stewart's rally is that by & large, it served to mock Tea Party rallies moreso than it did to genuinely attempt to foster open dialogue and greater civility in our political discourse.
I think the reality is that a lot of Stewart & Colbert's audience fall into the trap of thinking "I am an open-minded, reasonable, intelligent person; therefore anyone who doesn't share my opinions is closed-minded, unreasonable, and stupid (and/or bigoted)". Hopefully, Stewart & Colbert would reject that line of thinking.
That comment just proves you weren't there. With all due respect, you are incorrect. The message promoted was the message pushed, and those who tried to hoist their political opinions on the rest were politely and respectfully ignored. It was a truly remarkable thing.
@mehgann – Yes, it was awesome, wasn't it? The message was one of being reasonable. Of listening to each other. The politicians have hijacked the political process to make it adversarial. We all have a lot in common, but the politicians polarize us and stop us from listening to each other. We just want politicians who will agree with the good ideas instead of tearing them down just because they come from the other side. Unless you were there at the rally, it's hard to understand what a great event it was. Millions of people just want the bickering to end and want the politicians to truly work together in the interest of the people, instead of their own self-interest.
The problem is that the right isn't listening to the left and the center, not that the left and the center aren't listening to the right. We've listened very well, and what we hear are radicalism, lies, racism, misinformation, paranoia and cranky eccentric impractical uncompromising demands. They claim climate change is a hoax, that the rich pay too much in taxes, that Democrats are about to cut Medicare, that the President is a Muslim and wasn't born in this country, that Bob Dole's health reform plan is a government takeover, that Wall Street reform is socialism, that the stimulus bill worsened the repression, that Obama (not Bush) signed the TARP bill, that the TARP funds (which we are getting back with a dividend) went down a rat hole, that Obama's trip to India is costing $200,000,000 a day. We've listened, all right. Stewart needs to stop pretending the Democrats are as bad as the Republicans. It would be nice for comedians if it were true but it is not.
Wow for some change was not fast enough they jupm ship yeeep the party of knows yea knows let's seeee how much the know and how fast the can put change into action
Put the moonshine down u dumb hick. Your babbling nonsense again
Please, back away from the keyboard now
Further proof that Stewart is a right wing tool.
WOW?! Even I'm confused how you would come to that conclusion?
Further proof that you're a moron
In the fine tradition of bruce, rogers and carlin stewart and colbert are the only people with a megaphone that make sense.
Finally .....................some politics and a rally that make sense.
Have you ever seen "scent of a woman"......on weed?
Have you ever looked at the back of a 20 dollar bill.....on weed?
Isn't this guy's 15 minutes of fame over yet? He's completely worthless.
Do you mean John Stewart? You can't mean John Stewart, right?
Obviously bro you do not have a beat in Stewary because he is hardly a 15 minutes of fame guy..Im curious to know who you see as someone you think is "relevant"
If you're talking about Jon Stewart, he's been around for quite some time and will be around for quite some time to come. So no, his 15 minutes aren't up.
If you really think that then you must be (a) Completely clueless and/or (b) a fan of some politician/political pary that Stewart has made to look like a complete moron.
All you have to do is go to youtube and watch him on "Crossfire". I believe that his performance on that show, and it's subsequent canceling, will change your opinion. He is very informed and relevant, and funny to boot.
Surely you jest, he has been on the Daily Show since he took it over 13 years ago when Craig Kilborne left! Let's not even discuss the number of awards it has garnered it that time....
You're old.
He beat Leno and Letterman in ratings recently.
"'false equivalence' between the services of MSNBC and Fox News" – give me a break. Both networks give highly partisan perespectives.
To me the difference is that Faux News pretends to be an objective, legitimate newsgathering/newsreporting service, with an occasional "commentator" who expresses a point of view; MSNBC makes no such pretense.
I say.....Jan Brewer for President and Jon Stewert for VP, screw all these idiots.
I live in the "great" state of Arizona... No to that twit Jan Brewer, and even though I love Jon Stewart, he's just a comedian and has his own place in entertainment not serious politics.
I feel like people forget that Stewart is, first and foremost, a comedian...
Hear hear!!
I'm not sure who is worse...the politico news shows or the leach on society politicians. Both major parties suck. We need a serious mid of the road 3rd party...which was the point of the rally...Politicians blow!
The problem is EVERONE thinks they have the right answer, and that they occupy the sensible middle. Olbermann and Maher think this, and no wonder they naturally think Republicans are evil. Same with Hannity and Limbaugh, who see the exact opposite.
Why does it always have to be about us vs. them? Let's solve our problems together and stop always blaming someone else for our problems.
Because that's how they make money. Political warfare to drive militants on either side.
That was the point of the rally... duh. Why can't we compromise to actually get stuff done instead of playing 'us against them' and all the political posturing.
Seriously– if you didn't hear Stewart's speech at the end of the rally, listen to it on his website. I think it says it all.
I think most rallies are useless anyway. At least this one was entertaining.
Wellwhen you can attract 200,000 to a rally..no matter what the agenda is..you can hardly call them useless.
Olbermann and Maher have their place. They present very strong, one-sided commentary. I like it, but Stewart has his place too. And I tell you what... after having been writing for 5+ years, I've found that people are much more receptive to my thoughts and ideas when I don't come off as one-sided. That's why I prefer to TRY and look at both sides of every issue, though it truthfully does hurt me to do at times, LOL. The bottom line is that though I like Maher and Olbermann, both of them can shove it up their poop chute!
Sane people rule. Insane people drool!
"Shove it up their poop chute.........." Wow, if this is an example of your eloquent writing skills and how your express your command of the English language after "writing 5+ years," you may want to change junior colleges.
Sorry Olbermann, MSNBC is just left-wing FOX. Taking the opposite position is NOT the same as reporting the news.
utter BS, like comparing a cheerleader to a seasoned poorn star
Absolutely correct. Keith and Rachel as election night anchors? Seriously? It is even worse.
Wow, pure ignorance. It must really suck to be you . . . I blame your parents.
Not quite. MSNBC is a political opinion station. FOX pretends that it is presenting hard news for much of its programming – and it's not. FOX is, in fact, a yellow journalism station – yet its adherents swear that they are telling the truth.
Quite right. Although clearly, those who lean one way or the other will come to the defense of the one toward which they lean. Is there a treatment for "we act just as extreme and snarky as you but are so way better than you" syndrome?
I agree with Melissa. Also, I'm now of the opinion that we can no longer define Fox News as a "conservative network." It's not conservative, it's a REPUBLICAN NETWORK. MSNBC might lean to the left (very far left for some) but I've seen a lot of fair criticism there toward the current administration, which, in my opinion would make MSNBC liberal but not Democrat.
MSNBC is much more left-wing than Fox is right. The most recent example is how MSNBC had numerous election night commentators – every single one a liberal. Fox had a mix of both liberal AND conservative commentators.
Very good Bubba. I couldn't have said it better. MSNBC is fifty times worse than Fox.
Anybody who can readily see that MSNBC=FoxLeft is in complete, utter and total denial.
@Melissa: nicely put, I think that is good way to describe these two networks
msnbc is actually a lot worse than Fox News. The hate that comes out of the mouths of those people is outrageous. Fox seems not to be as personal while msnbc is all about attacking individuals and not policies. The lefties still don't get it!
comedy and politics are now married! Nothing serious, just fun, what about the economy?
humorists have always been involved in the national debate of this country and every other through out history, when you reduce to oversimplified terms you essentially put on blinders, we need the humorists to point out (as stewart has done) when the economists evaluating the economy are turning a blind eye to danger, don't separate us, it's gonna take us all to get thru this
Stupid! Marriage is defined by politicians as "between a man and a woman" Therefore, comedy and politics can't get married.
Damn liberals...
Well, the economy is a joke. Isn't that enough?
"My gathering of predominately white people was bigger than your gathering of predominately white people!!!"
lance corporal. I don't have any problem with humorists being involved in the dialogue and commenting on it. I do have a problem when presidents show up on their show and act as if they are real journalists.
Seriously, politics are soooo lame
People who say that are so shallow. People like you are the reason we're in this mess. Politics is lame when citizens refuse to take responsibility for our country's politics.