Jon Stewart Presses Mitch Daniels to Admit the GOP Uses Intemperate 'Socialist' and 'Confiscation' Lingo
On The Daily Show Wednesday night, Jon Stewart interviewed Mitch Daniels and there were no laughs. Stewart put on his serious face, stroked his chin, and tried to get Daniels to admit that the Republicans were unfairly defending wealthy people and making no sense.
Stewart played dumb: “It seems like the Republicans are doing everything they can to protect the wealthiest people in this country, through policy and through rhetoric. And I guess I'm just not understanding why. And I'm having a problem. This decade has not been a bad decade for the wealthiest of Americans, and if they are the job creators, why are they not creating?” The obligatory cheering and applause came from Stewart’s liberal audience.
Daniels tried to play it down the middle: “Well, Jon, you've got the wrong guest if that's your question because I've been telling my fellow citizens for – This is the only elected job I ever intend to be in. It is not our business to see the people of great means make more money. It is our business to see the people without much money have chance to make more. That's what's bothering me.”
Stewart shot back: “So you're a socialist?”
Daniels threw a little harder: “No. Socialism is a very effective mechanism for spreading misery. That's exactly why I'm not.”
Stewart replied: “Do you think socialism – In your mind, is the rhetoric you're hearing from your party misguided?” Daniels said “I think it can stand some improvement. That's the biggest point of this book.” Daniels wants a “language of unity” in the budget debate, as if Bush’s and Obama’s campaign pledges to heal the breach ever came true.
Then it was Jon Stewart, the one who called Robert Novak a “vampire demon” and aired a gospel choir singing “Go f— yourself,” actually scolded Daniels for using intemperate rhetoric when he said Obama had an “obsession” with wealthy people.
STEWART: The president’s obsession with wealthy people. Does he have an obsession? With raising the tax rate to the Clinton era, is that an obsession? Do you really consider that this president has been bad for rich people in this country? Or Wall Street or anything?
DANIELS: That's not what I mean. It's the constant bashing. For one thing, it’s a distraction. You can confiscate all the wealth of those people and we wouldn't be anywhere.
STEWART, getting upset: Let me just, again, go to the language. "Obsession," "bashing" and "confiscate.” Now I understand the language of unity, and I'm not sure that that's it. (Applause) And I think that it’s fair...I'm going to tell you this. So in the last decade here, the top 1 percent have taken nearly 25 percent of the income. Twenty-five years ago it was 12 percent. Top one percent control 40 percent of the wealth, 25 years ago, it was 32 percent. Nobody has done better in this country than those people. I'm included in it.
And to ask them to do that, I don't understand this hard line, that’s class warfare, but somehow making the median in this country, 50%, which now controls 2 and a half percent of the wealth, that that policy is not class warfare, but talking about raising a rate 4 percent, that’s class warfare. I don't understand that. [Cheering and applause] And as .. clearly you're incredibly smart, respected guy, but the language that even you just used and slipped into quite easily sounded [makes a face that says ‘questionable’.]
Where is Stewart getting these numbers about the top one percent? A journal of economics? No, it's Vanity Fair magazine, in an article by liberal economist Joseph Stiglitz. No one finds the irony in an article bashing the top one percent in between ads for upscale consumption for the "leisure class."
The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazette summed up: "Gov. Mitch Daniels had turned down The Daily Show with Jon Stewart numerous times over the years, perhaps rightly so. Wednesday night's interview wasn't the easiest or most comfortable for the governor, who joked at the end that he needed a dog for protection."
- Tim Graham's blog
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Comments
Jon who?
Submitted by QMCS on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:03pm.
It's truely sad people still watch him.
Oh ya don't mean it! Don't
Submitted by Rowane on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:27am.
Oh ya don't mean it! Don't you know that most young americans get the "real scoop" from Stewart and others like him?
You've got to stand for something, or you'll fall for anything. (Aaron Tippin)
John Leibowitz?...
Submitted by USMC8411 on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:09pm.
Did he force the liberals to admit that using the terms, terrorist, hostage taker, sons of bitches, etc was intemperate lingo?
Nope.
Why even go on the show? To win over whom?
USMC,
Submitted by Chris Norman on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:54pm.
All I can figure is it's their ego that makes them go on any television show no matter how hostile. It's their desire for national exposure. It's the ego-fed delusion that they will come out on top against a stacked deck. In the Daily Show's case, it's their hope to appear to be "cool".
+1
Submitted by okie-pastor on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:55pm.
+1
Jon How Many Billionares Do You Know?
Submitted by Avitar on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:14pm.
There used to be more billionaires in your neighborhood than there are there today. New York has lost several dozen in the last decade.
Why do republicans always go
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:52pm.
Why do republicans always go into these interviews unprepared? I question their ability, they obviously aren't too bright.
Mitch Daniels isn't really a Republican
Submitted by Marcus Porcius on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:50am.
But I take your point.
"Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions." G.K. Chesterton
www.theconservativereview.com
Why do republicans always go
Submitted by LAM SON 719 on Thu, 09/22/2011 - 11:52pm.
Why do republicans always go into these interviews unprepared? I question their ability, they obviously aren't too bright.
I won't hold my breath
Submitted by Kuso Jiji on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:13am.
to wait for lebowitz to hold Democrats accountable for making millions of Americans dependant on government programs in exchange for vote.
Making fun or peoples positions is incredibly easy
Submitted by kata on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:01am.
if you have no investment in the truth.
GOP protecting the richest Americans? Really?
Submitted by big.league.slider on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:29am.
Let's see, from Forbe's list:
1) Bill Gates (liberal).
2) Warren Buffett (liberal)
3) Larry Ellison (liberal)
7) George Soros (liberal)
12) Michael Bloomberg (liberal)
13) Jeff Bezos (liberal)
14) Mark Zuckerberg (liberal)
15) Sergey Brin (liberal)
16) Larry Page (liberal)
etc.
BEZOS GAVE MILLION TO HIS
Submitted by jetsgiants on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 6:01pm.
BEZOS GAVE MILLION TO HIS CHURCH
Tim your wrong
Submitted by well99 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:39am.
Steward isn't playing dumb.He is dumb.It isn't a act.The only thing he comprehends is talking points for bosses at the DNC.They keep it simple for him otherwise he forgets.That is why he makes all those goofy faces.He is trying to remember what they want him to say.
Jonny, are you dumb?
Submitted by Tim Graham on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 6:43am.
You can be dumb and yet play dumb. (I think citing Vanity Fair as your economic source is kinda dumb.) It was a pose to say "I simply don't understand why the Republicans would do this." He was trying not to say "I understand the Republicans hate the poor." He was throwing a bit of an olive branch and Daniels, and Daniels was being quite generous in return.
It should be recognized that Stewart edited this interview to reflect what he thought were his best moments. That's why it would be tough to go on this show and be tough on Stewart.
Tim
Submitted by well99 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 10:39am.
So would that make him Dumb and Dumber?Yes Vanity Fair is way up there on the list for economic sources...lol It must be a liberal thing.Then again they get their science data from Gore.
I think they keep it simple
Submitted by rockyracoon on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:14am.
I think they keep it simple for his writers as well. Leibowitz has very limited critical thinking skills.
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
rockyracoon
Submitted by well99 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 10:42am.
Critical thinking skills and Stewie just don't seem to match.If someone says DNC shill then right off the bat I think of Stewie.
I am pulling my hair out why the media follows John Stewart...
Submitted by NascarShizzle on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:41am.
His 'Daily Show' is on the COMEDY CHANNEL!!!!
What am I missing?
Where is Stewart getting these numbers
Submitted by alvin on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 12:54am.
From 2006 to 2007, average real income per family grew by a solid 3.7
percent. Average real income for the top percentile grew faster (6.8 percent
growth), further increasing the top percentile income share from 22.8 to 23.5
percent (Figure 2).
http://elsa.berkeley.edu/~saez/saez-UStopincomes-2007.pdf
The top 1 percent of American earners now have tax rates half what they were in the 1970s. And they took in 23.5 percent of the nation’s pre-tax income in 2007
http://8020vision.com/2010/11/16/when-does-the-wealth-of-a-nation-hurt-i...
The top 1 percent’s share of before-tax income (like its share of after-tax income) more than doubled from 1979 to 2007, from 9.3 percent to 19.4 percent
http://www.cbpp.org/cms/?fa=view&id=3220
Lovely, more chipmunk droppings.
Submitted by Phryj1 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:54am.
Complete with a little smoke cloud above them as, once again, alvin quickly disappears into the night without having to be held accountable for his nonsense.
Oh, and your numbers are 4 years out of date. And rich people getting richer and keeping more of their money is a problem for everyone else how? They already pay the overwhelming bulk of the taxes.
I'd go on, but you never come back anyway.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
'chipmunk droppings'---
Submitted by matthewdean on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 2:05am.
Excellent lead, Phryj.
Succinct, and oh so accurate.
Perfecto.
MD
Thanks MD
Submitted by Phryj1 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 3:30am.
I'm thinking we'll need to set up some small rodent traps to stop him from leaving his little messes on the threads.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
ALVIN!
Submitted by Tim Graham on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 6:45am.
It would be fun to speed him up to "chipmunk speed." He might be funny for a change.
***ALERT *** The rich are "taking" the nation's income!
Submitted by SickofLibs on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 10:48am.
LOL.
whoa!
Submitted by kata on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 11:11am.
economics is a zero-sum game afterall?!
After all....
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:47pm.
Wealth is "re-distributed", not created, as we all well know. (sarc key off now)
After all....
Submitted by almostacowboy on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:47pm.
Wealth is "re-distributed", not created, as we all well know. (sarc key off now)
Just wondering..
Submitted by Marcus Porcius on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:49am.
Doesn't he mean accurate Socialist' and 'Confiscation' Lingo?
"Tolerance is the virtue of the man without convictions." G.K. Chesterton
www.theconservativereview.com
Jon Stewart
Submitted by Phryj1 on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 1:59am.
Wondering how he's going to reconcile this hit job with the whole he's-just-a-comedian-not-an-activist thing.
Oh, and before one of our esteemed house libs tried to defend him with "he goes after Dems, too!", he's never gone after a left-winger like this. Feel free to prove me wrong.
Progressives seem to be completely averse to facts and logic. Apparently, reality has a conservative bias.
This is so tedious. What is
Submitted by Jack Bauer on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 5:30am.
This is so tedious. What is there to gain politically for any Conservative, let a lone Republican to appear on a show like Stewarts?
Does he think the ignorant brain-dead audience which whoops and hollars at every weak, asinine point this two-bit jerk makes, is suddenly going to SUPPORT him, Mitch Daniels?
What is the point Mr Daniels. You are at every disadvantage, all aimed to make you look bad and Stewart to try to look good.
All of the above Mr Obama? --- How about ALL OF THE BELOW, instead.
Jack, all your arguments are
Submitted by Ruths husband Ben on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 4:31pm.
Jack, all your arguments are valid, but I still think it is important to go into the dragon's lair. That is what knights do.
Stewart has a tell. Whenever
Submitted by DaChew on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 6:30am.
Stewart has a tell.
Whenever Stewart wants to float one of his strawman arguments (and he is a master of strawman arguments), he usually begins with "It seems like..." or a derivative of that. "It's as if..." , "It looks to many, like..." You can fill in the blank with any ridiculous liberal talking point after that. He then sits back and makes the guest respond to the ridiculous charge that has no basis in reality. Notice, he didn't make the charge directly, he just said "it seems like...".
The best thing conservatives can do when going on his show is simply to attack the ridiculous premise of his question. 9 times out of 10, it's a liberal strawman. Throw his strawman right back in his face "Well, I'm sure it might "seem like" that to someone unfamiliar with the issue...". Or, just flat-out, "Of course, I reject the premise of your question...".
Bingo
Submitted by rockyracoon on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:18am.
That's exactly right...."some people say...."
Facts are like kryptonite to the liberal.
MEMO TO REPUBLICANS ALL!!
Submitted by Sgthulka on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 4:09pm.
When you go on shows like TDS, expect to get bashed.
You aren't funny enough, clever enough or witty enough to overcome Stewart and his audience of high school students, college students and the unemployed.
These types of shows aren't called "Clappers" for nothing. It's so Stewart can be made the victor of every debate point. It's like having an applause meter at the bottom of the screen.
Republican/conservative deserve the reputation of being branded as dumb if they continue to go to these venues attempting to win-over those who will never vote conservative.
I thought Daniels was smarter than that.
MEMO TO REPUBLICANS ALL!!
Submitted by Sgthulka on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 4:10pm.
When you go on shows like TDS, expect to get bashed.
You aren't funny enough, clever enough or witty enough to overcome Stewart and his audience of high school students, college students and the unemployed.
These types of shows aren't called "Clappers" for nothing. It's so Stewart can be made the victor of every debate point. It's like having an applause meter at the bottom of the screen.
Republican/conservative deserve the reputation of being branded as dumb if they continue to go to these venues attempting to win-over those who will never vote conservative.
I thought Daniels was smarter than that.
Jon's Braindead Audience
Submitted by HardRightTurn on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:00pm.
Surely the applause sign lit up to prompt the audience when to cheer. How could they even follow Stewart's non-reasoning illogic about his numbers, percentages and all the statistical blathering? I couldn’t follow it even in written word. Otherwise, it must surely be symbiotic.
Stewart is a charlatan of gifted proportions. He should change his show’s name to “And Now For the Leftist Talking Points and All Manner of Demagoguery Extraordinaire.
To more fully comprehend the Left, one must read “Leftism As Psychopathy” by John Ray, M.A., Ph.D. Caution, it might scare you a little bit.
http://jonjayray.tripod.com/psycho.html
Comedy Central Speaks For The "Progressives"
Submitted by rammingspeed on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:02pm.
Ooh, Jon-ny Boy! You know the the high level talking points! You got them all remember-ized and everything! Can spit 'em out faster than Obama can think up his next slick side-step of the issues. Jon-ny Boy, shut up. First, grow up. Then talk. You'll be saying a whole lot of different - sensible - stuff.
Comedy Central Speaks For The "Progressives"
Submitted by rammingspeed on Fri, 09/23/2011 - 7:02pm.
Ooh, Jon-ny Boy! You know the the high level talking points! You got them all remember-ized and everything! Can spit 'em out faster than Obama can think up his next slick side-step of the issues. Jon-ny Boy, shut up. First, grow up. Then talk. You'll be saying a whole lot of different - sensible - stuff.