Jon Stewart Makes Lame Katrina Joke to Brian Williams

Our own Michelle Humphrey noticed that NBC anchor Brian Williams appeared Tuesday on "The Daily Show," and in the midst of all the chummy banter, Jon Stewart was still cracking wise, in the face of the evidence, that the federal government has/had no presence in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina. MRC intern Eugene Gibilaro transcribed it:

"You just came back from Lebanon. In the Lebanon or in New Orleans, which do you think had the stronger U.S. Government presence?" [Laughter]

Brian Williams only paused, and said with a smirk: "Somebody came to play."

P.S.: You might find the mention of Reutergate interesting, especially how Williams said (joked?) the fighting in Lebanon is "too real" for Hezbollah media manipulation:

Jon Stewart: "What do guys say to you when they’re there? Are they talking to you, is it propaganda? You know, we saw these stories that Reuters had doctored photos. Do you get the sense there that anything going is being manufactured for your benefit?"

Brian Williams: "No, it’s too real, no one has time. We’re up in an Israeli military Blackhawk helicopter. Here’s a view of rockets I’ve never seen: passing underneath us, 1500 feet beneath us and you know, we got the gunner doors on this thing and I’m saying to the general, some four-star, ‘okay, so if we’re 1500, it wouldn’t take much for them to adjust the aim and try to do ring toss right through our open doors, would it?’ But they’re firing real bullets over there. Any time you want to cross over to the other side, baby, travel with me."