Democratic suicide--Daily Show style!

[DrBB]

I refer to last night's Cuomo episode, just re-run this evening (didn't see it at 11--too late for me).

<rant>
I bow to no one in my love for this show. And I hate it when people dump on a GOOD program, pundit or source because of some misstep or other. I am NOT a purist, okay? I mean, there were a couple of episodes after Abu Ghraib hit the news that I thought should be nominated for a Pulitzer.

But goddamit, I do NOT LIKE the trends I've been seeing on this show.

Notice how many Reichpublicans have been on as guests? Actors: 60%. Reichpublicans 30%. Dems: 10%. Just a guess--but that's how it seems for the last few months. So okay. Stewart's got to be even-handed but it seems, poltical-guest-wise that the show's been leaning heavily to the right in the last 5-6 months or so.

So it's all the more irksome when Cuomo gets on and under the screen of some obvious Dem partisanship (which I think actually weakened his point) we get, under the radar as it were, some hardcore Reichpublican talking points passed off as accepted truth.

1. Stewart asks "What should Kerry say to America?" And Cuomo has Kerry giving a little speech that says, among other things, "I won some medals--maybe they were deserved, maybe they weren't."

I'm rocked back on my heals. What the FUCK is this Reichpublican slander doing in there. Yes, the Mighty Wurlitzer has been working overtime to cast doubt on ONE of Kerry's medals. Know what? The ONLY acceptable response to this, from a Dem perspective, is a reverse Tom Delay. When brought up by the other side, it should be condemned as absolute anti-Viet Nam-Vet propaganda of the most craven sort. It should be subject to withering, devastating critique using whatever tools lay ready to hand. Under NO circumstances should it be voluntarily introduced by a self-proclaimed Dem. Because there is no fucking substance to it. It is PURE Reichpublican Propaganda and if Cuomo thinks he is being professorially even-handed or some goddamn thing by voluntarily making room for it in a statement like this he is too naive to live.

2. A similar weird moment in the bit where Cuomo ventriloquizes Bush giving an "honest" response about Tenet's ouster. He has Bush "admitting" that Tenet is being fired because the 'truth' is that the Iraq intel was bad and that's why we went to war. "Everyone knows the CIA screwed up," Cuomo sez, or words to that effect, "so why can't Bush just admit it."

Well, I HOPE I don't have to point out on this forum what arrant nonsense that is. Oh yeah, it was the CIA pushing Bush into this morass--he never woulda if Tenet hadn't made him.

Feh.

With Cuomo and Stewart nodding sagely at this bit of wisdom, I'm starting to feel like throwing my wine glass through the tube, something I'm not accustomed to with this show.

And then the capper. Did you see it, TDS fans? The Bass Ale "George Bush Celebrity Moment"? Hm? Featuring some little vignette about your fave ReichRocker and mine, Ted Nugent, doing a bit of 2nd Amendment promotion in one of his shows by whipping out a cross bow and firing a bolt through a big poster of Saddam? Didja?

The utter inanity of that, on so many levels. Some dumbass former (class of 72) Young Republican ad executive thinking, Hey, cool ad placement--Daily Show attracts da yout, and who could they identify more with than Ted Nugent? The yout think Ted's cool!

I mean, utterly clueless, yes, but in a very particular way. Such an ad campaign, and such placement. could only have been promulgated at the highest (i.e., most elderly) levels of the Reich-Wing BushMedia axis. I mean, does anyone under 30--hell, under 40--even know who Ted Nugent IS??? Or care, even if they do?

But there it stands, as bald evidence (IMO) as one could ask for of a concerted effort to BUY as much Daily Show as these oily bastards can get their slimy hands on.

And while I do NOT think for a moment that either Cuomo or Stewart is playing along with such a scheme deliberately, it is fucking NAUSEATING to see them doing so inadvertantly as they certainly did on this show. And are they working overtime to position Reichwingers as guests? You bet your ass they are. Takes money, and they got money, and this is one of the places they're spending it.

<slightly more calmed down analysis>

The show PROVED to me that important Dem forces are still utterly clueless when it comes to Reichpublican meme dissemination. Out of some incredibly dimwitted instinct toward evenhandedness or simpering credulity or god knows what, even "our" guys WILL continue to propagate this stuff the same way they did in 2000, as if The Daily Howler didn't even exist, as if they were still operating under the pathetically naive assumption that we're all playing the game in good faith, just a few differences of opinion; Hey, if the Boston Globe prints a buncha stuff about Kerry's medals, well, it must be true, no need to look into it or read around about it or consider the source or anything, I mean, it's the Liberul Media, right...?

All I can say is, AAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHH!
</slightly more calmed down analysis>
</rant>

[gristy]

1. Valid points.

Won't you email (& mail) this to Stewart?

[Generator]

2. Ugh I'm afraid the young generation does know who Nugent is

He just had a reality show on. Also, I think it's "irony"(Ted Nugent is an idiot and that's the point of the ad) I don't think that showing Nugent inspires anyone that isn't already an idiot to vote for Shrubscum to do so.

I don't think he should be telling his guests what to say or think which is kinda what you are saying.

Stewart almost winks when he has some Repuke on. He's sly and the best political comedian on the air. But he's not the official spokesperson of the Kerry campaign nor should he be.

[DrBB]

3. just want Dems not to transmit GOP memes

I don't ask him to tell anyone what to think. I just get very pissed when I see Dems--and a one of the few Dem-friendly programs on cabal TV--passing along vacuous Reichpublican memes and then follwing up with GOPropaganda in the form of a beer ad.

Stewart himself made a joke last week about how many GOPers he's had on, prior to having on another one of 'em. My point is: they are targeting this show and that means we need to push back.

And yeah, I'd email him. But where the hell is his contact info? Comedy Central doesn't make it very easy to find....

[itsnoteasybeingreen]

5. Whats with the ageism on DU?

First off, I'm a huge fan of the daily show, and I think that you're getting just a tad uppity, sure, the way you phrase things means a lot, that's what politics is all about. But it's not Air America, it's a comedy show, come on now!

To address my subject line, I'm only 20, and yes, I know who Ted Nugent is. I probably dislike him more than most people on this board because I am also a vegetarian. But that is not my concern. I've been lurking here for awhile, but all the time I see posts about how the younger generation can't grasp this, or they can't comprehend that.

This is a plea to all DUers to be more inclusive to the younger set here whom respect your opinions and wisdom, but still know what time of day it is. We're not all frisbee-throwing slackers pissing away mommy and daddy's tuition money. I work, and pay taxes and live in a crappy community and have to pay bills and find ways to supplement my income just like a lot of you. Please don't discriminate against us because we're younger. We are the future leaders of this great country, and we are at the forefront of the fight to keep this country great.

My 2 cents.

[al bupp]

9. Good Points

I, for one, thank you for reminding us of them.

And, from a fellow newbie, welcome to DU. :toast:

[the skeptic]

4. you have to realize....Democrats just dont think like that

Today's democrats are more reactive than proactive. Republicans think in terms of ideology and selling of ideas&themes. Democrats react to what the GOP does. They also accept the GOP narrative of modern politics; i.e. small government is best, taxes are bad, a large military is preferable over spending for education, etc.

To me that's the main problem. Until Democrats learn to craft their own narrative and STICK with it, they'll always be at a disadvantage.
How many times have you seen Democrats agreeing in principle with what the GOP is saying. I'll never forget Clinton proclaim "the era of big government is over"-which all but legitimized the GOP narrative.

[rumguy]

6. it boggles my mind that Cuomo would say that

I mean, what the hell is wrong with him?

Second, why aren't more dems going on this show?

I have no answers.:shrug:

[NashVegas]

7. Dems Don't Need to Be On TDS - Mostly

Stewart and company do a great job of exposing the RW agenda very well on their own. Almost every Repuke that goes on is shown for the shitbags they are.

Stewart is driven more by issues than partisanship.

[Oddman]

8. I watched the show last night and I thought Cuomo was fantastic. . .

He dismantled bush and ripped him to shreds in a calm an efficient manner. He spoke eloquently about John Kerry, about how it must feel to have gone through Vietnam and how much weight it would carry about any decision to go to war, how under Kerry it WOULD be the last resort . . . I thought Cuomo was brilliant.
I hope very much that we see a lot more of Mr. Cuomo in the upcoming months.