Today we have a Jon Stewart double header!
When I started watching this video, I was worried that it was another example of where liberals bemoan it when Democratic politicians won’t play hardball like the Republicans do, but then attack those same Democratic politicians when they do play hardball.
But then Jon Stewart pulls it off brilliantly at the very end.
I’m curious what other people think. Did Harry Reid step over the line with this one? Or is it about time someone threw back at the Republicans the kind of crap they have been dishing out for a long time (e.g., birth certificate, death panels, swift boating, ad nauseum).
I also note that Romney’s responses seem to be very carefully phrased. Reid was talking about Romney paying federal income taxes, but Romney responded that he has always paid taxes. Well, yes, if you live in most states, you pay sales taxes, property taxes, etc. Has Romney said whether he always paid federal income taxes?
11 Comments
Dead Dad shaming aside, it is telling that Jon Stewart makes such a big deal of any chance he has to slam a democrat. Then he can say he is non-partisan. It all adds into our binding-centralist position that both sides are equally evil. Another example of the desperate need of all the media to force false equivalencies upon us no matter what the truth may be.
Politically it was brilliant. Puts Romney in a no-win situation and keeps the questions on today’s news cycle. But it lessens the level of discourse and makes both sides look equally hopeless.
Intellectually I hate it and I wish that Harry would shut up.
But one thing that the right understands it that the goal of politics is to win elections, not make good arguments (or actually govern). Harry’s comments help win elections. I’d hate it if the left became a bunch of birther/kenyan/teabaggin/gayhatin moe-rons, but I would hate it more if they lose the next election.
I think Harry’s comments were just right.
I think Harry was being a little foolhardy; everyone bemoans the Republican party for making a big stink of Obama’s birth certificate, and then Reid steps into their arena demanding to see the tax returns.
I think he’s on the right track in his inquiries, but his methodology is a little bothersome. But it’s also nice to see the Democratic party grow some balls.
I came here just to say, what if Harry Reid is telling the simple truth?
But I’d also like to say “Huzzah!” to I L-08’s comment. Or, in more modern terms, “Like”. A lot!
P.S. This is the same Jon Stewart who, with complete sincerity, said that Keith Olbermann (Mister Fact-Check) was the precise equivalent of Glenn (Divinely Inspired) Beck when giving his heartfelt address at his rally on the Mall.
Both sides are not equally evil. But there are more than two sides, and both liveral and conservative extremes are equally fanatical, blind, and committed to propaganda over facts.
There are more conservative extremists, and the results of getting their agenda would be more detrimental to more people, so they get my vote for “most evil” and liberal extremists are “less evil.” Of course saying that about liberal extremeists is the equivalent of saying that “Dry concrete mix is the best construction material to use as a dessert topping” – it’s true, but you still don’t want it.
Arthanyel: I think the difference between the conservative extremists and the liberal extremists is that the former are embraced by their moderate brethren while the latter are dismissed by theirs.
I agree with IL-8 entire post. If it forces the media to maintain attention on Romney’s tax returns then Reid’s approach is smart. Even better would be if the Obama campaign simply releases his college transcripts. That would really force Romney;’s hand.
Do the ends justify the means? Given that Romney really should release his tax returns (even Republicans say so) does that justify using methods like this to force the issue.
I lean toward saying yes. Or at least I’ll say that it is better than the goals the conservatives are trying to promote.
IK – I agree with you that this is better than the conservative BS, although I disagree that ends justify means. That said, there is a big difference between exaggerating for effect or using a little hyperbole in extrapolating someone’s position, and flat-out lying. Conservatives are just too quick to flat-out lie, and they up the volume when it’s pointed out instead of issuing a retraction. And that’s just wrong.
If Reid is making this up as a way to keep the pressure on Romney to release his returns, than Reid is as evil, political, and propaganda based as the conservatives. On the other hand, if he actually does have a theoretically credible source (which an actual Bain investor would be), that source is stating from personal knowledge that Romney paid no Federal Income tax (which is also possible), and all he is doing is communicating it, then he is just doing his job as the opposition.
How hypocritical is it for Republicans to claim that Reid’s a “dirty liar” for not disclosing the name of a credible source, and in the next breath scream that Obama is a card carrying Communist and is trying to make himself the King of America? Answer – TOTALLY.
I have mixed feelings about this sort of hardball. But democrats have been putting up with this crap for many years–and they haven’t fought back. Well, maybe it’s time to fight back. If the Republicans have to face this sort of thing, then perhaps they may be reluctant to use these tactics in the future.
Let’s face it, Tea Partiers have engaged starting in 2009 in the most crude, rude, and ignorant attacks on Democrats and liberals in my memory in blogs such as the Washington Post blogs where I have posted for well over ten years. Time to fight back. It may be “nice to be nice to the nice”, but it is also wise to be nasty to the nasty since that is what they understand.
Reid and McCain are good friends. McCain has been marginalized by his party since 2009; he wants his ‘maverick’ crown back, and he wants a role in the invasion of Iran — he’s wanted Iran for a very long time. Quite the carrot. And of course, Reid will never have to prove who was on the other end of the phone, and there’s no chance of anyone else doing so.