LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.Best Political Blog Winner, 2007 Webby Awards, People's Voice and Jury.   Exclusive Truthdig Merchandise - Gore Vidal signed first editions - Signed Mr. Fish prints
 
July 5, 2008
Log in / Register

 Choose a size
Text Size

Reports
On Black Patriotism
Obama’s Leap of Faith
Happy Oil Dependence Day

Arts & Culture

Digs
Inside the Data Mine

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Truthdig Bazaar
Caspian Rain

Caspian Rain

By Gina B. Nahai
$25.00

I Don’t Believe in Atheists

I Don’t Believe in Atheists

By Chris Hedges
$16.50

more items

 
A/V Booth

Stewart Dismantles Kristol

Email this item Email    Print this item Print   
Posted on Dec 20, 2006
Kristol and Stewart
Crooks and Liars

Weekly Standard Editor Bill Kristol stopped by “The Daily Show” for a friendly chat about all of Bush’s wonderful achievements in Iraq and the war on terror. Whoops!  Stewart took Kristol apart, swatting down one exhausted talking point after another as it flew across the desk.

  • Watch it
  • Email Newsletter

    Get truth delivered to your inbox every week.

    Previous item: A Guide to Net Neutrality

    Next item: Dan Rather Hurt O'Reilly's Feelings

    Jump to Comments

    Advertisement


    Elsewhere: .

    Comments

    Are you a Truthdig member yet? Login now, or register with Truthdig.

    By Leige Watts, January 3, 2007 at 3:35 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Jon Stewart may be the “Edward R. Murrow” of 2007; he should finish his show with “Good Night and Good Luck”.  It’s a sad day when we have to go to Comedy Central to see the news and commentaries that the mainstream media will not broadcast.

    Report this

    By Skruff, December 26, 2006 at 7:17 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Comment #43711 by Bill on 12/25 at 3:03 pm says:

    “John Stewart is a prime example - this is neither effective satire nor probing journalism but weak ‘entertainment’.”

    I would like to point to the fact that Jon Stewart appears (in the US) on the Commedy Channel, and there was a big news story about four years ago about network news being placed under the domaain of “entertainment” rather than a seperate entity as it had been before.

    BUT ultimately we agree there is no real “NEWS” delivered from one outlet, I usually get news from here (internet) BBC, AlJezeera, and a scan of my favorite blogs gets me about half the information I once obtained from the Boston Globe (Now a NYT affiliate and somewhat useless.)

    Report this

    By Bill, December 25, 2006 at 3:03 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    You guys need Jeremy Paxman or Jon Snow from the UK for some incisive and probing questioning.  They generally approach subjects briefed, with tenacity and without fear.  Right now the US is in need of some fearless journalism to expose the dreadful misjudgements perpetrated on the country’s behalf.  Your media has let you down horribly and John Stewart is a prime example - this is neither effective satire nor probing journalism but weak ‘entertainment’.

    Bill Clinton was impeached for lying about a common human frailty which killed no one.  The current guy and his cohorts are responsible for the deaths of hundreds of thousands of innocent victims and they are still smiling. Your media has not pursued them in the same way that Clinton was pursued.  Shame!!

    Report this

    By Louise, December 23, 2006 at 10:59 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    “Kristol is totally good-natured on fielding Stewart’s ribbing.” (Bob)

    Kristol handles all interviews that way.
    Question:
    Is there a “smile fixed firmly on face as if implanted” clinic the Neo’s go to? Is that required surgery if you want to rule the world?

    “Why is anyone trying to put him together again?” (Mark)

    Why do all the kings horses arsess keep trying to put the king back together again ... again?

    “Kristol was at least as critical of the Bush administration’s handling of the war as Stewart was.” (Lil Mamzer)

    Uh-yep ... talk about ingratitude!
    Think the ‘Cons are a we bit peeved the administrations messed up their lovely Cake-Walk?

    “People who think this is any better then a dick and fart show classed up is just fooling themselves.” (busta)

    Call me a fool. Or maybe the folks who actually switched their votes because of the “dick and fart” news. The points get across.

    “Your average American audience can’t relate to anything that doesn’t make them laugh” (Jackie T. Gabel)

    Note to Stewart:
    Can you figure out a way to make living without our Constitution funny, so folks can begin to understand what that means?

    Report this

    By Skruff, December 23, 2006 at 2:05 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Watching TV news (including stewart) is akin to watching professional wrestling.  You know it’s fake, but....
    ...you still yell;

    ‘Hit ‘em with the chair!”

    You mean someone still takes this shit seriously???

    Report this

    By Tom, December 23, 2006 at 5:05 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Why don’t real news reporters ask real questions and not let our “elected and appointed” officials get away with out and out distortions of the facts?  Finally, we can see some one (John Stewart) provide the media with an excellent example of how to be a force for justice and truth and the “American Way” rather like Ed Murrow!

    Report this

    By robert puglia, December 23, 2006 at 12:56 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    shame on almost all of the commentors. this is not about how someone comes off on television. this is about death and mayhem, about bloody hegemony and conflagration.  if himmler, eichmann or milosevic appeared on tv would they be reviewed for entertainment quotient or for the practical damage they inflict upon the world? this is no more about schtick or spiel than it is about makeup or wardrobe. this is about flawed policy and flawed policy makers. this is about gothic overreaching, about ego and worse. only the supremely delusional can be as reliably unruffled as this kristol person. save me from such confidence as this fool exhibits.

    Report this

    By mark, December 22, 2006 at 4:23 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    History has dismantled Kristol year after year. Why is anyone trying to put him together again?

    Report this

    By Ian, December 22, 2006 at 1:40 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Why do so many people miss the clever, biting commentary that is just below the surface of Jon Stewart’s interviews??  Few commentators on the 24 hour networks frame situations in the way Jon Stewart does: based on facts, reality, and common sense, and not on plausible deniability and spin. Just because someone is making an argument does not make it a valid argument.  When the “Political Expert” responds to the “Fake News Anchor” with “I never thought of it that way”, the term “Expert” becomes relative.

    Report this

    By Jonnan, December 22, 2006 at 6:57 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Oh, I saw it. I think Bill Kristol handled it well (And, after all, he’s not going to stalk off in a huff.), but Jon Stewart pretty much politely took his talking points and beat him over the head with them.

    Report this

    By mark, December 21, 2006 at 8:10 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Kristol hasn’t been right on anything for years. Did Stewart bring him on as a carnival freak?

    Report this

    By busta, December 21, 2006 at 7:09 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Stewert’s the most over-rated interviewer working today; just ask ken melman and ed gillspile.  He hides behind the “fake news” angle, all the while blasts the folks like crossfire for not being hard enough.  People who think this is any better then a dick and fart show classed up is just fooling themselves.

    Report this

    By Jackie T. Gabel, December 21, 2006 at 5:25 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    It’s show business, plain and simple. You expect Stewart to ask Kristol just how exactly has the neocon Straussian-Nietzchien-based imperialistic world view failed them? Of course not, where’s the punch line?

    Your average American audience can’t relate to anything that doesn’t make them laugh, scare them out of their wits, slip one a hip/cool in-the-know feeling or offer a prurient sneek-peek at some celebs dirty laundry.

    Face it, it’s the most philistine nation of all time.

    Report this

    By Lil Mamzer, December 21, 2006 at 3:33 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Kristol was at least as critical of the Bush administration’s handling of the war as Stewart was. Kristol was hardly ‘dismantled’; hell, he wasn’t even challenged. Kristol did well and Stewart’s buffoonery was typical TV schtick.

    Report this

    By BoDo, December 21, 2006 at 4:57 am #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    Just a question: why do these conservative bozos keep appearing on the Daily Show when they know they’re going to be shot down in flames?  Are they really that hungry for media exposure?  Yeesh!

    Report this

    By Bob, December 20, 2006 at 8:45 pm #
    (Unregistered commenter)

    “dismantles?” Come on; Stewart & Kristol are obviously friends, and Kristol is totally good-natured on fielding Stewart’s ribbing.

    Report this

    Add Your Comment

    Posts by unregistered readers are moderated. Posts by members
    are published immediately. Why wait? Register today!






    Notify you when others comment on this article?


    Are you a human?
    Retype the word you see here.


    Please read and abide by our comment policy.
    By submitting this comment, you agree to this site's terms and conditions.

    Newsletter

    Get Truthdig in your inbox

    Privacy Policy

     
    Click here to advertise with Truthdig
     

     
    Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
    Copyright © 2008 Truthdig, L.L.C. All rights reserved.