Mr. Salty

Your first mistake is thinking either one of these shows is a news program. O'Reilly is a commentator, not a news reporter, and Stewart is a comedian/satirist.

Jay G.

What's funny, with this talk of bias, is that the group that gets bashed the hardest and most consistently on the Daily Show is not the Left nor the Right, but the media. I mean, just this week, with the "Harry Potter Terror: Could it happen here?" segment and coverage of the hurricane, the press got savaged on the show.

dhmac

The show ridicules the ridiculous - be that politicians, celebrities, political events, strange news stories, or the overdramatized way the media presents stories. Whatever is ridiculous makes for good comedy material.

And I really don't understand why Conservatives always label Jon Stewart as a Liberal. It's like making the equation "Making Fun of Bush = Liberal" when these are not the same things. Maybe because the word "Liberal" is a dirty word in Conservative circles, the Conservatives label him this "slanderous" way (in their view) because they are upset over how well he makes fun of the Bush Administration.

(BTW, Stewart a few months ago - or last year? - had a Conservative writer as a guest and the guy called Stewart a Liberal. Jon Stewart then got this surprised look on his face and said "I didn't know I was a Liberal." While someone could claim he was being facetious, I personally think Jon Stewart was genuinely surprised by the label because he isn't a Liberal!)


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(P.S. I'm sure I've been labeled as a Liberal by some people for just what I've posted in this thread - but I'm not. Because being critical of the Bush Administration does not equal being a Liberal! I'm actually a Moderate, a view that crosses party lines, which also is why I don't equate "Republican = Conservative" and "Democrat = Liberal" because neither is actually 100% true.)

the action

I'm not saying Jon Stewart and the Daily Show is as biased as Rush or Al Franken. But the show has definitly taken a couple steps to the left in the last couple of years. He is good at making his guests feeling comfortable, whether republican or democrat. There is nothing wrong with some Bush bashing, but the guy seems to have fuming hate for his adminstation. I was only stating that I wished the show was pulled into the middle more. I actually like the show, and hopefully he'll get Letterman's gig when he retires.

Groucho

I could be wrong, but I don't recall Stewart ever berating his guests or telling them to "Shut up."

Jason

Well, when the republicans control all three branches of the government, a majority of state legislatures and governors offices, and have the #1 cable news network, they're going to be the target of "fuming hate" a lot more often that the irrelevent, practically extinct, out of touch liberal elite.

Jadzia

I think we have seen what happens when a comedian has a show that refuses to make fun of the current administration. Dennis Miller's show was boring and rightfully cancelled.

Matthew Chmiel

"It's French, bitch."

"Liberal? Conservative? All that matters is that you're wrong. "

"If the voters have any balls! Well, do ya, voters? Do you have any balls? Because I do! Let me show you!"

lucasorion

sometimes being in the middle is not realistic, even though it sounds good (especially to someone who respects the Buddhist "middle path" philosophy, like me)

Jay G.

Being Moderate doesn't necessarily mean being in the middle. All it really means is that your views don't line up 100% with either party's views. For example, you could be extremely pro-life and extremely anti-death penalty and be considered Moderate.

The problem with being Moderate is that neither party really believes in it. Their view is very binary: you're either with them or against them. Thus Jon getting labeled Liberal because he dares to poke fun of the Bush Administration.

Bill Needle

While the show is somewhat moderate and mostly equal annoyer (though they do tend to pick on those at the top, primarily Republicans now), Stewart is openly liberal and a partisan Democrat when he is "not on" in his appearances and interviews outside the show.

Draven

And if the Democrats take over, it'll move back to the "right."

You obviously didn't see the kind of treatment Clinton got from the show. And this was before it was "cool" to watch The Daily Show.

The fact is, the Repubs are in charge so they get the brunt of the abuse. They mocked plenty of Democrats during the election. But what I find hilarious is that not only are they in charge, but the rest of us are supposed to be happy about it.

Keep up the good work Jon.

MrX

He tore Kerry apart during several radio interviews before the election last year.

Bill Needle

So did a bunch of other big name Democrats

I thought Stewarts personal political beliefs were common knowledge. I guess count me surprised if they're not.

Jay G.

It's not so much that people don't know Stewart's political beliefs, but that he doesn't feel that they fall into a straight left, liberal, Democrat viewpoint.

From http://msnbc.msn.com/id/6214140/site/newsweek/

Groucho

Under this defininition, just about everybody is a "Moderate."

Jay G.

You're right, just about everyone is.

dhmac

I think a person's views can not 100% line up with the party line and still be a Liberal or a Conservative. But being a Moderate is both that and shunning extremist views from either the left or the right.

Bill Needle

Or having no personal convictions whatsoever. A complete muddle of thought. Also, someone just saying they are a moderate means nothing. It's what they do that counts.

lucasorion

when I hear people talk about how they are moderate, above the fray, it makes me grateful that there are still people who are passionate enough (and perhaps naive enough) to think that positive change can still be propelled forward - that we don't have to find some 'solution' that leaves everyone unhappy all the time.

slop101

Hey how about that Daily Show, huh? He had Woodward & Bernstein on last night - though they didn't really say much. And tonight he has Billy Bob Thorton, so it looks like he's still doing the Hollywood celebrity interviews - I thought they ditched those since they've had the new set, they've only interviewed journalists, authors and politicians.

I'm still itching to see that Ed Helms report they advertised last week, but kept bumping becuaue an interview ran long.

dick_grayson

I thought the Woodword and Bernstein interview was excellent. and the Bye-Bye Birdie spoof about the Rove and admin. phone call exchance was hilarious.

dhmac

I think people with no political orientation should be considered Independents, not Moderates.

Because Moderate politicians do exist in both the Republican and Democratic Parties, so being a Moderate is a recognized political view by both major Parties.

And although the current Republicans are either Conservatives or Moderates, while the current Democrats are mostly either Liberals or Moderates - there used to be a Liberal wing in the Republican Party and there are still some Conservatives in the Democratic Party.

dick_grayson

I find it hard to believe that someone who is well informed on the issues could be dead-center in the middle or independant. Surely, not ever democrat or republican or whatver agrees with 100% of their party (or even 75% at times), so I think independant or moderate is kind of pointless. How about fair and/or non-judgmental? With the extreme rights and lefts steering the parties these days, being in the middle doesn't really make any sense. It's not a black and white or just straight gray situation. There's room for much more variation.