Jon Stewart: Democratic majority kingmaker-- New RW spin

[TexasLawyer]

The GOP's loss just couldn't be due to corruption or Iraq! That's what the actual voters complained about when they were interviewed, but what do they know!?! :crazy::crazy::crazy:

Ahhh, now I understand... Here is the real reason for the erosion of the RW base...


Jon Stewart: Democratic majority kingmaker
By Rusty Shackleford
Friday, November 10, 2006

Forget left of center bloggers, Jon Stewart is this year’s kingmaker. Without him and The Daily Show, the Democrats would not have made such large inroads in the midterm elections.

<snip>

Talk radio played some role in this. Everyone on the right knew it. Newt Gingrich declared Rush Limbaugh the Majority Kingmaker. Congressional Republicans named Rush an honorary member of the House of Representatives.

12 years later Democrats swept to victory by gaining (at this count) at least 29 seats in the House and 6 seats in the Senate that were previously held by Republicans. While that margin is not as large as the gains made by Republicans in 1994 (54 in the House, 8 in the Senate) it is certainly a big win.

But why? A number of reasons, of course. Discontent with the war in Iraq, corruption among Republicans in Congress, an energized Democratic base, and demoralized conservatives all help explain what happened. But one phenomenon has been overlooked. One which I believe was a key if not the key to a Democratic victory. That is the phenomenon of faux news. And Jon Stewart is its banner bearer.

<snip>

http://www.townhall.com/Columnists/RustyShackleford/2006/11/10/jon_stewart_democratic_majority_kingmaker

[ProudToBeBlueInRhody]

1. Who cares?

Stewart, You Tube, Colbert, blogs......all these things had plenty to do with Americans caring enough to get out and vote. I'm glad they made the young people of this country realize that when there are problems, they can do something about it.

The slackers have been awoken. And it scares the shit out of right wingers like Rusty.

[rockymountaindem]

2. Isn't "Rusty Shackleford" Dale Gribble's fake name?

Dale, is that you?

[jpgray]

4. "Yew don't know who I am, but I know where yew live."

:D

[rockymountaindem]

7. Classic. But my favorite Dale moment happened after the MegaLo Mart explosion

Dale was hanging around the ruins talking to the fire investigator about the "arson", and the fire investigator said it was just an accident. Dale said "that's what *they* want you to believe". The investigator said "sir, we *are* they". Dale screamed, dropped his cigarette and ran away!

[jpgray]

10. Dale's one of my favorite all-tim Mike Judge characters

I grew up in ID and MT, so I -know- so many of those King of the Hill people, and I like how he lovingly humanized them even while making fun of them. :D

[jpgray]

3. The GOP lost to basic cable?

:rofl:

Jon Stewart will find this hilarious.

[Dr Fate]

5. I love it- let them spin this all they want! n/t

n/t

[snot]

6. One outlet they don't control -- YET

or at least, haven't exercised control. But don't think they won't try now.

They're willing to kill profitable businesses; look what they've done to newspapers.

[Zynx]

8. Most of those watching The Daily Show are already Democratic.

It's hard to convert the converted.

[Little Wing]

9. Rush Limbaugh was "supposed" to be the balance towards the left-wing media

so if Jon Stewart is now the King-Maker, doesn't that imply that the media is now right-wing?

I don't think the GOP is fully thought this through, not that this surprises me.

[mcctatas]

13. ha

the unbalanced as balance....
as if the wingnuts who get thier news from rush, hannity, billo etc. are any better informed???

[Avalon Sparks]

11. I think it's a bunch of things...

But basically when enough people's pocketbooks start to hurt - as they usually do after the Repubs are in control for awhile... the people vote Democratic.

At least many weren't fooled by the sudden lower gas prices.

When people's pocketbooks don't hurt so much (like during the Clinton years) I guess they can 'afford' to worry about nonsense like gays getting hitched and such....

But definitely a big shout out to Stewart for showing the Repubs for the arses they are and for all the millions of laughs he gave us at Repubs expense.

No doubt he helped show some people the light!

[rocktivity]

12. "A simple reinforcement of empirical reality as seen by Jon Stewart

and his cadre of Ivy League educated writers. Facts are found that conform to this reality, and then jokes are crafted to link the fact to the reality. That is the essence of faux news humor."

Reinforcement? Emprical reality? Linking facts? Faux news humor? You're overthinking this, Mr. Shackleford.

The essence of Stewart and Colbert's humor is actually very simple: all they really do is point out the obvious. When it's obvious that a news outlet is under orders from the White House to say "sectarian violence" when it's clearly a "Mess-O-Potamia," how can it NOT be funny? Or how about Colbert's press club speech when he said that Fox News presents both sides of a story--"the president's side and the vice president's side?"

I saw Jon being interviewed by Peter Jennings, who claimed that many young people used TDS as their primary news source. Jon was doubtful: he said that while TDS might be their primary TELEVISION news source, it couldn't be their ONLY news source because if it were, "they wouldn't get the jokes."

:headbang:
rocknation

[philosophie_en_rose]

14. There is only one Faux News.

:bounce:

And it ain't the Daily Show or the Colbert Report.

[TexasLawyer]

16. yes,

and it's the faux-est of the faux.

[question everything]

15. What he does not grasp is that a large part of the Daily Show

is not so much fake news as exposing the hypocrisy of the Republicans. All Stewart does is taking several news clips and run them side by side.

Just as comparing all the "stay the course" or "Rumsfeld stays" with the most recent press conferences.