The best parts of Tuesday's episode of The Daily Show involved political issues. This is not surprising since political humor – be it dark or light, sharp or abstract – is definitely one of the stronger areas of this show. And with all the recent news stories involving politics, there is plenty to talk about.
So it was that host Jon Stewart reported on the news that Rep. Tom DeLay had announced his resignation. The crowd went crazy with applause.
DeLay said he is leaving to avoid personal attacks from Democrats. "I refuse to allow liberal Democrats an opportunity to steal this seat with a negative personal campaign," DeLay said in a speech. "A negative personal campaign, like referring to Democrats as people who steal," Stewart said.
"DeLay is not the only congressperson in hot water,” Stewart went on. “Georgia Democrat Cynthia McKinney is in trouble after scuffling with a Capitol police officer who tried to stop her at, of all places, a security checkpoint. How dare they!"
The officer said he asked her three times to stop and when she did not, he placed a hand on her, at which point she "allegedly stabbed him with her cell phone,” Stewart said. “Even worse, McKinney has the new cell phone from Motorola: The Shiv!"
McKinney, who is black, is suggesting she was stopped because of racial profiling. "This whole incident was instigated by the inappropriate touching and stopping of me, a female black congresswoman," McKinney said in a news conference. "You know, I hear you," Stewart said. "I, too, believe in judging people not by the color of the skin but by the content of their character and you seem batshit insane."
On a television interview McKinney was asked directly if she hit a police officer. Her response: "Before you bring on my two attorneys, let me just say for the record..." and rambled on. Stewart: "Okay, that is a 'Yes, I hit the dude'."
Stewart then brought on Rob Corddry, the show’s "Senior Political Correspondent." The show hands out titles like Santa hands out presents. Stewart asked Corddry for his analysis. What happened with McKinney?
“Racial profiling, Jon. This is a black woman, who was black, she was a woman and, as a woman, she is saying to the world, ‘look at me! I’m a black woman!'”
Stewart: "What about Tom DeLay?" Corddry: “Racial profiling, Jon. Oh wait, I messed that up. Ask me that again.”
Stewart: “Tom DeLay?”
Corddry: “Politics of personal destruction, Jon. A bunch of liberal Democrats so obsessed they drag a man’s reputation through the mud just because he spent his entire career trying to destroy them. All the Democrats have to offer are personal attacks. And you know why, Jon? Because they are drunks. They are cheats. They gamble. I heard one of them, a congresswoman from Georgia, punched a cop."
Article comments
1 - JELIEL³
Oh yeah that was a great show last night. McCain really held his own on the show and even stumped Stewart.
I youtubed the video on my blog if anyone wants to check it out
I don't if it's Stewart or the current events but TDS is on fire these days.
2 - JP
McCain isn't impressing me with his Falwell pandering, it's like he's got too much of a radical reputation so he has to prove he's conservative enough. Pro-Falwell is too conservative for me.
3 - JELIEL³
Indeed. I was just talking performance wise. He wasn't a boring stiff like most politicians who show up on TDS. I found him pretty funny.
4 - Scott Butki
McCain seems to have a good sense of humor and doesn't take himself too seriously.
Thats; two important things that I like about him.
The pandering sucks but I'm impressed both with how Stewart covered it and how McCain didn't try to bs or hide from it.
5 - JELIEL³
Agreed. But how, had he tried, could he not look like a bullshiter after the hard questions he was being asked. Stewart is extremely smart and quick, it's no wonder he killed Crossfire in under 5 minutes.
6 - Scott Butki
The show is all repeats this week so I'm not planning on writing another Daily Show review until next weeked when I'll start writing weekly, instead of daily, show reviews.