Jon Stewart Presses Mitch Daniels to Admit the GOP Uses Intemperate ‘Socialist’ and ‘Confiscation’ Lingo
On The Daily Show Wednesday night, Jon Stewart interviewed Mitch Daniels and there were no laughs. Stewart put on his serious face, stroked his chin, and tried to get Daniels to admit that the Republicans were unfairly defending wealthy people and making no sense. Stewart played dumb: “It seems like the Republicans are doing everything they can to protect the wealthiest people in this country, through policy and through rhetoric. And I guess I'm just not understanding why. And I'm having a problem. This decade has not been a bad decade for the wealthiest of Americans, and if they are the job creators, why are they not creating?” The obligatory cheering and applause came from Stewart’s liberal audience. Daniels tried to play it down the middle: “Well, Jon, you've got the wrong guest if that's your question because I've been telling my fellow citizens for – This is the only elected job I ever intend to be in. It is not our business to see the people of great means make more money. It is our business to see the people without much money have chance to make more. That's what's bothering me.” Stewart shot back: “So you're a socialist?” Daniels threw a little harder: “No. Socialism is a very effective mechanism for spreading misery. That's exactly why I'm not.” Stewart replied: “Do you think socialism – In your mind, is the rhetoric you're hearing from your party misguided?” Daniels said “I think it can stand some improvement. That's the biggest point of this book.” Daniels wants a “language of unity” in the budget debate, as if Bush’s and Obama’s campaign pledges to heal the breach ever came true. Then it was Jon Stewart, the one who called Robert Novak a “vampire demon” and aired a gospel choir singing “Go f— yourself,”
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on September 22, 2011. Filed under