Rick Santorum on the Daily Show (7/25)

Cafe Society
#1

I was disappointed in Jon Stewart tonight. I thought he really took it easy on Santorum and didn’t really call him on his bullshit. It was like he tried to reason with him a little bit on gay rights and but just gave up when Santorum kept chanting the same drivel about the “family.”

It seemed like Stewart was so surprised that Santorum was on the show that he was trying extra hard to be fair. I also got the feeling that Stewart just decided it was a waste of time to try to reason with him at all.

There were no real zingers or any of the tough rejoinders that Stewart has become known for. I was really hoping for more. Rick “Frothy Mixture” Santorum is one of the most vile scumbags in congress and he got off light.

#2

I am sure that Santorum wouldn’t have been on the show at all unless Stewart agreed to not go completely attack dog on him.

Who would want to go on a show just to be slaughtered?

#3

Beat out by 30 seconds. I never start threads like this and now I said I would…no fair!!!

I don’t know. In a way I appreciate how much he’s trying to be reasonable and actually have some kind of communication, as opposed tothe way most of the media goes. Sad that a comedy show is the only place I see an interviewer acting like he cares what his subject is saying or that it might have meaning beyond the time slot.

Sad also that his pretty thoughtful replies came off as weak next to Santorum’s sound bites.

Still, I think he could have done better.

#4

I did not see it, we don’t get it here.

First off, why did Sen Santorum go on the show? I presume he presumed he would be savaged. I suppose we have to give him credit for going into the lion’s den.

Next, why did Mr S take it easy on him? I guess he is trying to get more high-powered guests. If he slammed Santorum this time, he would never get Chaney (or whoever) on the show.

A shame really.

#5

He was pimping a book.

#6

JS did have one great line. “I’ll give you 5 to 1 odds your book outsells Benett’s” And Santorum was totally wooshed by it.

#7

Jon was probably thinking about the show’s credibility. He’s already an open Democrat and most of the show’s attacks are on Republicans. If he gets Santorum on and just savages him - and I would have loved watching that - it probably hurts the show as a ‘non-partisan, makes fun of all comers’ institution. It’s the same impulse that makes Jon stop the crowd from booing. :wink:

#8

If you want to get good and plowed, watch the videotape and take a shot whenever Santorum says “virtue”.

I definitely got the feeling that Stewart felt Santorum was dummer than a bag of hair, and that there were a lot of groundrules established with Santorum’s keepers beforehand. Santorum’s senate race for next year is going to be an iron cage number- he’s not even sure of his own party’s nomination- and there’s no way he could risk being made a total fool of by Stewart, so there had to have been some “holds barred” in the agreement.

Considering how much he hacked and slashed Bernie Goldberg (who has no power to speak of) I was disappointed to, but not surprised at this one. Perhaps he’ll at least tear him a new one when Santorum makes another dumbass comment (which should be in 7…6…5…4…3…).

#9

I think part of the problem is that there just wasn’t enough time for them to really get into things. When you’re being civil, it takes a longer amount of time to get into the arguments, and they weren’t able to get at the root issues.

Still, Jon should have pointed out the basic flaws in Santorum’s logic, like the circular arguments: Marriage should be between a man and a woman because that’s how it’s been because that’s how it should be.

#10

I guess I must have been wooshed by it too, to the point that I didn’t even know there was a wooshing.

#11

ARGH, I MISSED it-it will be repeated, right?

#12

In half an hour, and about three times tomorrow.

#13

Santorum had the poor sense to reference Bill Bennett when describing other good books on the decline of values in modern times. Bennett is a conservative politician who was involved in a scandal two years back when it was discovered he had gambled away as much as $8 million in Vegas.

I couldn’t believe Ricky had the nerve to mention him, and was pleased John called him on it.

#14

I loved that!

#15

:smack: I totally forgot about that. So, whooshed also. Good one, Jon.

But there you have it. Perhaps he’s just too subtle.

#16

At least they both like ice cream…

#17

Haven’t seen the show (Cable? Whuzzat?), but would it be too much of a stretch to suggest that Santorum made an ass of himself just by being himself?

#18

No, it wouldn’t be a stretch at all.

#19

I think that ship sailed long ago. If Jon leans anymore left, he’ll fall over. He’s one toenail away from becoming a caricature of himself.

#20

I haven’t seen it yet, but for the sound of it, I’m not surprised.

Really, you can count the number of times Jon’s pulled out the stops with guests on two hands. One hand, if you don’t count Jennifer Love Hewitt and Posh Spice. Even then, I don’t think he planned things to go that way. The guest just pissed him off, or repeated the most facile and easily disporved canards. I’ve noticed that he’s unflinchingly polite to higher-ranking GOPers. He has to be, or else the conservatives will stop coming and the show will truly turn into the liberal echo chamber its critics already claim it is. Furthermore, god forbid it turn into O’Reilly or Crossfire were “debates” are played out by shills for either side yelling at one another. Keep it civil.

I think Jon’s finding out just how hard it is to balance integrity with practical concerns over access and audience. I just wish that he was a funnier interviewer whenever he chooses not to let the dogs out.