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Jon Stewart Opens Can of Whoop Ass on CNN

By Larry Johnson on October 15, 2009 at 10:10 AM in Current Affairs

(Bumped up from Monday)

I am an equal opportunity critic of the media. I have appeared on all the major cable news networks and most of their programs over the years. I am one of the featured interviewees in Robert Greenwald’s, Outfoxed. Too bad Robert won’t do a similar piece of work on CNN and MSNBC for starters. Here’s the bottomline–genuine journalism has vanished from the airwaves. We are left with partisan mouthpieces who carefully pick and choose the issues they cover and the battles they want to fight.

At least Jon Stewart, who makes no pretense about being a serious journalist, is unafraid to throw much deserved punches:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c
CNN Leaves It There
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show
Full Episodes		 Political Humor Ron Paul Interview

Is there anyone out there willing to do an across the board expose of how all of the media have abandoned the mission of speaking truth to power? Ferris? Bueller?

  • Seriously Sick of Obama

    The truth is I don’t even watch the news anymore! I don’t trust a damn word out of their MOUTHS!! I go to blogs and youtube..ironic..I know, right..and listen to the regular man with a voice to fill in the gaps of the MIA-MEDIA!!! Jon Stewart and lets not laugh here, the NATIONAL ENQUIRER are the most accurate news sources out there, other than youtube with actual people who attend the non existence tea parties, LOL!

    • socalannie

      Ditto, to everything you said…including your screen name.

      • getfitnow

        I “third” that emotion!

  • yttik

    Isn’t the media awful? The only way to get real news is thru The Onion and Comedy Central.

  • samb

    http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/obamaswar/

    I seen a small portion of this on FOX last night ,” I said to my spouse look real reporting remember that. ”

    PBS- OBAMAS WAR

    • Hank

      Wow this is going to be on PBS tonight.
      Thanks, SAMB

  • Sassy

    Newspapers have joined the cable stations in producing what sells, and that is not in-depth coverage.
    If it is all about ratings, then the real culprits are the viewers who settle for so little!
    We have an administration that was born from the uninquisitive American public!

  • Touchet

    Goat as in sheep? hmmm.

    • tf

      …and sheep, as in “sheeple”?

      there may be some truth to this after all!

  • Katmoon

    When is the last time CNN ran a story on goats?

  • Hank

    Great Post and so true about CNN, “Well I gotta leave there”. LOL!

  • Peggy Sue

    This was priceless. And good for Stewart that he’s willing to jab CNN or any other so-called “news” outlet for the wretched job they’ve done and are doing in terms of providing real info, fact checking [beyond comedy skits] and “leaving it there.”

    Though Stewart is reasonable enough to “not” consider himself a serious journalist, it’s withering to hear that too many people [particularly the young] view his show as a “news” outlet.

    That in itself is an indictment of where “journalism” is these days–black hole, propaganda, partisan mouthpieces. Call it what you will. The Fourth Estate is dead and we will all bear the unfortunate consequences.

    Btw, it’s been an age since I tuned in CNN. The goat comment is obscene. But really funny. The effects of not having a news outlet most of us trust? Anything but funny.

    • Ferd Berfle

      The goat comment is obscene. But really funny.

      They did get CNN’s goat, as it were.

    • socalannie

      Remember when Jon Stewart went on cnn’s crossfire show a few years ago? He blasted all of them and the show died off not long afterwards. He told them they were “hurting America”!

      • http://www.madinthemiddle.blogspot.com churl

        And Stewart called Tucker Carlson a dick to his face…

        • socalannie

          God, that was funny!

  • Eastan

    Is there anyone out there willing to do an across the board expose of how all of the media have abandoned the mission of speaking truth to power?

    Yes. But what network would run it. Fox does not get military recruitment ads. Axelrod is pulling his Chicago style “work with me or I cut off your money” plan and it is working.

    Sigh.

  • rosa

    About time someone in the media had some honesty ,can’t wait for the MSNBC turn! there isn’t real journalism any more on TV,and thats what many depend on for news and they think CNN and MSNBC are telling the truth ! Mad dog olberman is the worst,and spiting snake matthews,what happened? It is like they belong to a cult!! Wait, they have been,since the dem.party overthrew what we thought they stood for, a party that was more for the people and more open .HUH!!!

  • trixta

    CNN — i.e. the Cult News Network. The MSM’s new motto is “Long live the One!”

  • tf

    …so …funny!!

    i know he’s not a real journalist (and he admits it), but at this point im pulling for anyone with a major following to speak a little truth – or at the very least, to pull down the facade that has been erected around us.

    and speaking of “truth” & “media” (like oil & water) here’s a nice clip of Steve Wynn & Gov. Jennifer Granholm:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7cW9ujow5E&feature=player_embedded

    • jwrjr

      It seems that even if Stewart is not a “real journalist” he does more “real journalism” than anybody on the MSM channels.

  • Obamastolemycountry

    I used to watch Stewart and CNN religiously. Seriously CNN was on 95% of the time the tv was on at my house and that was alot. I watch neither one now. I appreciate seeing these funny clips from stewart. There have been several great ones since the one was inaugurated, but I still can’t watch because he will insult people like Palin and glenn Beck to the point that it is just not funny. I do not mind people making fun of them on a comedic, harmless level, but when Stewart mentions either of them, his extreme hatred shows right though.

    As for CNN, wouldn’t it have been nice if they’d have wanted to fact check SNL when it came to Palin, before the election??? I don’t know, like maybe to fact check if Sarah Palin ever said “I can see Russia from my house!”, but no, no, no. They had to just play up lies as facts and now they want to play up facts as lies. Oh, CNN, what a crazy bunch of kooks! I hate to break it to ya, CNN, but President Jack Squat was truth, not satire. Ohhhhhh, poor little CNN must have gotten the goat flu or something. Goat love at CNN. Isn’t that special?? No brain cells left over there. It’s a pity what Obama has brings.

  • elaine

    I saw an interview of Ted Turner a couple of months ago & when asked, “what is your greatest regret?” he instantly responded, “Selling CNN.” Think what you think of Ted but when he was running the show there really was 24 hour international news with live crews on the ground not a couple of talking heads trying to insult one another or team up to run blatant progressive propaganda or the ever present coverage of blood & drip nonsense more fitting of local news channels.

    • getfitnow

      Yep, that’s when CNN was the flagship for reporting. I saw Mr. Turner in an interview years ago–he said the same thing then.

      O/T- By the way, he is more deserving of the Nobel than BO.

  • Sassy

    The AP reported that the USS New York, a battleship built from the steel from the Trade Towers, left Avondale, Louisiana yesterday.
    It will be commissioned in New York in November.
    Hundreds of people lined the river bank, in heavy fog, to catch a glimpse of the ship!
    I thank the media for that story! Sometimes they get something right!

  • DAB

    David Gergen was participating in a panel discussion after Obama’s surprise Nobel win. Initially he mildly praised the choice but as the conversation continued, his true and less flattering opinion began to emerge. It was at that point that the moderator actually cut him off in mid-sentence with CNN’s signature, “We’ll have to leave it there”.

    Stewart has been quite effective in skewering the vapid news media in the past and I sincerely hope that CNN wakes up and begins to understand how far they have fallen.

    • trixta

      When you’ve lost Obot Gergen, you know you’re in trouble.

  • Ladydawnelle

    Pardon me but you call that Whoop Ass? LMAO hardly!

    I saw it live and Stewart BARELY mentioned them compared to MSNBO – why didn’t he make a bigger deal about that whole network being DRUNK on BAMBI JUICE?

    Stewart is failing badly at acting like he’s an Independent.

    • Ladydawnelle

      also what’s the problem with Stewart lying by comparing the TEA PaRty protests to the Gay pride march?

      we’re talking a difference in numbers in the 100K range! My AUNT was at the tea party in DC (almost a million) yet the media refused to accurately count. Then JON decides equate the two as if………….. liars HUGE liars!

  • denisel

    Gallop says Hillary now more popular than Obama . On a link from Drudge http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/opinion/blogs/beltway-confidential/Poll-Obama-personal-popularity-at-new-low-64348707.html “Gallup points out that in this latest survey, Hillary Clinton is now more popular than Obama. Sixty-two percent say they have a favorable impression of the Secretary of State, versus 34 percent who have an unfavorable impression.” I bet Obama like that….

    • Ladydawnelle

      lol I just saw this at facebook and I’ll say the same thing

      EVERYONE is more popular than Obambi!

  • http://N/A breeze
    • CentralMass

      Well f’em they did to themselves.

  • http://www.BullShit.com Osellingbullshit

    http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/politics/Disillusioned-liberals-yearn-for-Hillary-Clinton-64236872.html
    Disillusioned liberals yearn for Hillary Clinton
    By: Chris Stirewalt
    Political Editor
    October 15, 2009

    LOL> LOL>…

    Ohhhhhhhhhhhh! How I love to remain the Kool-Aid drinkers that I told you so. But it’s pains me to death that Dems wasted the best opportunity that America will ever have with this fraud. My plan for the next election is to vote out of office ALL Obamacrates.

    • trixta

      Absolutely. Obamacrats, as you say, will NOT get votes out of me and my husband. Yes we can (!) — vote them out of office, that is. Now that’s change they can certainly believe in!

  • susan h

    I am absolutely changing the subject, but attached is a link to an article from 2004, right as he was about to enter the Senate in Illinois, when Obama was not yet hiding the fact that he was born in Kenya. I guess the plan had not yet been hatched to con the American voters, break all the rules of the DNC and violate our constitution in order to get a foreign-born democrat into the White House.

    http://web.archive.org/web/20040627142700/eastandard.net/headlines/news26060403.htm

    • Docelder

      Good find. During the Google 10th year cache, there was a lot of things found. They all started disappearing as soon as they were found though. Take a screen shot this page, if you want to save it.

    • Portia Elizabeth

      Wow! I don’t know how you found this, but it sure makes me question just who and what That One is. How is it he didn’t raise a stink at the time if it wasn’t true?

      I’m emailing it to friends now.

  • Docelder

    This is also off topic, and I am expecting a ful article to come… but Hillary is officially more popular than Barack. Bots everywhere must be devastated… living vicariously through polls of their leader as they do.

    http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/10/15/2009-10-15_hillary_clinton_is_finally_more_popular_than_barack_obama_new_gallup_poll_shows.html

    • http://www.BullShit.com Osellingbullshit

      Ditto: Brooks was right… that the Nobel Prize was going to hurt Obama… and it will become the curse of his presidency.

      Americans don’t like and don’t want people to get rewards that they didn’t earn or worked hard to deserve. Obama as far as I’m concern deserve shit!

  • Sassy

    I saw Hillary’s poll number this morning as well!
    Now, I would love to see her leave this “dumbo parade”!
    I wish she would start her own Foundation For Womens’ Rights, as a former First Lady!
    The Senators who betrayed her are as bad as her current boss.

  • Diana L. C.

    Larry,

    Thanks for this post. The state of “journalism” in this country now is so bad as to be really frightening to me, an ex high school newspaper advisor. Do people really not understand how serious this is. We absolutely need good, objective, journalists who are willing to do the legwork and not simply depend on talking heads.

    And thanks to many of the commentors for some really good links, etc. But only a few of the commenters seemed to realize that you were not only posting about CNN. Your link to the Outfoxed videos is just as important. I feel so like a person bobbing around on a raft in a huge ocean when it comes to finding any real news reporting readily available. How many people really have time with job and family responsibilities to spend hours searching the internet for all the information they need to make OBJECTIVE choices?

  • Ladydawnelle

    ok so the dye is cast

    Biden will be kicked to the curb
    Hillary will be promoted so she will naturally be the NEXT IN LINE in 2016 thus hushing the screams of PUMA and quashing the Repubs chances in 2012

    for me – it’s toooo little toooo late
    unless Hillary’s promotion goes straight to the TOP
    I’m not waiting until 2016 for the chance
    BHO is gone in 2012 (far as I’m concerned)

    • http://firefox Martha Washington Collier

      You betcha. Not that I think Sarah will be ready by 2012 but if they think they can give Hillary the booby prize by replacing Biden in order to get us on board…as you pointed out, that ship has sailed. Or to use a “Bill-ism” “That old dog won’t hunt.”

  • Docelder

    “Thee” One is live right now from New Orleans… why is it that when he speaks to a Southern audience he really turns his “preacher” dialect up a notch. He is really channeling the good reverend today in New Orleans. What a buffoon. He has no idea himself who he really even is. He just mirrors the audience. The incredible plastic man.

    • Portia Elizabeth

      Ugh! I hate it when he turns on that fake Southern drawl! Why doesn’t he get called on it?

      • TeakWoodKite

        All that proves is he is a person who sat in Rev. Wright’s “Church” and DID listen because that is were he got that crappy BS Speech pathology…
        It is disrepectful to say the least to mimic an accent.

        Why Portia, Doncha if you called him on it you would be a racist? He is a creepy human.

        • Docelder

          He is a creepy human.

          Who needs to shield his true birth certificate for some reason… and his college transcripts. We don’t really know who plastic man really is… behind that mask of a smile.

        • Portia Elizabeth

          Ah, well, Teak, I’m getting quite comfortable with the label of racist. It’s altered meaning is alot more respectable than “Obot” and in better company, too.

  • denisel

    Sorry, off topic again. I don’t know where there is an open thread. Remember when Obama dissed Poland by reneging on the missle defense deal? People were saying that Obama was doing that to get Russia’s support against Iran. That didn’t work out so well did it? http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2009/10/14/2098583.aspx “Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin today expressed skepticism about sanctioning Iran over its nuclear program.”

  • http://N/A breeze

    Here is another article to add to Susan h’s @11:12

    http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/4112008/4112008/news/news1.html

    WASHINGTON – Americans will today go to the polls to elect their next President with Democratic Party candidate, Senator Barack Obama largely favoured to win.

    The Kenyan-born Senator will, however, face a stiff competition from his Republican counterpart, John McCain who has taken the presidential battle to the finishing line with vigorous campaign strategies.

  • http://N/A breeze

    H E L P!

    MY COMMENT WENT BYBY…..

  • steve1

    MSNBC, CNN….I never realized how controlled our media was, until I saw what happened to Clinton during the primaries….Just didn’t pay attention…since the primaries, I am all for some type of reform of the corporate controlled media….their laziness and lies do us no service! Internet, radio and small segments of various news outlets is the way to go. If possible foriegn TV coverage is more honest than our outlets. I can’t believe it….but the NE has more honest coverage than MSM!

    • Docelder

      Even Fox is just throwing the rest of us a few bones so that we don’t just quit altogether and go to the BBC, or just disconnect the cable company and go straight to the Internet. Personally, I am thinking of disconnecting the cable right now. You can’t find a domestic news channel that isn’t a propaganda mouthpiece for this narcissistic administration. You ca actually watch most anything on the Internet now, but you can skip the baloney you never watch or don’t care to see with cable.

      • TeakWoodKite

        I actually decided to get a computer to connect to the HDMI on my tv and If I want to “watch” the news….
        Yes I have cable but, the only thing I can stand is the Fox ticker…Cnn’s has gone to hell and I do not watch that BO Payote Channel.

        Any News Channel that can call Roland Martin anything BUT a Saint Sabina a skin crawling racist scumbag is not anything I can watch either.

        I will watch the ticker and see what Propaganda is for the day. Sad.

  • Cathy in Ks.

    I stopped watching MSNBC and CNN during the democratic primaries. Their bias for Obama and against Hillary was obvious. It was also obvious that they not only tolerated misogynistic comments about Hillary but also encouraged them. Every time I tried to comment on an offensive comment, I noticed the “comments were closed” for that program. Wonder why? Anyway, I went to Fox, something I would not have dreamed of 2 years ago. I became a regular viewer of Fox after Bill O,Reilly aired his interview of Hillary. I thought it was very good and he and Hillary both came across as professional yet relaxed. There seemed to be a good sort of “chemistry” between the two of them.