Worst Jon Stewart interview?

digitalbeachbum's picture

I really like the Jon Stewart show. In years past he has given a good view of the world and the media of the world for their hypocritical and ridiculous ideologies.

This interview with David Barton is however not one of Stewart's best. Stewart seems out of alignment and he doesn't dig in to the story like he should have; that Thomas Jefferson (while still a Christian) was not main stream. He was a man who rejected all the "miracles" and "magic" of the bible. So much so that Jefferson created his own bible by ripping out those things which made Jesus a human being rather than this "super natural" being.

Jefferson also was a person who wanted religion to be separated from politics. He knew that mixing the two cause problems and this is why he wrote:

"Believing with you that religion is a matter which lies solely between man and his God, that he owes account to none other for his faith or his worship, that the legislative powers of government reach actions only, and not opinions, I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State." -Thomas Jefferson, letter to Danbury Baptist Association, CT., Jan. 1, 1802

Stewart also missed an opportunity for fact checking concerning the people who were arrested for giving out bibles on the sidewalk. In one instance the preacher and his followers were giving out bibles in front of an Islamic center during Ramadan. They were arrested for loitering and disturbing a place of business.

I wonder how christians would react if Islamic people would hand out the Qua ran in front of a church during Xmas?

Also, the second person was on private property and was asked to leave. The refused and they were arrested for trespassing.

Jon Stewart also missed a chance to get after the comments about how "christians are under attack" where "religious speech" is separated from "regular speech", which I find to be completely lacking in any sense. I have yet to hear, even on FOX, that this is true. I also see on a daily basis, people in the news speaking in such a manner leading me to believe that David Barton is making shit up as he goes along.

Shame on Stewart for not attacking this subject.

I'm disappointed in the interview. Here is the video for your review. There are three parts to the entire interview.

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-may-1-2012/exclusive---david-barton-extended-interview-pt--1

On a side note, the only thing about the interview which I agree with is around the 3:00 mark of the 3rd segment. Stewart brings forward the point that employers should not be allowed to force their views on to employees when it comes to medical or health care requirements, such as the case with contraception, birth control or abortion.

 

ex-minister's picture

 Agreed.He certainly had an

 Agreed.

He certainly had an off day. He did interview this guy in the past. I forget if he did any better then.

 

Chris Rodda also agrees

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-rodda/do-well-by-doing-good_b_858148.html

 

There is a link in the article to a 2 hour video of her dissecting Barton's book bit by bit. She also has some other cut down videos.

It seems she is obsessed with the subject. She hints that Barton is afraid of her.

 

 

Religion Kills !!!

Numbers 31:17-18 - Now kill all the boys. And kill every woman who has slept with a man, but save for yourselves every girl who has never slept with a man.

http://jesus-needs-money.blogspot.com/

Beyond Saving's picture

 When I think Jon Stewart I

 When I think Jon Stewart I don't think "hard hitting journalist", it's a comedy show that is often very loose with or ignorant of the facts. All he does is read the headlines and makes jokes about them. Why would you expect more? I don't think I have ever seen Stewart put a guest to really tough questioning.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, I don't watch it regularly. But if he does try to be accurate he fails miserably because virtually every clip I have seen ignores important information you would expect to be included in an actual news report. I've always put such misinformation down as comedic license, because things are more funny when you ignore reality.

If, if a white man puts his arm around me voluntarily, that's brotherhood. But if you - if you hold a gun on him and make him embrace me and pretend to be friendly or brotherly toward me, then that's not brotherhood, that's hypocrisy.- Malcolm X

harleysportster's picture

Beyond Saving wrote: When I

Beyond Saving wrote:

 When I think Jon Stewart I don't think "hard hitting journalist", it's a comedy show that is often very loose with or ignorant of the facts. All he does is read the headlines and makes jokes about them. Why would you expect more? I don't think I have ever seen Stewart put a guest to really tough questioning.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, I don't watch it regularly. But if he does try to be accurate he fails miserably because virtually every clip I have seen ignores important information you would expect to be included in an actual news report. I've always put such misinformation down as comedic license, because things are more funny when you ignore reality.

 

I agree Beyond. But, like you, if I have never really watched the show all that much. I could be talking out of both sides of my mouth here, because watching Steve Colbert take on Bill O'Reilly about the "tide goes in and the tide goes out" was hysterically funny to me.

 

I do agree with digitalbeachbum as well. He could have tackled this interview a whole lot tougher. 

“It is proof of a base and low mind for one to wish to think with the masses or majority, merely because the majority is the majority. Truth does not change because it is, or is not, believed by a majority of the people.”
― Giordano Bruno

digitalbeachbum's picture

Beyond Saving wrote: When I

Beyond Saving wrote:

 When I think Jon Stewart I don't think "hard hitting journalist", it's a comedy show that is often very loose with or ignorant of the facts. All he does is read the headlines and makes jokes about them. Why would you expect more? I don't think I have ever seen Stewart put a guest to really tough questioning.

 

Maybe I'm wrong, I don't watch it regularly. But if he does try to be accurate he fails miserably because virtually every clip I have seen ignores important information you would expect to be included in an actual news report. I've always put such misinformation down as comedic license, because things are more funny when you ignore reality.

When Stewart really is on his game, he exposes the hypocrisies in even his nicest of guests.

iwbiek's picture

this just makes me remember

this just makes me remember a quick advert for the daily show that used to run on comedy central back around '03, '04 where jon stewart mentions how many people go to the daily show for their news, then shouts, "stop doing that!  we make stuff up!  we don't know what we're doing!"

"I have never felt comfortable around people who talk about their feelings for Jesus, or any other deity for that matter, because they are usually none too bright. . . . Or maybe 'stupid' is a better way of saying it; but I have never seen much point in getting heavy with either stupid people or Jesus freaks, just as long as they don't bother me. In a world as weird and cruel as this one we have made for ourselves, I figure anybody who can find peace and personal happiness without ripping off somebody else deserves to be left alone. They will not inherit the earth, but then neither will I. . . . And I have learned to live, as it were, with the idea that I will never find peace and happiness, either. But as long as I know there's a pretty good chance I can get my hands on either one of them every once in a while, I do the best I can between high spots."
--Hunter S. Thompson

digitalbeachbum's picture

iwbiek wrote:this just makes

iwbiek wrote:

this just makes me remember a quick advert for the daily show that used to run on comedy central back around '03, '04 where jon stewart mentions how many people go to the daily show for their news, then shouts, "stop doing that!  we make stuff up!  we don't know what we're doing!"

What I like about the Daily Show is that it takes real news and then makes fun of the hypocrisy of it, such as in politics.

I know there are interviews which are made up, but it is more of a "magnifying glass" effect they put on the subject to show the absurdity of the people involved.

Vastet's picture

iwbiek wrote:this just makes

iwbiek wrote:

this just makes me remember a quick advert for the daily show that used to run on comedy central back around '03, '04 where jon stewart mentions how many people go to the daily show for their news, then shouts, "stop doing that!  we make stuff up!  we don't know what we're doing!"

And yet, ironically, the Daily Show is of better quality than any other American news orientated media. Sad

Enlightened Atheist, Gaming God.