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Stewart and Colbert’s rally to save the USA from itself

Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert are taking to the streets in their fight for moderate news coverage

By Duncan Robinson Published 20 September 2010 19:55

What started as a joke post on the highly addictive link-sharing website Reddit has morphed into a reality that could alter the immediate future of US politics.

Jon Stewart's "Rally to Restore Sanity" and Stephen Colbert's "March to Keep Fear Alive" have so shaken up the political discourse in the US that the Washington Post today asked if comedy could save the United States. And, boy, does it need saving, according to the Post:

The United States of America isn't united any more; it's being torn apart by media-driven extremism . . . Democracy is the art of compromise; it requires that Americans who hold different views be able to develop enough empathy for each other so that bipartisanship can actually occur, and the country move forward. If we cannot cut each other any slack at all, democracy cannot function.

The tonic for this dysfunction is Stewart's upcoming rally. After months of hysterical, right-wing Tea Party-dominated reports, America's political discourse will undergo a calming change. Stewart's rally is not for the enraged minority, it's for the moderate majority.

We're looking for the people who think shouting is annoying, counterproductive and terrible for your throat; who feel that the loudest voices shouldn't be the only ones that get heard; and who believe that the only time it's appropriate to draw a Hitler moustache on someone is when that person is actually Hitler. Or Charlie Chaplin in certain roles.

Stewart is sometimes billed as the most trusted man in America. Often, his show is the only news programme on American television that toes a line between the extremes of Fox's right-wing evangelism and the browbeating liberalism of MSNBC. Stewart, however, has always been careful to disassociate himself from personal political activism. In a profile published just last week, he said candidly:

We're not provocateurs, we're not activists; we are reacting for our own catharsis . . . There is a line into demagoguery, and we try very hard to express ourselves but not move into, "So follow me! And I will lead you to the land of answers, my people!" You can fall in love with your own idea of common sense. Maybe the nice thing about being a comedian is never having a full belief in yourself to know the answer. So you can say all this stuff, but underneath, you're going, "But of course, I'm fucking idiotic." It's why we don't lead a lot of marches.

Except now Stewart is leading a march -- well, a rally -- and branching out into brand new territory. As the New York Times points out, the lines between politics and the media are becoming blurred:

Picture a football game where the reporters and commentators, bored by the feckless proceedings on the field, suddenly poured out of the press box and took over the game.

In politics, it seems as if the media [are] intent on not just keeping score but also calling plays.

This trend started on the right. Palin has more influence now, as a Fox News Commentator (with a capital C), than she ever did as governor of a backwater state. Glenn Beck is just one of a handful of Fox News anchors -- such as Sean Hannity and Bill O'Reilly -- who use their shows as a pulpit to indoctrinate rather than inform.

The antithesis of these shows is provided by Stephen Colbert, the lampooner-in-chief of personality-driven news shows, such as Beck's. Colbert sends up their emotive, manipulative style to devastating effect on his spoof show The Colbert Report. (Imagine Brass Eye and The Day Today, but with higher production values, and produced every night.)

Colbert and Stewart have been fighting against the hysterical coverage of Fox News and figures like Beck and O'Reilly for years -- except now the game has changed. Figures such as Beck have taken to the streets. If Colbert and Stewart want to keep fighting for moderate, sensible news coverage, they will have to follow.

Duncan Robinson blogs here. You can also follow him on Twitter.

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Tags: Stephen Colbert Jon Stewart

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44 comments

Thu, 2010-09-23 05:52 — Arlis Dittbenner (not verified)

I think the word you're looking for is 'know' it makes you somehow make a little more sense

Wed, 2010-09-22 02:05 — jie4v7i14

Thomas, don't get me wrong, I like these couple of blokes - one watches Jon Stewart every now and again in the UK/England(!), when nothing better is on.

But understandably, for a Brit, Jon does wear me out with the yank-in jokes in his show though, before us bits have actually come across what the hell he is referring too. That's quite frustrating.

Takes quite a bit of brit swotting before hand to watch a Jon Stewart show, to get everything, here.

Mon, 2010-09-20 23:30 — Duncan Robinson (not verified)

Cheers.

Fri, 2010-09-24 16:56 — just passing by (not verified)

@Buckskins...yeah see you later mate, now don't come back you hear. Bye-Bye, I love you, bye.

Thu, 2010-09-23 13:05 — Kelsonus (not verified)

"Stewart, however, has always been careful to disassociate himself from personal political activism."

If that were true, this rally would take place the following weekend

Mon, 2010-09-20 23:58 — FearfulAmerican (not verified)

'no nothing'. Brilliant.

Tue, 2010-09-21 00:08 — Clara Kabalevsky

@ Buckskins- bit harsh! Are you a hardline, Palin-supporting, bible-bashing republican or something? If not kindly enlighten me as to why Mr Robinson deserves such censure when he wrote a common-sense article?? You don't seriously rely on fox news for your daily news fix?

Tue, 2010-09-21 00:16 — jie4v7i14

Good grief! Things are pretty damned bad in the US to have it down to a couple of part-time comedians to try and save their souls. Blimey.

Thu, 2010-09-23 10:17 — Clem the Gem

The "Know nothings" appear to be the model for the Tea Party, that is if you have a grasp of any US history.
I'd rather be Wide Awake myself...

Thu, 2010-09-23 10:18 — Clem the Gem

...Although I get a bit Wobbly now and then...

Sat, 2010-09-25 18:43 — triedeinsursE

The sick, lame, and lazy folk’s handout, 60 English pounds a week. Exchange rate 1 pound to $1.5 or so. You do the maths. Take your sox and shoes off as I have the feeling you will need access to your calculator.

Tue, 2010-09-21 02:45 — Gary (not verified)

I know Ehtch tree, but sometimes its only through treating US politics as comedy of the blackest variety that one dosent freak out. Hey Buckskins, you have that Appalachian inbred personna down to a tee.

Thu, 2010-09-23 11:48 — Duncan Robinson (not verified)

@Buckskins. I didn't delete your comment. I'm perfectly happy for people to express their opinions about me - no matter how offensive they are. Unfortunately, the NS now has a policy of deleting posts that contain offensive language - i.e. swearing - and one my editors got rid of it.

Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying reading my work.

Thu, 2010-09-23 12:10 — swatantra

Duncan, you shouldn't be apologising. Anyone who cannot express themselves in a dignified way without using foul and offensive language, needs their head examined.
The NS policy is absolutely the right one.

Thu, 2010-09-23 12:19 — Dave C (not verified)

@Duncan Robinson

I'm glad the NS is occasionally removing offensive comments: I just wish they'd do it more often.

Fri, 2010-09-24 19:01 — triedeinsursE

"Stuart Eels
24 September 2010 at 13:12
Ehtch Tee,

What you have to remember with Buckskins is that he doesn't understand half of what you are writing. He lives in a country that has two main political parties, one on the right and one on the extreme right.

He also lives in a country where one in seven Americans live below the poverty line, yes 45 million of them!

That's not from some leftwing socialist propaganda but from his own countries census."

That's the American poverty threshold which is about 3 times your Welfare handout.

"You also have to remember that he is from the land of the free, who have just executed a woman with the mental age of a fourteen year old, says it all really."

And your problem is?

Tue, 2010-09-21 07:55 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Buckskins,

You had me worried there for a while there pal, I thought you were turning into a trot but now I see you were only kidding!

Back to a redneck tea party useful idiot of Sarah Palin, God Bless America because the rest of the world won't!

Fri, 2010-09-24 19:05 — triedeinsursE

Ehtch, your really must get over this youtube crutch. I expect better entertainment from you than second hand garbage. Just be yourself. Your hysterical. Fond regards.

Tue, 2010-09-21 08:12 — frances smith (not verified)

eventually fox news will become such a parody of itself, if it isnt already, that it will be regarded as a joke by everyone, not just the middle classes, rather like the sun is here.

but its interesting to see how people are responding to it through taking action themselves.

i'm beginning to think murdoch's days are numbered.

the end will be interesting.

Fri, 2010-09-24 19:07 — triedeinsursE

"@Buckskins...yeah see you later mate, now don't come back you hear. Bye-Bye, I love you, bye."

Just what I need. Eel's gay boyfriend with a crush on me.

Thu, 2010-09-23 13:22 — Duncan Robinson (not verified)

We're working on it.

Fri, 2010-09-24 19:15 — triedeinsursE

"EhtchTee
24 September 2010 at 09:59
"DK from BK, Stewart/Colbert, American Revolution part 2?

Get those redcoats, especially ones fashionable for Alaskan weather!"

You do know what happened the last couple of times ya'al tried that!!!
BTW Colbert loathes Brits. Hint = Shamrock.

Sun, 2010-09-26 21:20 — triedeinsursE

Eels, you're in over your depth, and your friends in Yahoo chat are missing you.

Sat, 2010-09-25 21:29 — DaMan (not verified)

Marshal McCluhan (1911-80 Canadian) said "The medium is the Message" and all you talking device monkeys should read: "From Cliché to Archetype."

Fri, 2010-09-24 10:59 — jie4v7i14

DK from BK, Stewart/Colbert, American Revolution part 2?

Get those redcoats, especially ones fashionable for Alaskan weather!

Tue, 2010-09-21 15:01 — Thomas Devine

Hey EhtchTee! Ben Franklin, Abe Lincoln, and Mark Twain were all part time comics too. Why do you think it odd we'd turn to the same kind of folks again?

Thu, 2010-09-23 15:07 — NARCISSISTCZAR (not verified)

This is the same crap you tried with the "Silent Majority"..don't you remember? Now you are trying it with the Tea Party." Will you never learn?
Come on November!..NARCISSISTCZAR.COM

Tue, 2010-09-21 15:14 — Iden (not verified)

@frances smith

Much as I would love to agree with you, I wouldn't be so sure that the Murdoch empire is ready to crumble. Sky News in the UK is well on its way to becoming another Fox News while Murdoch's allies in the UK government are happy to clip the BBC's wings and will probably remove some of the restrictions on news reporting in TV. I have a nightmare vision of Adam Boulton and Kay Burleigh being our O'Reilly and Palin...

On the other hand, perhaps the Murdoch-empire has overstretched itself. In the UK we see the NotW and Sun becoming increasingly mocked (and punished for their indiscretions). Over in the US, perhaps the Fox News/Tea Party ideology/bandwagon is becoming a kind of Frankenstein's Monster that is too extreme for the GOP and too 'beltway' to ever provide electable candidates?

I'm not sure, but I wouldn't start counting any chickens yet...

Sat, 2010-09-25 22:26 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Buckskin baby what way is your economy going, according to your Financial experts it's south.

When I come on holiday don't go singing "Buddy can you spare a Buckskin a dime!"

Fri, 2010-09-24 21:59 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Ehtch Tee

What did I tell you about this piece of swamp life that calls itself Buckskin?

He can't even read his own countries census properly, the yanks set their poverty line at $14,000.

Sad isn't he?

Sat, 2010-09-25 00:00 — triedeinsursE

And in the UK it's around $4680 per annum for welfare.
Keep up the name calling and I'm telling the teacher.

Mon, 2010-09-27 13:17 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Oh don't say that skin give us a kiss.

Thu, 2010-09-23 18:08 — DK from BK (not verified)

Stewart/Colber 2016!!

Thu, 2010-09-23 18:31 — triedeinsursE

"Arlis Dittbenner
23 September 2010 at 04:52
I think the word you're looking for is 'know' it makes you somehow make a little more sense"

I'm afraid not. You are simply incapable of getting it, along with the rest of the leftie yahoos in here.

Wed, 2010-09-22 21:54 — triedeinsursE

No Clara, I don’t bash the Bible, nor do I read it. I have no religion but that does not make me an atheist dear, and were I to be one I couldn’t be a Mason.

Thu, 2010-09-23 18:36 — triedeinsursE

"Anyway, I'm glad you're enjoying reading my work"

Yeah right, it's even better than the funnies. Given your target readers though I would say the Dandy and Beano best be on their toes.

Thu, 2010-09-23 18:40 — triedeinsursE

Awe hush up swatantra *wink*

Thu, 2010-09-23 18:42 — triedeinsursE

Clem the Gem
23 September 2010 at 09:17

I'd rather be Wide Awake myself...

Keep working on it. It will help you find a job.

Thu, 2010-09-23 19:56 — sleepytadpole (not verified)

dear buckskins,

chill and stop being angry at everyone it makes you look ignorant and childish and nobody will listen to you

Fri, 2010-09-24 14:12 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

Ehtch Tee,

He also lives in a country where one in seven Americans live below the poverty line, yes 45 million of them!

That's not from some leftwing socialist propaganda but from his own countries census.

You also have to remember that he is from the land of the free, who have just executed a woman with the mental age of a fourteen year old, says it all really.

Thu, 2010-09-23 20:02 — triedeinsursE

"sleepytadpole
23 September 2010 at 18:56
dear buckskins,
chill and stop being angry at everyone it makes you look ignorant and childish and nobody will listen to you"

Socialists make me angry.
One day you will be a big beautiful
............ frog.

Bye.

Fri, 2010-09-24 14:19 — jie4v7i14

Shush Stuart Eels, I am working on him, subtley, so to mature his own mind.

This mid-west yank themed track ain't bad, hope you agree,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4lBhVJzF_QE

Sat, 2010-09-25 09:26 — Stuart Eels (not verified)

There you are folks, the pond life has stirred and shown he can't even work out exchange rates, his bile is pure Redneck Tea Party garbage.

I wonder how he feels about Major Margaret Witt?

I've seen parts of the eastern seaboard cities that that tourists don't normally see, thanks to an ex-pat showing me "the real American Dream" God Bless America!