Jon Stewart on Ron Paul

[Kung Wu]

Ok, for obvious reasons I am not a Jon Stewart fan, but this had me laughing!

http://www.theatlanticwire.com/entertainment/2011/08/jon-stewart-ron-paul/41311/

[Maggie]

The media does ignore Ron Paul and they shouldn’t – he will have as good of a shot of winning Iowa as anyone. I watched the coverage after the straw poll and I thought the media was a bit unfair in its treatment of Paul – and I am no fan.

Loved the Huntsman comment.

[SB Shock]

The straw poll is about a candidate demonstrating who really has the hard core supporters. I actually figured Paul would win - but he didn't so in mind he underperformed.

The reality is Ron Paul is a fringe candidate. He has ability to shape some of the debate but there is nothing in the national polls that says he has the Wide public support to win the nomination.

[RoyalShock]

The problem I have with this is that we as a country are allowing a media whose emphasis has shifted from reporting facts and truth, to making facts and truth, to dictate who is a "frontrunner" or "electable". They completely ignore Ron Paul's polling, even the national ones. Whether it's Paul or someone else, we should all be upset at this. Isn't this a form of propaganda? I thought a major point of freedom of the press was to expose these types of shennanigans, not commit them.

Furthermore, as I read some blogs and columns from people "on the ground" in Ames, it is clear that the straw poll, currently being reported and hailed as a significant win for Bachmann and making her a frontrunner, was 77 swing votes (less than half a percent) from being labeled as meaningless by GOP insiders and calling into question it's credibility and usefullness. It's the biggest thing ever if it goes our way, or nothing of value if it doesn't. Gotta love party "leadership".

I try not to get on my soapbox very often when it comes to Ron Paul, but this goes much deeper than him. A few political and media elites are telling us what issues, positions and people are legitimate and what are not. And the sheep continue to keep their heads down and eat the grass that was planted for them. Does this country really have any hope of fixing its problems when the majority of people don't really care that the media routinely betrays their trust?

Like Kung Wu I don't hold Jon Stewart in high regard. But he nailed this one.

[RoyalShock]

He has ability to shape some of the debate but there is nothing in the national polls that says he has the Wide public support to win the nomination.

I'm jumping on this comment because it illustrates my point. Paul has polled well nationally (top 3) in CNN and Rasmussen polls. He also does very well in the ones that pit each GOP candidate against Obama. But you choose to either ignore it or write it off.

Bachmann buys several thousand votes in Iowa (as does every candidate), and that is enough for her to be declared a frontrunner.

:ohno:

[SB Shock]

The problem I have with this is that we as a country are allowing a media whose emphasis has shifted from reporting facts and truth, to making facts and truth, to dictate who is a "frontrunner" or "electable". They completely ignore Ron Paul's polling, even the national ones. Whether it's Paul or someone else, we should all be upset at this. Isn't this a form of propaganda? I thought a major point of freedom of the press was to expose these types of shennanigans, not commit them.

I don't disagree with you on the press. I think our media is no longer reporting facts, but they have been co-opted into pushing and spinning agenda's for both sides.

Furthermore, as I read some blogs and columns from people "on the ground" in Ames, it is clear that the straw poll, currently being reported and hailed as a significant win for Bachmann and making her a frontrunner, was 77 swing votes (less than half a percent) from being labeled as meaningless by GOP insiders and calling into question it's credibility and usefullness. It's the biggest thing ever if it goes our way, or nothing of value if it doesn't. Gotta love party "leadership".

The reality is national polling is more important than the Iowa straw poll. Support for Bachman (or even for Paul) did not increase due to their straw polls results. The bigger story that weekend was Gov. Perry announcing and looking at polls trends he pulled supporters from both Bachman and Paul). Him and Romney have significan lead (20.2% Romney, 18.4% Perry, 10% Palin, 9.6% Bachman and 8.8% Paul).

The real question is where is the 12% support from Cain/Pawlenty/Gingrich going to fall once they give up? What about the 10% of Palin support?

[Maggie]

The real question is where is the 12% support from Cain/Pawlenty/Gingrich going to fall once they give up? What about the 10% of Palin support?

If I had to guess, the Cain and Pawlenty supporters will trend toward Perry. Gingrich? Who knows. As for Palin supporters, like I wrote before, I don't think she is running and, as the field stands now, will end up endorsing Perry.

[SubGod22]

The real question is where is the 12% support from Cain/Pawlenty/Gingrich going to fall once they give up? What about the 10% of Palin support?

If I had to guess, the Cain and Pawlenty supporters will trend toward Perry. Gingrich? Who knows. As for Palin supporters, like I wrote before, I don't think she is running and, as the field stands now, will end up endorsing Perry.

Which will probably send most of them to Perry.

[Maggie]

He has ability to shape some of the debate but there is nothing in the national polls that says he has the Wide public support to win the nomination.

I'm jumping on this comment because it illustrates my point. Paul has polled well nationally (top 3) in CNN and Rasmussen polls. He also does very well in the ones that pit each GOP candidate against Obama. But you choose to either ignore it or write it off.

Bachmann buys several thousand votes in Iowa (as does every candidate), and that is enough for her to be declared a frontrunner.

:ohno:

Paul “bought” his share of votes in the straw poll too – not that there is anything wrong with that. What irked me was several comments from talking heads that gave the impression that Paul was essentially unorganized and spent no money. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul’s ground game is excellent, he has competed in the Iowa straw poll before, and is a master at these contests (see, CPAC, etc.). That said, Paul should be getting much more attention. If I were him I would be a little annoyed.

By the way, Bachmann is not the front runner. The media, as always, is exaggerating – I don’t think there is a “front runner” right now. Also, I don’t think that Bachmann, like Paul, is a viable national candidate. And no I am not ignoring polls – I just don’t think the polls are very reliable right now because the field is so fluid.

Speaking of polls (Rasmussen), for what it is worth:

GOP Primary: Perry 29%, Romney 18%, Bachmann 13%

Texas Congressman Ron Paul, who was a close second to Bachmann on Saturday, has the support of nine percent (9%) of Likely Primary Voters, followed by Georgia businessman Herman Cain at six percent (6%) and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich with five percent (5%). Rick Santorum, former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, and ex-Utah Governor Jon Huntsman each get one percent (1%) support, while Michigan Congressman Thaddeus McCotter comes in statistically at zero.

McCotter is never going to get off the ground which is sad because has some good ideas.

[Maggie]

The real question is where is the 12% support from Cain/Pawlenty/Gingrich going to fall once they give up? What about the 10% of Palin support?

If I had to guess, the Cain and Pawlenty supporters will trend toward Perry. Gingrich? Who knows. As for Palin supporters, like I wrote before, I don't think she is running and, as the field stands now, will end up endorsing Perry.

Which will probably send most of them to Perry.

Yes.

[RoyalShock]

He has ability to shape some of the debate but there is nothing in the national polls that says he has the Wide public support to win the nomination.

I'm jumping on this comment because it illustrates my point. Paul has polled well nationally (top 3) in CNN and Rasmussen polls. He also does very well in the ones that pit each GOP candidate against Obama. But you choose to either ignore it or write it off.

Bachmann buys several thousand votes in Iowa (as does every candidate), and that is enough for her to be declared a frontrunner.

:ohno:

Paul “bought” his share of votes in the straw poll too – not that there is anything wrong with that. What irked me was several comments from talking heads that gave the impression that Paul was essentially unorganized and spent no money. Nothing could be further from the truth. Paul’s ground game is excellent, he has competed in the Iowa straw poll before, and is a master at these contests (see, CPAC, etc.). That said, Paul should be getting much more attention. If I were him I would be a little annoyed.

By the way, Bachmann is not the front runner. The media, as always, is exaggerating – I don’t think there is a “front runner” right now. Also, I don’t think that Bachmann, like Paul, is a viable national candidate. And no I am not ignoring polls – I just don’t think the polls are very reliable right now because the field is so fluid.

I agree with most of your post. And I did say that all candidates buy votes there. Bachmann even used Randy Travis (you had to vote for her before getting in to the concert). I read somewhere that Bachmann bought something like a third more votes than Paul, but I can't vouch for that.

It all just goes to show that the media is just shy of a total farce. And in my opinion, the Ames straw poll shouldn't get much attention. Didn't McCain barely even register back in 2007?

Any poll where candidates can pay the registration cost for voters shouldn't be taken seriously. It's mostly a gauge of who has the most money and decided to spend it, and somewhat an indicator of current campaign strength (ie. organization).

But if it's going to be held up as some sort of milestone, then at least give an accurate portrayal of the results. Paul nearly beat an Iowa native in her own state, with possibly less purchased votes. But I guess that's too complicated to explain in a one-segment panel discussion between commercials.

[Maggie]

It is not that complicated (hence my confusion), and yes, Ron Paul is getting the short end of the stick with regard to media coverage. And you know, I don’t think the fellow should be anywhere near 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue – he can hang out in the halls of Congress.

While Bachmann did, at least I think so, purchase more tickets (Randy Travis was there, and yes, no lookie or listen unless you voted, which is normal, – but Pawlenty had BBQ and Cain Godfather’s pizza – I don’t know what Paul served but same rules applied in his tent too) than Paul perhaps the bigger surprise is that she bested him. I have wrote before I thought Paul was going to win – he is borderline unstoppable this format. Bachmann edged him out – so she gets a free oven mitt.

[Maggie]

I know Stewart doesn't have a ton of fans in these parts (I actually kind of like the guy) but this is pretty funny.

Jon Stewart Defends Rick Perry From Ed Schultz’s Race-Baiting Charges

[wufan]

My wife and I saw that. We both commented that Stewart was a lot more funny now that Obama was in office and struggling. it certainly couldn't be that we are more inclined to laugh because he's on our side could it?

[Maggie]

He is not on your side. Stewart is a liberial guy with a blind spot when it comes to media bias. He also, on a certain level, wants to be taken seriously; but when pressed on that issue always falls back on "hey, I am just a guy that writes jokes". Regardless, one thing I think he understands is that he has to be funny first - so he is willing from time to time to mock members of the liberial media.

Everyone has their own biases - and, yes, it is only natural to laugh a little harder if the joke is about someone like ES. But I also found Stewart to be entertaining when he was going after Bush, Cheney, et al. His job is not easy and he is very talented.