Jon Stewart Gets All Earnest On Us! Obama Race Speech "Spoke To Americans As Though They Were Adults"

Jon Stewart and the Daily Show gang have had easier targets of mockery than Barack Obama delivering one of the most warmly received speeches of the campaign (if not that most warmly received speech — though it's duking it out with Barack Obama after winning the Iowa primary and Barack Obama after winning the South Carolina primary). Still, they gave it their best shot, even including a "Whatchoo talkin' bout, Obama?" and imagining how crazy it is over the holidays with all of Obama's many multi-ethnic and "many-hued" smörgåsbord of relatives running around. Yeah, I said smörgåsbord.

The clip also showed the difficulty in joking about "black anger"; a joke involving locking the car didn't quite hit (in our estimation), and the response to a KKK sight gag can onloy be described as "clapter." Still, it all fell away at the end when Stewart revealed how he really felt about the speech when he let the arch, eyebrow-cocked exterior fall for a moment and quietly marveled at the fact that "at 11:00 on a Tuesday, a prominent politician spoke to Americans about race, as though they were adults." Was it Jon Stewart funny or Tina Fey funny? Watch it below and decide for yourself:

Related: The NYO's Steve Kornacki was one of the three pundits warning darkly of how Wright's comments would play in Peorio...and specifically Ohio and Missouri: "This is going to scare the white voters in Ohio. This is going to scare the white voters in Missouri." Kornacki explains why he was taken completely out of context — flattered though he was to have been montaged with Karl Rove. The best part is what Kornacki recounts about venting about it to his friend: "I told someone this morning this my version of what happened, and she laughed and said, 'Now you know how the reverend feels.'" Excellent moral.

Related:
Text: Obama Race Speech
Tina Fey: Jon Stewart Doesn't Make People Laugh

Comments

[H.L. Mencken]

Every American presidential election since America's inception of mostly English aristocrats and wayward proletariat has been fought and engaged upon "pocket book" issues! This is no accident my friends!

If we do not have two America's as alleged by John Edwards we most assuredly are experiencing two social and economic hegemony's!

This confusion and obscurity has been an endemic effort of the wealthy educated American as part of their survival tools of privilege and comfort!The Bell Curve is a scientific myth! hese folks maintaintheir status through unchallenged family disciplines of well known anglosphere white memes of thriftiness, savings, exogamy and education!

Their primary goal even though it sounds archaic and sophomoric is to divide and conquer the lowly proletariat and insert confusion whenever and wherever possible! Make them covet something we control is the first rule for social and economic control of the tribe! Any good wealthy republican American knows that!

American anthropologist assert that in addition to economics the social state of our most poor black folks can be attributed to mans intrinsic endemic narcissisms promulgated and pullulated six million years ago with a primate brain adaptive radiation that pullulated our particular genotype into a special category of primate animals that experience identity as well as consciousnesses! We became capable of ego and individual tribal identity!

Climbing the rulering hierarchy of any Homo sapiens tribe required tenacity and grit but the ambitious apes present on the way to the top invariably find a way to demean your qualifications for tribal membership- a handicap or disadvantage that attenuates and reduces the potential members status and capabilities to become an authentic tribal member!The incapable physically disabled were immediately disqualifier!
This human phyletic tribal process has been operating in America since the beginning; save the American tribal "disqualifier" is Homo sapiens skin color-nothing else! Think about it!

[starboymikey]

If only we Democrats would grow up and realize that George W. Bush is the greatest president who ever lived.

That is why we are arguing so much here on HuffPost about whether Obama or Hillary would make a better president. Deep in our hearts we all know that neither of them can hold a candle to Bush.

There, I've said it! I know some of you Obama supporters will flame me for this, but I think that deep in their hearts, the Hillary folks know I'm right. If she wins the election, perhaps she will have the wisdom to make Bush Secretary of State. The worldwide respect he's earned will make him welcome wherever he goes, and we will still have the pleasure of hearing his voice and seeing his beaming face on TV.

[kreidsy]

John Stewart funny or Tina Fey funny? Huh?

Since her comment I've been paying attention to John's crowd- they generally laugh the whole way through, and me too. I wonder how many catchphrases Tina wrote at SNL... now they were FUNNY!!!

Tina Fey mocks John for making a political point? Is that some sort of Karl Rove tactic of criticizing someone for something you're also guilty of? How many were actually laughing at her SNL Hillary speech?

[lisakaz]

I think Tina is jealous. She tried to be Stewart on SNL on behalf of HRC and it didn't work. Hence, she's mad.

[ConnieInCleveland]

Jon Stewart's humor is funny and sad. He shows us the failings of mainstream media and our political leaders, with a bit of humor. Then we are faced with the fact, they weren't trying to be funny. The joke is on us! That's sad!

Jon Stewart turns on the light, when mainstream media blacks out facts.

[dmthurman]

The funny thing, the comments reflect exactly what the piece is about and then people go right back to doing what the piece mocks. What a weird world I live in.

[Knowledgeseeker]

Jon Stewart is very very funny.....
Love this video

[Knowledgeseeker]

But, why are some people afraid of the Truth....

[Felicty]

I just PRAY the next time Hillary tries to bring up the Pastor, Barack has the presence of mind to say, "You know, Hillary, I remember your husband, Bill, finding much comfort in Pastor Wright's words, back when he confessed before a group of religious leaders during his affair with Monica Lewinsky . "

I bet you she faints dead away on stage.

[fearwig]

No, she'll just scream "BUT YOU KNOW REZKO!" and then coolly try to deliver some quip about office supplies.

[BlogAngel]

There are a lot of fabulous African American ministers who don't speak at all like Rev. Wright. I went to a Black church for many years. My minister is in The Secret. He always talked about forgiveness , peace and REALLY inspired unity. The fact that Obama's followers are often so wildly defensive and angry shows that Obama learned his motivational god-leader style at the feet of Rev. Wright for 20 years.

If you think Rev. Wright would make a good president, vote for his disciple, Obama. That's not at all what I want for this country. It would never happen, tho. Obama is losing terribly to McCain in almost every state poll now. Independents aren't going to vote for a candidate who they feel (and have legitimate reasons to feel) is anti-White. With him as nominee, McCain will be president. Is that what you want?

[trapperj20]

I recommend that you read some of Wright's sermons in their entirety. I am a 27 y.o. white male and I did not disagree with anything Wright said, even in sound byte form. In fact, I live in Chicago and I am thinking about attending a service at Trinity, and it is a shame that Wright may not be there. In an age of such disinformation it is refreshing to hear someone speak the truth, even if it hurts our false and true pride. I will not defend Wright because, in my opinion, he does not need defending, In fact, I think the media and a lot of people owe him an apology.

[OlskoolDem]

I liked it, it was funny.

[Flexer]

Rev Wright is a man of Christ and a great pastor go to the you tube website and view all his sermons completely and you will see how were being swiftboated again by the hateful faction on the right.

[johnnyjust]

He is a great man....so obvious by his rhetoric...

[julescator]

Yep - here is the 911 Sermon. the firey part that they show on the tv ad nausem is actually 3 minutes in. However, you need to look at the entire sermon to see that rev. Wright is actually quoting Ambassador Edward Peck, a white man, who said all of that including the chickens coming home to roost on 9/12/2001. don't belive me - listen for yourself.

http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/3/21/9599/74572/652/481424

[Didi47]

julecator:

According to CNN last night... The Rev. Wright lied about Ambassador Peck! They checked it out thoroughly and there is absolutely no record of Ambassador Peck saying those things.!

[jambgfsh]

unfortunately jon is right, some americans won't let themselves hear what he is saying and only look for what they see as bad in what he is saying about race relations...

[TheGreekSamurai]

I do get my news from Jon Stewart. If it is newsworthy, Jon will have it on. And Tina Fey, I do not care if Jon is funny or not, he is definitely smart as he can see beyond the BS that all other channels feed us. Jon is right, though he has not actually picked much on the media-mania for obama. Anderson Cooper and the rest are worthless newscasters. Who needs them anyway when you have Jon Stewart to tell you the news!

[vonfifenburg]

My bad - got my history confused. Not the airmen, the share croppers.

[dolberg]

I liked Jon Stewart better when he was funny.

[fearwig]

LOL YEAH JOHN NO MORE NEWS ON THE NEWS SHOW KTHX

(forehead-slap)

[sklfcats]

Barak spoke like we even would care what his ugly puss has to say.

[mogul456]

Is your blatantly bigoted statement meant as sarcasm or you just cant be more subtile?

[frostyneil]

Obama betrayed us all. Why didnt he dump his psycho minister earlier. He's so over. What do we do now, vote for Hillary? Yow, I can't do that!!!!I wonder what Ralph Nader is up to? Mmmmmmmmm....

[dsgeorge]

please....­....betray­al is beyond the pale. If you truly were supporting Obama then I want to know why you have allowed yourself to buy the Fox created "scandal" that this is NOT -- you cannot honestly believe the reverand spent his whole life speaking the 3 snipets Fox has brainwashed the entire "liberal" media to join in the ridiculousness - and that you hold Obama responsible for every statment that offends you.

[mogul456]

Obama refused to do the "Sister Souljah moment" that Bill Clinton did in 92 nonimation. Barack could have done the "old politics" thing but refused and instead did the unexpected and did'nt throw Wright under the bus. It took a lot of guts to do it but it was the right thing to do. I decided to kick in a contribution to his campaign fund.

[fearwig]

Dear Diary,

I'm torn. I can't stand McCain or Hillary, but I am informed that Barack Obama is "a black", and even went to a black church where a pastor said something I am told I should disagree with. I have no option but to throw my vote away on an egocentric nutbag with no vision or hope for any sort of accomplishment. Goodbye cruel world!

frostyneil

[alvdh1]

His pyscho minister has been retired for two 1/2 years. White, right wing fear mongerimg in the news media two keep us distracted about race as opposed to a discussion about race, war, economy, energy, environment and healthcare. What Obama said in his speech was a step toward the discussion of racism. If this is the direction the right and the media want to take the discussion, then why aren't more right whites in the media calling for Robertson's and Hagee's heads? It isn't equal opportunity media. Its about bring down the candidate that seeks to unite the country.

[ndolomar]

perhaps, frosty, he was doing something -- dare i write it -- actually considered christian. imagine, huh? que juevos! perhaps he was practicing the oft-recited but rarely used politically principle of "hating the sin but loving the sinner." how would you have felt if he HAD thrown the reverend under the bus and suddenly declared that because of a compilation of speeches (some partly quoting a WHITE former ambassador to reagan) that he hated the reverend? my guess is most of the people claiming he was wrong not to do so would be just as equally chiding obama and complaining because he "sacrificed" this poor religious man for his political career. the truth is, people who like clinton or mccain desperately need(ed) a reason not to like obama -- i believe, frankly, they need something other than his skin color to cite. and because nothing they threw at him would stick, because it appears he may actually be one of the cleanest politicians we've seen, the rev. wright is giving them the best excuse not to like him that they could muster and still save face by telling themselves, "see? i'm not racist; HE'S the one who's racist." these same people don't seem to mind when a white pastor blames sept. 11 or katrina on homosexuals and women's liberation or jews. pastors whose support the republican candidates consistently seek each election. but, i guess we'll construct the truth we want to believe, and for those people who so eagerly want to find something about obama that they can hate in order to like their preferred candidate, then they won't see any hypocrisy in their acceptance of similar or worse things said by their candidate or his/her supporters. fear of the unknown apparently is working overtime this election.