John McCain Jokes About His Rivals On The Daily Show

NEW YORK — Of the Democratic presidential candidates, would Republican John McCain rather take on Barack Obama or Hillary Rodham Clinton?

"You know, Ron Paul is still in the race," McCain joked Wednesday during a taping of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart."

McCain deadpanned about the marathon race between the Democrats: "I hate to watch it. It's terrible. My heart goes out to them."

During the taping, McCain pretended to walk off the set when Stewart pressed him on whether President Bush is more of a liability for him than the Rev. Jeremiah Wright is for Obama. Then McCain fiddled with his microphone and mouthed "technical difficulties" into the camera.

The all-but-certain Republican nominee did reveal a few tidbits. His Secret Service code name, he thinks, "is 'jerk,'" and his choice for a vice presidential running mate is Dwight Schrute, a character on the NBC sitcom, "The Office," played by Rainn Wilson.

Comedy aside, McCain used the opportunity to challenge Obama, who moved a step closer to claiming the Democratic nomination after Tuesday's primaries in Indiana and North Carolina. Stewart asked whether McCain really believed the Islamic terrorist group Hamas had endorsed Obama. McCain's campaign issued a fundraising letter after a Hamas adviser, Ahmed Yousef, said the group likes Obama.

"It's indicative of how some of our enemies view America," McCain said. "And I guarantee you, they're not going to endorse me."

Off camera, Obama's campaign said McCain should apologize for "repeating tired and divisive attacks about Barack Obama that he knows are flat-out untrue."

Comments

[marlainWA]

I f America can't see we need more than a good sense of humor in the white house this time, they deserve McCain.

I am ready for someone who wants to do a serious job fixing this country and I believe Obama is that person.

And Jon Stewart was totally pandering to McCain last night. If he really cared about the country like I thought he did he wouldn't let McCain try to win over the young. I heard recently he was worried the young weren't getting enough info out of his show, well your not helping Jon! At this point I am wondering if you want McCain to win...after all the things you have said and jokes you have done to point out how wrong the war is and the constitution being ripped apart, how can you help McCain? And don't even try to tell me you are being fair...with almost every news station in america leaning to the right we don't need fair on your show, we need a tiny bit of balance.

[toby25]

Obama isn't going to fix anything. This guy is all sizzle and no steak. He is inexperienced and had done VERY little thus far in his political career. He gives great big hall speeches but get him in a setting where he is forced to give detail on his broad ideas or is asked tough questions about himself he stammers and stutters. This guy will be trouble for the democrats.

[sufi66]

As much as I like Stewart, I regret his kissing the ass of such an ass like McCain.

Want another four years of Bush, vote for McCain.

But the Supreme Court is no laughing matter. McCain will appoint judges like Thomas and Scalia, both of whom view the Bill of Rights (except as it might apply to property) as a stupid wish list.

Stewart is now auditioning for The Tonight Show. This means becoming mainstream, which -as every thinking person knows- is deeply polluted.

[shrimptonmcclams]

Noooo!!! Tell me it isn't so!!! How much would it suck if Stewart became the host of the Tonight Show. Man. That show is the kiss of death for humor.

[GQB]

Conan has already nailed the job down.

[vulcan]

I've heard that he is staying put due to the creative freedom he enjoys at Comedy Central. Just last night he said "Fuck that Guy" and while they bleeped it out that would never be allowed on The Tonight Show.

[CindyKay]

Yes this man has Two Sides to His Personality. i do not think He is the Devil Himself BUT I do believe that He is Dangerously Unstable , His Temper can sometimes be Uncontrollable.

I saw an interview once with a friend of His & the friend said that McINSANE has wanted to be POTUS ever since His return from Viet Nam. He also said that after Mcain had lost his run for the Presidency that McINSANE would Wake-Up several times Enraged during the Night Crying & that it took Him quite some time to get over the loss.

With that Temper & the Extreme Desire to be POTUS I believe that His Wife will get the brunt of His Anger When He loses this Election , He is not at all what We need as a President .

[Proud2BIndy]

McCain has been on the Daily Show more often than most. He is lobbed softballs each and every time. Clearly Stewart has a major crush on him and doesn't want to offend in any way.

These days the Daily Show is just something on in the background while one waits for Colbert.

[ajax2]

Perhaps Stewart plans to convert before the McCain/Hagee Rapture.

[rollingdivision]

Well, at least McCain has a good sense of humor.

[April]

McCain has always been a cut up, which endears him to some. But he can't hide his opportunism behind a sense of humor. He is a hard core conservative who pretends.

Humor is an asset.

Take note Obama and bring out your sword of humor.

[sufi66]

Bush appeared to have a sense of humor too. But the dead soldiers and civilian casualties can't laugh anymore.

[stillrockin]

hardee har har

[krocklin]

Yeah singing "bomb iran, bomb iran" to the tune of a Beach Boys song reveals a merry old guy. Yee haw!!!!

[krocklin]

Yeah singing "bomb iran, bomb iran" to the tune of a Beach Boys song reveals a merry old guy. Yee haw!!!! And Bush joked about not finding weapons of mass destruction.

[iBgood]

He totally blew off the question about more people having concern about him and bush than Obama and Wright. He started rambling w/o mentioning it.

[HowietheScreamer]

Probably just forgot it... you know the dimensia thing.

[swift goat pet for truth]

He also danced around the "Bush as Al Qaeda's recruiting tool" question.

Russert, Wolfie,. any of them, would have NEVER asked McCain either question.
They are all just a Corporate Media tools.

[kfdan]

Stewart has the best of both worlds. He can brown nose when he wants and he can slice and dice when he wants. It's great to be a comedian!

[armyman72]

McCain is a tool. I a cheap old broken tool.

[DamnedAngryDem]

Next time Jon Stewart takes the media to task for giving McCain a free pass, he should look in a mirror and point to Public Enemy Number One. Jon, the guy you fell in love with never really existed, don't you understand?

[UkieOlie]

Jon is a comedian. It's a fake news show. He is not the press.
I must admit I can't watch when he has McPain on, or any other outrageous Republican fool.

[stillrockin]

When I tune in to TDS and hear that once again the guest will be a right wing douche bag, I turn the set off.

[axt113]

Jon is not in love with McCain, but he is a comedian, he is not a news guy, and he has skewered McCain more than the MSM has, no he's not their to ask the hardball questions in the interviews

[swift goat pet for truth]

1- This is a COMEDY SHOW.

2- The interview before this one was a little more substantive.

3 - Notice how McCain danced around the Bush-McCain relationship question, and the "Bush as an al Qaeda recruiting tool" question. Clearly, McCain was uncomfortable with both.

[waynesmyer]

But! But! Little Johnny McCain used tohave his own comedy Radio show, it was called "Heres Johnny" and was out of he Hanoi Hilton! Or was that Tokio Rose? Damn , I forget! Dr. Strangelove

[wmbear]

FULL OF TOUGH-GUY TALK...

All phony. But you have to admit that McCain does phony tough-guy talk well. I just hope Americans have had their fill of phony tough-guy talk from George W. Bush.

[frankifrost]

ONLY IF YOU HAVE A DADDY HANG-UP.
I DON''T,
I.E.
HE APPEARS TO BE A BULLY AND A WIMP.

[KingGeorgetheShrub]

McCain also showed he was a good lapdog when John ordered him to sit down and he quickly obeyed.

[elbzee]

LOL Yeah, I noticed that too. Da chimp's trained him well!

[llabranc]

Screw John McSame.

[LoloZ]

Was he wearing a flag pin????????

[43P04T34]

There's nothing funnier than the fact that John McCain is the Republican candidate (and, almost, hillary clinton). It just shows us all how irretrievably broken the political party system is here in the U.S.. Did I say broken? Sorry. I meant to say that it's a completely fabricated sham.

Funny as hell, it is, that anyone thinks the U.S. government is a democracy.

[wmbear]

THIS IS A DISTRIBUTED OLIGARCHY...

Not a Republic and certainly not a democracy. Let's make it one! And, until that happens, let's keep the distributed oligarchy as distributed as possible. An oligarchy is rule by a few powerful people and is, at least, preferable to a dictatorship run by ONE powerful person. A distributed oligarchy is rule by a set of various groups of powerful people, which is what we basically have in the U.S. This is preferable, obviously, to a non-distributed oligarchy of just ONE powerful group. The U.S. was basically founded this way and has continued in this form ever since. The progressive idea behind the development of government and politics is to distribute this power more and more widely until, finally, the distributed oligarchy becomes an actual democracy. One small step at a time....

[lucky54]

That's my dream ... I hope my life is not to short to see the Day.

[sharmdun]

the USA Government is a Rebublic. Always has and always will be.

[lucky54]

I agree the Government is a Republic, but we suppose to have a Democratic election system .... and I am sorry..... but we don't.

[escapee]

They both looked extremely nervous during the interview but I found it hard watching Jon ordering McLame to "SIT DOWN" (twice!). I know Jon was trying to be funny but ...it was just weird.

[ConcernedAboutRFuture]

I thought it was great! Jon is very respectful.... but that was funny!

[Portmanteaux]

Jon's a hoot....for a little guy.

[stillrockin]

yeah, just plain friggin' hilarious.