Late Night Jokes Of The Week: MSNBC Bias, Bush Transition, Black Voters, And Weed Smells

This week in the best of late night videos, Jay Leno jokes about MSNBC's political bias, Conan O'Brien discusses the transition from President Bush to President Obama, Jon Stewart looks at black voters and Prop 8, Jimmy Kimmel shows a report of the smells at the Obama celebration, Stephen Colbert laughs at a Pervian shaman ceremony meant to influence the U.S. election, and David Letterman brings more "Great Moments in Presidential Speeches," a feature whose days are surely numbered.

Watch:

Comments

[burpgun]

A lesson in Polarization for both the LGBT and the Religous far Right-The more you push an agenda on others, the more they will push back. This is known as Counterproductive and will not produce the desired results. You need to change both your rigid stance and your methods if you wish to suceed!

[Matt7]

In a nutshell.

[Adrienne Williams - Huffpost Blogger]

Oh, so sad Bush. On the the topic of the LGBT community, this sadly is a fact. The black community and other minorities had a huge part in discriminating the rights of the LGBT to marry. This is no different then when black and white people could not married in the 1950's!! Wake up and let the LGBT community have rights!

A sad day in human rights!

[rw97]

MSNBC rules! Conan O'Brien ... yawn

[TheHandyman]

Once again, people continue to fail to see the point and instead take it for something other than what it is. A very large portion of the black, and hispanic community, along with a smaller percentage of the asian community voted their religion and not their experience. Without their vote, this meaasure would not have passed. It is not any more unfair to blame these people for votingthe way they did than it was for Whites to be blamed for passing the propostion that would have denied illegal or presumed illegal immigrants and their children any state benefits. Whites were pointed at as being racists and rightfully so. It would seem that people who have experienced centuries of discrimination would not be so quick to discriminate against others, but that is what humans do more often than not. In this case it is the power of religion at work. Religion fueld the belief that children would be forced to leaqrn homosexuality thereby turning them in to homosexuals. The truth, that being Homosexual is genetically induced, is not part of religion's rhetoric because they don't believe in science. Remember when the Catholic Church finally admitted that Galileo was right? Wow, was that ever earth shattering. Christians would rather believe a 5,000 year old poorly written collection of morality tales than modern science. Except when they go to the Doctor of course.

So what if minority people vote their ignorance? How is that any different than Whites voting their ignorance?

[Miande]

Considering that no society for millenia has condoned homosexual marriage until very recently, it takes considerable nerve to get on the high horse and issue lectures about "ignorance." But let's ignore that. To win gay marriage will take political education and grass-roots organizing. High-handed lectures and moral one-upsmanship will dleay progress, not advance it. And speaking as a member of one of those "ignorant" minority groups, handyman: Up yours.

[RobHughey]

That is false.. false.. FALSE. Same-sex unions have ALWAYS existed. The only times they have been outlawed have been when Christianity has dictated otherwise, but for many nations the unions were only outlawed for a matter of a couple of centuries before being overturned. Civilizations far older than ours in the West have realized gay people have always been around and we're not going anywhere. Taking away our relationship rights doesn't make us go away.

And PS: Ending your argument with "Up yours" kind of takes away any right you have to a civil discussion. You're only proving the point.

[LadyAurora]

A lot of cultures that do not practice an Abrahamic religion, don't see gays as being wrong or evil - they see them as special or touched by the gods (Native American's come to mind - i.e. Little Big Man with Dustin Hoffman).

All of those who practice the Abrahamic faiths believe that their religious books are the complete truth from start to finish. So if the book says something is wrong - it's wrong and they don't research any further or even think for themselves. But their problem is they say the believe everything in the book, i.e. Bible (I'm not familiar w/the Koran), but only use those bits that fit their narrow belief's and ignore the rest. There is a book of the Bible that states that man should not lie down with man as he does with woman, but it also says that you should stone your kids if they talk back to you - now how many good Christains are doing that!?

This shows the reason why sometimes religion can be harmful to basic personal rights.

Can someone answer me this question (which is never brought up when this is discussed on the news, etc.) - What is the difference between "Marriage" and "Civil Union"?

And a question to those opposed to gay marriage - what harm does a gay couple getting hitched do to your own union? How exactly does it affect your union in such a way that you feel you need to condem

[Ddorsey]

I was at that party in Century City Plaza, and there really was weed in the air...

[StephenJK]

Hopefully there will be a lot more in the air in the very near future. LEGALLY.

[Stud99]

Is Letterman older than McCain, he looks like it.

[roch20]

Seriously, this country really got what they asked for from the day George W. Bush was elected, how dumb was that, God, this country is dumb, thank to democrats like myself (and a very small part of the republican people) for FINALLY voting for a SMART MAN (Barack Obama) for PRESIDENT, yet we're going to live with those memories of the last 8 years commanded by the DUMBEST President in history...!!!

[reno1190]

ELECTED? WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN MORE LIKE SELECTED & STOLEN

[DebbieinPhx]

Repeat after me... President Obama, President Obama, President Obama, President Obama, President Obama, President Obama, President Obama, President Obama.... the antidote to all of the pain, suffering and humiliation we as a nation have endured over the last eight years!

[foxbat]

Each night, Letterman's Great Moments In Presidential Speeches were always funny until you realized that this was our president and that those clips were available for consumption around the world in their official context before Letterman turned them into humor. It's with mixed feelings that they'll be retired in a couple of months.

[zanzig]

Indeed those clips were available to us in all their glory in the full original context on daily news every night especially from 2001 to 2006, but there was a particular piquancy in knowing that (given the state of American mainstream news) we in Australia were probably seeing and hearing more of your President than you were. America was protected from seeing and hearing the true awfulness of that man, until Letterman started putting him on show, and what a public service that has been for you.

[jazzjunkie]

I agree with zanzig. The rest of us are going to miss lolBush. *sniff*

[reno1190]

NOT TRUE TWO WAYS TO GET IT GOOGLE GWB GAFFES OR YOU TUBE ALSO ON RANDI RHODES SITE

[hilary916]

I'm so glad he'll be gone soon. Wish I could help him pack.

[goldnchyl]

Leave it to the rethugs to create division by blaming AA for the passing of Prop 8. Unfortunately, the main blame here, lies within the church.

[kellygrrrl]

yup yup!
while we're busy taking the Country back -- maybe we can take back Christianity

[DebbieinPhx]

hmmmm, Christianity? Maybe...well, sort of... wanna know who was behind Prop 8 in Cali and prop 102 in AZ (different states, same cr@ppy laws)? The Mormon Church. ding!

[Larkinvos]

Take BACK Christianity?
That's assuming we want it.

[AnalyzeIT]

Palin Blamed by the US Secret Service for Death Threats Against Barack Obama:

A must read.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/uselection2008/sarahpalin/3405336/Sarah-Palin-blamed-by-the-US-Secret-Service-for-death-threats-against-Barack-Obama.html

[DebbieinPhx]

wow... thanks for that link. I think everyone suspected as much... I certainly did. She is vile, hateful and has NO business representing America in any form or fashion from a political stage.... yikes. How can be people get so twisted?

[Tunghoy]

This is exactly what happened in Israel in 1995. While Prime Minister Rabin was negotiating a final peace settlement, right-wingers vilified him and accused *him* of befriending terrorists. It's a small country and security wasn't very high, so a religious fanatic was able to assassinate him.

The right-wing opposition didn't pull the trigger, but they set the tone and environment that made it possible.

[ObamaEdwards]

My fave line this week: Rachel Maddow paraphrased Sarah Palin characterizing media as a "stinking apple basket." Bwa-ha-ha-ha!

[kellygrrrl]

Rachel Maddow is the new voice of journalism
God Bless Intelligence

[txfriend]

Let;s be CLEAR, Prop 8 was placed on the block because of Evangelicals and the GOP. Many people of ALL Colors voted for Prop 8. The African American vote did not bring Prop 8 over the top, they were not the deciding margin. That said I think it's fair to look at the voting percentages to see where education needs to be targeted. As I see it, Latinos need to address these issues as well; although I have seen Latino immigrants do some amazing coalition work with all groups including gay and lesbian communities. I have less hope for conservative whites. As I said before, I would like to see the Obama adminstration educate and expect, educate and expect, educate and expect. This of course needs to be our Mantra as well. And to the poster who said:

"Add in an additional challenge, which is that people with gay identities are not visually distinct from the broader population, whereas AAs have been visually distinct from the majority, and people interpret this to mean that the gay demographic is not that substantial"

Are you serious? Why do you think Gay youth get picked on? Why do you think gays get harrased? People can tell their gay and they take out their biggoted agression on them, it's no secret. Sure someone can say, why don't you dress or act to hide your mannerisim or gender, but why should they?

[ObamaEdwards]

My experience with my family, the branch still living in middle class suburbia in a red state, is that they fear everybody who isn't just like them because they have no contact with anyone else, as far as they know. The problem with white middle class straight America is the same as always: it's STILL too isolated. When you meet people and know them, you discover that some people are good, a few are bad, and its does not break down along racial or religious or gender or sexual orientation lines. This is the overriding problem with the Republican Party today, too: they don't have enough contact with people who are not straight middle class white Christians. Mingle, people! Get to know your neighbors. You will find that they perfectly nice people, like you.

[cranberrykayla]

Regardless of who initiated Prop 8, the majority of white voters in California voted against it, while the majority of Latinos and vast majority of blacks voted for it.

[kellygrrrl]

trust me when I tell you, we will overturn Prop 8
This is the Human Rights / Civil Rights issue of our generation.

[Buj]

Forgive me if i am wrong.

Shouldn't the onus be on gays and lesbians to show, prove or do whatever they can to ease the fear the great majority of people have of them. Rather than "force" people to accept them by citing constitutional rights so on and so forth, why don't they assimilate further yet slowly and gently into society by educating the public.

They cannot expect the majority to accept them just because they are different. They need to show that they have more in common with straight people except for their sexual preferences.

[Eriq]

Buj,
We forgive you.
You are wrong.

[Jaxy]

First of all, the notion that one chooses one's sexual preference (otherwise stated as an "orientation") is questionable. Sounds like it might be an immutable characteristic.

Secondly, what do you mean by saying that gays and lesbians should "show, prove or do whatever they can to ease the fear the great majority of people have of them." Exactly how do you possibly do that?

What other segments of the population would you suggest should meet this seemingly-unreachable standard before we acknowledge their right to some basic privileges?

[pfrogger]

Maybe Buj has a point.
"Shouldn't the onus be on gays and lesbians to show, prove ..." First of all, excellent use of the word onus. Secondly, maybe "they" should show or prove that we shouldn't be afraid of them - I'm fairly certain the constitution says that to be treated equally one should have to show or prove that straight people shouldn't be afraid of "them". Hell, African Americans had to "prove" and "show" we didn't have to be afraid of them. That's why they "agreed" to slavery. And black people "assimilate further yet slowly and gently into society" by "agreeing" to segregation. And then when we felt more comfortable, they "agreed" to be free. It only took hundreds of years, but they "showed and proved" they weren't as scary as we thought - now that's progress.
Maybe that's the gay agenda - "force" us to treat them as equals by citing, of all things, the constitution - those bastards, is there anything "they" won't try to pull. Everyone knows the constitution is for show - the wishes of the majority, even if unconstitutional, is the way it works in America, right?
I thought "the gays" just wanted equality and to be treated like human beings. Now they want us to accept them as well. What next a law requiring a mandatory hug and a Care Bear good will party. Damn those "gays" want everything - that's not fair. Well I like Buj will not let it happen. Who's

[wildervine]

Good gracious, what else do they have to do??? The vast majority of gays are already responsible citizens- good neighbors, astute business people, leaders, tax payers, church goers, everyday people. They've been "gently trying to educate the public" for some time now- I think it is the "public" who needs to get up to speed. And BTW, I'm a married, hetero woman, so my personal inclinations have nothing to do with my feelings on this- it's only I find your argument unjust and prejudiced to the nth degree. "Geez, if *only* those gay people would stop being so outlandish and act like the rest of us..." Aren't they all ready doing that with the small difference of sexual preference?

[TheHandyman]

I don't suppose that you've ever read the Declaration of Independence , the Preamble to and the Constitution, have you? These 3 documents state that all humans have inalienable rights. Not just those mentioned but rights that the founders of this country couldn't forsee. They stated that since the power belonged with the People, not the Government, that the Government would have to prove that the People didn't have the rights, not the other way around. Gays don't have to prove a damn thing! Especially to willfully ignorant group of people who believe in a silly thing. Christians want to have it both ways. They want to be protected from discrimination while they themselves discriminate. Remove their tax exempt staus. Let them pay their fair share like every other business!

[P3]

God is always on the side of the oppressed.

For those who are tender and still hold the Love of God in their heart,
please remember there are two sides in religious views:

1. As you know the "religious right" believes in physical righteousness.

2. Those that have and show Love to thier neighbor, the poor and oppressed.

Since God =Love what does physical righteousness+hate get you

[Audrey85]

Hate is hate and the only Judge is Jesus Christ! Judge lest ye be judged!

[IgIzBliss]

uh, isn't that "judge NOT lest ye be judged"?

[Diogenis]

yep

[JGC1010]

Or is it judge NOT lest you be NOT judged?

[tasukibeth1]

Oy, how many times must I repeat myself.

Prop 8 won because the state was so oversaturated with "Yes" commercials, signs, and bumper stickers that the average "I-don't-follow-propositions" voter probably voted Yes because they didn't know any better.

The blame has nothing to do with color, it has to do with how many people actually follow ballot measures. When you were voting for the first time, were you REALLY pouring over propositions, losing sleep over their nuances? Did you give a crap about stuff that didn't think effected you?

That's why prop 8 passed. Many voters were ignorant, and we weren't mobilized enough to educate them before it was too late.

[RaineyDay5]

I think you're absolutely right....

[kellygrrrl]

honestly, we really didn't see them coming.
They crossed the border in the dark of night and brought $30 million with the Army.

We in CA just take our Live-and-let-Live mentality for granted and were caught off-guard.

We will FIX this! This is the Civil / Human Rights issue of our generation.

[PatForObama]

I agree with everything except your last sentence, kellygrrrl.

The biggest civil and human rights issue of our time is equal pay for equal work. Women still only earn about 70% of what men do for the same job.

Even where I currently am, in so-called socialist Sweden, the number is about 77%. There are civil unions here, by the way, for gay people.

This is a worldwide problem, The Equal Rights Amendment got killed in 1982 and, despite being proposed regularly, never rose again. Why? Could it be because patriarchal societies ruled by conservative white men want to keep the power, and money is power??

Just as with the election, I think we need to focus first on the issues that will benefit the largest segments of society. And give them the power. Women represent about 52% of the population while gays comprise about 10%, and one can assume that 50% of them are women.

This is the time, and Obama is the president, under whom a new, re-tooled ERA initiative could pass. That is what should be on the ballots, while the mood is ripe for change. With an amendment in place that guarantees that no one can be discriminated on the basis of sex, gay marriage could be a shoe-in.

[TidalShadow]

Although I agree with you, I must take some offense to the idea that first time voters don't pay attention to propositions. I know a number of people who do pay attention to ballot measures, and were first time voters in this election. Although none of them would qualify as an average first time voter, I must still disagree with the comment.