Jon Stewart Talks Rupert Murdoch: Not Powerful, Just Tool Of Powerful People (VIDEO)

Jon Stewart hosted Michael Wolff, author of Rupert Murdoch bioraphy "The Man Who Owns The News," Tuesday night on "The Daily Show."

Stewart, who has gone toe to toe with Murdoch's Fox News, disputed Wolff's claim that Murdoch "is the most powerful man for the longest period in our era."

"But his power is a power of influence," Stewart said. "He doesn't have bombs."

"I'm not sure!" Wolff snapped back.

"The leaders in power can always find a Rupert," Stewart said, arguing that Murdoch is not uniquely powerful but rather a tool of powerful people.

Stewart also noted that he was struck in reading Wolff's book by Murdoch's lack of any apparent consistent ideological bias. Instead, he observed, Murdoch's singular consistent trait is ambition.

"Can he have me killed?" Stewart asked Wolff of Murdoch.

"The question is," Wolff said, "can he have you canceled?"

Watch:

The Daily Show With Jon StewartM - Th 11p / 10c

Michael Wolff

Barack Obama Interview
John McCain Interview

Sarah Palin Video
Funny Election Video

Comments

[johnnyjust]

Jon, still trying to compensate.

[dadw5boys]

If your trying to be silly you have accomplished your goal.

[lighthorseharry]

The editorial policy of the Huffington Post on management of posts by readers is very much like China.

[Hirnlego]

In the beginning there was no screening...thats better than what it is now..

[dadw5boys]

Like China ?

China would have to raise it's standards.

[hardrain77]

So true.

Old men and all power are all too common.

Power in the world probably starts with the wealthy international banking families like the Rockefeller's and the Rothschild's (the real power in the world). Everyone else behind them is a bottom feeding, dime a dozen bastard of ambtion, connections and luck.

[thecanadian]

Love you Jon!

[cordillera]

Jon Stewart lost me... made an incredibly offensive joke about Palestinian children - the day after the massacre at the UN school. And Olbermann and Maddow - apparently no one has told them that there is a war in the Middle East. They thought it was cute to talk about White House rugs and whatever Bill O'Reilly did or did not say. What's up with that?

[SeanONe]

You're not bright enough to understand the humour yet you feel you can criticise it. What's up with that?

[mjschatham]

Its so obvious with all the Hot News Bunnies on Fox...and the cleavage and leg shots. Rupert wants to be Hugh Hefner. I guess they just can't find him a good bathrobe.

[RevSpaminator]

"The leaders in power can always find a Rupert,"

I think Stewart was right. 100 years ago the name was Hearst. Empires like that come and go.

[smag]

Murdoch and Soros have money and that is the power in this culture. Could he have someone killed is a comical and stupid question. Why would he worry about someone like Stewart or anyone else but Murdoch. These posts are amusing but concern Murchdoch as much as leaf falling to the ground. Why should he care?

[jcollell]

Emperor Palpatine is the biggest tool in the shed.

http://www.youspar.com/

[smag]

jcollell; you are so pathetic. Your life must be so empty that you have to transfer your hate and misery to someone else because you have always been held down and a looser and it couldn't be your fault because you are so successful and unappreciated. I pity you.

[XME]

Well, Murdoch is definitely a tool!

[jdmba]

I'd rather just read the cliffnotes on Murdoch...But I am curious as to why the Tool had to come destroy our free exchange of information in the US and not just stay in Australia...

[Tulka2]

Money, Honey. Money and Power. No one talks about his kids much. A couple of them are way scary.

[raptor]

He's a tax fugitive.

[SENATORCALLENBOWE]

THE BEST WAY 2 MAKE UNBREAKABLE CONNECTIONS :)p

[weatherwaxx]

I want to see JON STEWART in Hillary Clinton's Senate seat.

Wit, intelligence, and he's concerned about the world his kid will grow up in... I'd vote for him over any of the candidates proposed so far.

[Praedor]

Stewart's question was wrong ("Can he have me killed?"). Of COURSE Murdoch could have Stewart killed. He has loads of money and that is all it takes: pay the right people money and they will do the deed. Hell's bells, even virtual trailer trash people can get someone to kill for even relatively small amounts of money.

Wolff had the better measure: Can Murdoch have Stewart canceled? No. He cannot. Murdoch doesn't have that kind of power and the mere attempt to actually get Stewart canceled would increase Stewart's stature and ratings.

So Stewart is mostly right: Murdoch is not all that powerful...except that it is relatively easy to influence the American idiot public by pushing propaganda as news with volume and repetition.

[weatherwaxx]

No, killed is worse than cancelled - you can't get a new show.

[Snwbnny9]

I agree with Jon, Rupert Murdoch is a tool =)

[coyote4]

Jon Stewart: you own it, man! We love you!

[gayla7]

I totally agree!