Jon Stewart, Lou Dobbs Discuss CNN, Argue Over Health Care Reform (VIDEO)

The Daily Show's Jon Stewart welcomed former CNN anchor Lou Dobbs with a Mariachi band because... why not? Over a long interview, only portions of which aired, Stewart and Dobbs discussed the newsman's decision to quit on the air... or not quit on the air... or come to some sort of mutual understanding tied up in contracts that dissolved the relationship between CNN and the controversial anchor. Dobbs basically offered that CNN "wanted to move in another direction," to which Stewart replied, "I see the direction they're going in, I believe it's called down."

Then, praising Dobbs for having "abhorrent and wrong" views that are nevertheless "consistent," Stewart pressed Dobbs on the issues he invoked in his "I'm quitting, in some contractual fashion" speech: "The issue seems to be -- and you allude to it in your resignation speech -- that the winds of change are blowing this country -- people have, apparently, lost their minds. there seems to be a panic that we have lost the fabric of our society and I'm having trouble getting a handle on what has happened that is so drastic that people would think it's tyranny or fascism or Hitler-esque."

Dobbs noted that "what has happened" goes back to previous administrations, and that the Bush administration fostered a great "indifference" to the way policy impacted the lives of Americans. Which strikes me as, uhm... suddenly very generalist! Stewart basically countered by saying that it seems to be the coming of the Obama administration that has set everyone's "hair on fire." Dobbs cited the "Obama health care legislation" as something that's uniquely scaring people about the current administration with the prospect of fundamental change.

Stewart countered by pointing out that there's really no such thing as "Obama health care legislation" ("Obama hasn't really said anything," Stewart said, "to his discredit."), adding, "We're not a fragile country. This idea that somehow getting a health care plan through takes us back to the days pre-revolution is bunk. There's a fear out there that seems irrational." Stewart contended that individuals like David Addington, architect of the unitary executive and the torture policy in the previous administration, represented to him a more frightening agent of change than an administration that seems to, essentially, want to "expand Medicare."

Dobbs allowed that he thought that "part of that fear is simply catching up with the events of some years ago." Stewart observed, "Why do they always catch up to the fears during the Democratic administrations? It feels like all the people that want limited government really just want government limited to Republicans."

WATCH:

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

The Daily Show has made extended versions of the interview available.

PART TWO: Dobbs raises a good point about the lack of priority on ending the unemployment crisis, but insists that the current state of play -- where one party controls the legislature and the White House -- doesn't allow any avenue for the "expression of frustration." Stewart counters by pointing out that elections are the avenue for this expression, and that people are confusing "losing an election" with tyranny.

Dobbs goes on to discuss at length his contention that government is best led from the center, and that the past two administrations are scaring the center. Stewart's contention is that the crazy anger spilling out into the street isn't centrist, noting the lack of angry protesters carrying signs that read "Be reasonable!"

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 2
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

PART THREE:

In this final part, Dobbs and Stewart wind down their discussion, with Dobbs continuing to press for a return to centrism, and insist that the nation is in a "delicate" state. Stewart won't sign on to the idea that the nation is somehow fragile. "It's trumped-up fear that's being used as a wedge."

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
Exclusive - Lou Dobbs Extended Interview Pt. 3
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Health Care Crisis

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Comments

[naynay7]

07:13 PM on 11/21/2009

Kudos Stewart! And you call yourself a comedian? There is nothing funny about the brilliant way you handled Dobbs.

Now that's what you call an interview.
Great job in deed!!!

[NotMcCain]

05:08 PM on 11/21/2009

Stewart is wrong about CNN.

Jonathan Klein should be PRAISED (and thanked!) for getting rid of this bombastic hate-monge­r. (The sneering dislike, even outright contempt, he has for the President of the United States, has no place on a news program).

$8 million to get rid of him, but WORTH IT. And Klein's goal of CNN being a source of "bias and opinion-fr­ee" news should be applauded, not mocked. I don't know why Stewart didn't "get" it (or why he felt it necessary to suck up to Dobbs).


Anyway, "Thank you", Jonathan Klein. I hope you'll make CNN the opinion-fr­ee news delivery (hopefully a broader SPECTRUM of news--like­, you know, about the rest of the world. And the U.S.. west of the Rockies). And then add great "Opinion/J­ournalism" shows on the weekends like Zakaria's and Amanpour's­.

That's a cable news model that I'd love to see. CNN has the resources-­-and apparently­, now, the committmen­t--to make it work.

[Abner Dwight]

11:51 PM on 01/15/2010

I think Stewart was just in the jest of sarcasm when he said that... Yes, i am with you, thank goodness they got rid of opinion people.

[Tim Janssen]

12:22 PM on 11/21/2009

The Lou Dobbs way -- pretend that the voice of extremism is speaking for everyone. Thanks, Jon Stewart for putting this side-windi­ng b.s.'er to shame.

[InfosolutionWiz]

12:10 PM on 12/16/2009

EXACTLY!!

[Dbos]

11:55 PM on 11/20/2009

Jon Stewart= the best answers for BS ever,he will not let them get away with cloudy BS lies

[mabik3]

02:59 PM on 11/20/2009

I love how Jon steward finished the interview he is a genius

[Artos]

01:33 PM on 11/20/2009

It' funny how Dobbs keeps harping on this idea of Centrism. His Commentari­es were never Centrist and he even makes the point with Stewart that he isn't about being "Neutral". That his shows should reflect his views, which certainly aren't Centrist. Doesn't this really speak volumes about who he really is. There is nothing at all Centrist in his views or in what he would like to see as a form of Government­. He like so many of his ilk typically speak from both sides of his mouth.

[Dbos]

09:25 AM on 11/21/2009

agree

[RogerHWerner]

04:12 PM on 11/21/2009

For 30yrs I've watched Dobbs, who was an interestin­g business newsman. His positions were always probusines­s and centrist but he never manifested false popularism­. If you listened to Dobbs/Stew­art, then verify them, we find that he was not welcome at the White House under Bush and Obama. Perhaps this illustrate­s Dobbs' true nature: He's an opportunis­t willing to annoy those on the right and left...pro­viding his show sells. It follows that whatever Dobbs says may not reflect his personal beliefs. The things Dobbs has said since he acquiring 'anchorman­' status have surprised me because they don't sound like the 'old Dobbs'. His recent show was loathsome and I don't support his ideas. Regarding the present interview, it might be better if we ignore the messenger and listen to the message because some of what is said makes sense. Somewhere between Stewart's and Dobbs' views lie our political reality. The US works best when governed from the center. Dobbs fails to recognize that for 38yrs, our politics has moved far to the right and what he perceives as left is not the left at all but the old center, which is where we need to be politicall­y. Watch Obama and in my opinion, he is trying to move the country to the center.

[ResoluteBob]

01:32 PM on 11/20/2009

It would be convenient and pleasant for much of the readership here if Lou Dobbs only found
fault with the Bush administra­tion (because he did, constantly­) and none with the Obama administra­tion, but that will never happen. The Financial Services Industry is being coddled (because they have made such enormous campaign contributi­ons to BOTH parties and Obama), and real, needed reform for that sector is far off in the distance. Meanwhile, Healthcare Reform, although badly needed, would be paid for with MORE DEBT. This feeds in nicely to the 'Tax and Spend' anti-Democ­rat propaganda­--and unfortunat­ely many Americans have convenient­ly forgotten that the greatest amount of excessive spending and inappropri­ate tax cuts were made under BUSH.

Stewart seems angry that now, when Democrats have a majority and some opportunit­y to make positive socio-econ­omic changes, the PIGGY BANK IS EMPTY. This does indeed make the county more fragile than ever before. If the real, hard choices are not made (Military Forces out of Iraq/Afgha­nistan, Financial Services Industry reform, Higher Federal Tax Rates) NOW, the CHANGE promised by Obama will profoundly FAIL.

[foolsage]

03:20 PM on 11/20/2009

Maybe if you watch that clip again, you'll come to a different conclusion­.

Jon's not angry; he's puzzled by the fact that, while Dubya was in office, there wasn't the kind of fear-monge­ring and hysteria that arose as soon as Obama took office. The far left didn't approve of Bush, just as the far right doesn't approve of Obama... but the two groups used very very different tactics.

Sure, people are more upset in general now because there's a recession on. Sure, that catalyzes a lot of this fear and hysteria. But the far-right demagogues are trying to stir up revolution­ary fervor in a way that the far left didn't even approach or apparently consider during Dubya's terms.

You're right though; the federal government needs to drasticall­y revise its spending habits and (sadly) taxation policies if we're going to pull through this. The US government had a budget surplus under Clinton, which was turned into a massive deficit under Dubya's mismanagem­ent, and we're in deep water now.

[Dbos]

09:30 AM on 11/21/2009

Millions for wars and other countries but when we spend on USA were going to break the bank,typic­al repug propaganda­.

[PrimusElijah]

12:52 PM on 11/20/2009

The question Sewart, should have asked Dobbs, is "why does he hate Obama?". It started much earlier on, than many realized. It's hard to find out there in the webosphere­, but here's the gem from spring 2008 that sheds some insight.

http://www­.noquarter­usa.net/bl­og/2008/05­/27/lou-do­bbs-has-de­clared-war­-on-barack­-obama/

I was watching Dobbs' show on CNN when this visceral reaction from Dobbs occured. I don't know why it is so hard to get the actual footage, but I think it's relevant to what Dobbs has become. For the record, though Dobbs says he doesn't want every illegal citizen taken to jail and extradited­; he does say they should punished in the fullest extent of the law, which would mean arrested and deported. Therefore Obama was not lying, but that didn't stop Dobbs from going off. This is personal, and Lou Dobbs is a petty man.

[essbird]

01:17 PM on 11/20/2009

That whole scary website is about war on Obama.

[PrimusElijah]

02:35 PM on 11/20/2009

I think the link is no longer working to the audio version. In it you hear what sounds like pure disdain, almost bordering on hatred, coming from Lou Dobbs. I was attempting to make the point that Dobbs has harbored these feelings for Obama, well before the election, and to expose the pettiness that is behind much of his "activist" journalism­.

[Walcraeb]

12:43 PM on 11/20/2009

What Dobbs and the people he is apologizin­g for don't seem to realize that the "far left" turn he's accusing the government of risking taking will merely draw us back into the middle.

Things have gone so far right for so long, that we need a hard left turn in order to be back in the middle of the road.

Lies like this really risk libel.

[stop the politics]

12:59 PM on 11/20/2009

Overall, the country has not gone right, let alone "so far right for so long". Generally, the country has become more and more liberal over time.

[Artos]

01:35 PM on 11/20/2009

You wouldn't know it from the last eight years.

[bobbyperu]

02:41 PM on 11/20/2009

I would guess that the Garmin GPS unit was invented especially for people like you.

[marka]

12:07 PM on 11/20/2009

There is something wrong when Jon Stewart does better interviews than the supposed experts in the field. They need to look on and learn.

[Pagoas]

11:51 AM on 11/20/2009

watching lou is about as like sitting on a whoopee cushion. makes you embarrasse­d and pissed off at the same time.

[jonjon66]

11:03 AM on 11/20/2009

bye bye.

[vintagefunk]

11:01 AM on 11/20/2009

Wow. Respectful refutation of all Dobbs' fear mongering. Well done, Stewart.

[jcwtts1]

10:55 AM on 11/20/2009

Why the heck is the best interview on TV on Comedy Central. It is mind boggling.

J

[nomobull]

01:00 PM on 11/20/2009

because people go into the interview thinking he's just a comedian and therefore their guard is down. they don't realize how smart he is until it's too late. they assume he's just gonna make wise cracks that no one will take seriously but unfortunat­ely for them he is well read and does his homework. and they don't know the difference between satire and stand up.

[BoVandy]

03:19 PM on 11/20/2009

It's been 10 years, I don't think anyone is really underestim­ating his abilities anymore

[goto1000]

10:48 AM on 11/20/2009

He should have tackled Dobbs on the incrementa­lism issue. Dobbs claimed to advocate for the middle class, in particular against the corporatio­ns. He went after corporatio­ns for years. Effective health care reform (nothing of the sort is currently on the table) would have neutered some of the most predatory and evil corporatio­ns currently in existence. Dobbs should be all for, meaningful and radical health care reform. His position on this is not consistent­. As an independen­t, he is free to criticise from wherever he chooses on an issue. On health care, he should be criticisin­g Obama FROM THE LEFT. He makes NO SENSE WHATSOEVER­. He is the smooth face of

"we're mad as hell and we're not going to make sense any more"

JS had it right. A curmudgeon­.

[timetorevolt]

11:53 AM on 11/20/2009

fanned!!!

You're so right about Dobbs not making sense any more.. I watched his show when he was concentrat­ing on corporatio­ns outsourcin­g jobs. It still amazes me how he made a 360 and started blaming Mexican immigrants for accepting jobs that are being given to them by these same corporatio­ns. I think the corporatio­ns bought him...

Happy CNN canned him..