Tea Party Proponent John O'Hara Spars With Jon Stewart On His New Book 'A New American Tea Party' (VIDEO)

Jon Stewart had author and tea party proponent John O'Hara on "The Daily Show" last night to talk about his new book, "A New American Tea Party." In a two-part interview, Stewart and O'Hara sparred -- generally politely -- on their differing opinions on health care, government intervention, and the rhetoric of the tea party movement.

O'Hara attempted to portray the movement as being much more moderate than it is usually considered to be, calling it "bi-partisan," composed of both Democrats and Republicans. Only 58% of tea party activists are conservatives, he claimed.

Stewart pointed out that the movement, and O'Hara's book, presented "a false choice between tyranny and anarchy," and suggested: "Why not try competent government intervention?" O'Hara seemed generally open to this more moderate stance, claiming that the tea party movement doesn't deny that there can be good government intervention, just that Obama's choices have so far been poor.

The conversation only became slightly less polite when Stewart called O'Hara out for using the term "Obamacare" to talk about the new health care bill. "I don't think it's a slam, it's just a moniker," O'Hara defended, to which Stewart responded: "Why don't I call it the teabagger book? It's not a slam."

WATCH:

Part One

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
John O'Hara Pt. 1
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Part Two

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c
John O'Hara Pt. 2
www.thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Political Humor Tea Party

Comments

[Number 6]

12:11 AM on 04/25/2010

Very interesting interview. This 25 year-old kid is sharp, even if I he is on the wrong side of the political spectrum (my bias). Still, he's reasonable and very articulate - and he listens and actually responds to the other point of view without resorting to hyperbole or slander. If the right had more like this, they would be in far better shape.

[history repeats]

09:34 PM on 04/25/2010

just because somebody is well spoken in a public forum doesnt mean they are sharp. you could see the vague mist of ignorance within his words. if he had more time to truly explain his side he would be just as slow as we suspect he is. most of the tea partiers are conservative in an economic sense? really? lol suuuuuure. and only 58% are republican the rest are independent and democrats? what this REALLY means is the rest are the same independents that voted for bush twice and think palin was a good choice as a vice president until mccain lost., there is a large group of people changing there party affiliation to independent nowadays because they think it gives them objectivity. most of the republicans i know have become "independents" thats why the polls are all backwards. people think independents are pulling away from obama and heading towards the GOP. the fact is alot of republicans are just becoming independents so when the pollster asks what party are you the person whi was a republican 2 years ago now says they are independent, yet they have the same backwards views they had 2 years ago! lol its crazy but true. i noticed this trend months ago when all the lunatics i would debate with that still think bush was not that bad of a president told me they are independent.

[unite4change]

10:19 AM on 04/30/2010

Exactly, repeating GOP talking points does not make you sharp.

[JTW iC]

03:26 PM on 04/29/2010

I think you might be surprised to find that many of us who are against government run healthcare are not racist, hateful, or unreasonable.

Personally, I oppose government run healthcare because I believe that it will lower the quality of medical care available in this country and stifle innovation. I also believe that more Americans will be worse-off because of it. If I really believed that this bill was good for the country, I would support it.

[JennyT]

04:11 AM on 04/30/2010

The recent healthcare legislation that passed is NOT govt run healthcare. So what do you oppose? That insurance companies can no longer deny people with pre-existing conditions?

What kind of healthcare reform provisions would you have liked to see? The only thing Repbublicans ever offered was 'tort reform' and being 'able to buy across state lines'. How come anti-govt run healthcare folks never offer viable alternatives? Its easy to complain. Its hard to work though real solutions. I know - just cut taxes for the wealthy and then we'll all be hunky-dory. And way is spending trillions of tax dollars on the war and military ok, but providing better access to healthcare for our citizenry not ok?

[unite4change]

10:22 AM on 04/30/2010

JTW iC, You just proved, your comprehension level is not up to par. Private insurance will run what you call Obamacare. Again, America is full of people like you who have opinion on things all the time with little or no/wrong information of the subject matter.

[JaCar]

07:47 PM on 04/23/2010

Young Mr. O'hara called "tea bagging: an obscure sexual practice. Son, if you've never had your ba //s s ucked you need to get yourself a catholic girlfriend.

[Number 6]

12:18 AM on 04/25/2010

Did they kick you out of Penthouse forum? Spare us.

[zest]

01:51 PM on 04/23/2010

O'Hara wrote a book the premise of which may or may not be true to make money and get on TV; mission accomplished.

[PWM]

09:57 AM on 04/23/2010

Questions for teabaggers:

1) Do you believe the average white person works harder than the average black person?
2) Do you believe the average white person is more honest than the average black person?
3) Do you believe the average white person is more intelligent than the average back person?

If you answered yes to any of the above, you are a racist and part of the majority of the teaparty movement. If, on the other hand, you voted no to all of the above, then you are part of the minority of the teaparty movement.

[PWM]

09:53 AM on 04/23/2010

"O'Hara attempted to portray the movement as being much more moderate than it is usually considered to be, calling it "bi-partisan," composed of both Democrats and Republicans. Only 58% of tea party activists are conservatives, he claimed."

ROFLMAO. I guess this guy must be a progressive then.

http://was hingtonind ependent.c om/wp-cont ent/upload s/2010/01/ teapartypi c.jpg

[skepticarpenter]

01:08 AM on 04/23/2010

THis is genius on Jon Stewarts part- respectful dialogue and cred given to a young personable representative to the Teabaggers... most teabaggers are republicans... if there is division to occur amoung cannidates , guess what it will be amoung conservative voters for Repubs or tea baggers- splitting the vote= democratic wins!

[emo110]

06:27 PM on 04/22/2010

About 2-3 times Jon asked this kid what he thought the government should do.... no answer, just kept repeating himself "There is a role for Government, the question is what that role should be." Well? What should it be? No affordable healthcare for anyone? A president that is not a Democrat (or black)?

As usual, no real solutions offered, just vague complaints about everthing. Just like the GOP (go figure)...

[SWEETSPOT]

06:24 PM on 04/22/2010

Jon stewart can barely read, so for him to comment on any book is rediculous!

[emo110]

06:30 PM on 04/22/2010

Apparently you have not seen very many episodes of The Daily Show, so for you to comment on Jon Stewart is TRULY ridiculous!

[alguien]

07:36 PM on 04/22/2010

and you base this statement on what? did you just happen to be his 3rd grade teacher or something?

if you're going to cast aspersions like that, you'd better be able to back them up. right now all you've got is meaningless conjecture.

[Ipanemagirl]

06:15 PM on 04/22/2010

Just because this young man looks polished groomed and friendly, is no reason to give him any credit as he is spewing the same nonsence as Fox news..."Nobody wanted the heatlcare reform...there are other ways to do it" , but never mentioned what they were...A wolf is sheeps clothing is what he was! I think Stewart went very easy on him!
Tea BAGGERS send their kids to school, to parks , to libraries , expect to have roads to drive on, firestations, medicare, veterans care, military, transportation, subways, but THEY dont think governemnt should get a penny of your taxes to pay for them..????..well how do you propose they finance all those things ...with air? Every civilized country works on a tax system to provide for its citizens as well as to protect them from abuse. Or are they prepared to live without any of these securities and comforts? They would be wailing and complaining about their poisoned water, poisoned air, poisoned foods, the banks gouging them at every turn and no regulations to stop them....no rules to keep people honest...oh welll.....then may I suggest they go live in Africa , I heard Somalia has no rules or regulations or government help....I think the tea partiers should all move there and experience what they call "Freedom"there!!! Goood riddance!.

[InLosAngeles]

09:36 AM on 04/23/2010

You are wonderfully incoherent, intellectually lazy, generally misinformed, but thoroughly entertaining. You go girl!

[PWM]

09:56 AM on 04/23/2010

She made valid points.

89% of Fox News viewers when polled what the teabagger movement is about responded "Fruitless mix of racism, conspiracy theories". Hit the view results link. http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2010/02/09/think-tea-party-movement/

Tea party racist facts: Approximately 45 % whites either strongly or somewhat approve of the movement. Of those, only 35% believe blacks to be hardworking, only 45 % believe blacks are intelligent, and only 41% think that blacks are trustworthy. Perceptions of Latinos aren't much different. While 50% of white tea party supporters believe Latinos to be hardworking, only 39% think them intelligent, and at 37%, fewer tea party supporters believe Latinos to be trustworthy.
http://uwnews.org/article.asp?articleid=56877

Teabagger photos.
http://was hingtonind ependent.c om/wp-cont ent/upload s/2010/01/ teapartypi c.jpg

http://img .wonkette. com/wp-con tent/uploa ds/2009/09 /racist_te a_party.jp g

http://img .wonkette. com/wp-con tent/uploa ds/2009/07 /obama-rac ist-latest .jpg

[Ipanemagirl]

01:12 PM on 04/24/2010

thank you for insulting me in a nice way. criticism accepted.

[MoRalli]

06:19 PM on 04/27/2010

Africa is a continent, not a country.
There are governments,laws and police to enforce them. The world cup which is one of the biggest events worldwide is being held in 'Africa' in a couple of months.
Somalia is the exception and not the rule and generalizing a whole continent of people as without rules or regulations is, to put it mildly, disturbing.
I hope you will find some time to educate yourself further,it can be very rewarding.

[Ipanemagirl]

05:19 PM on 04/29/2010

I guess MoRall is confusing me with Sarah Palin, who thinks africa is a country. I never said this...maybe you should learn to read first before lecturing people.

[Glowcy]

04:31 PM on 04/22/2010

The reason it is difficult having civil discussion with anti-Obama conservatives is that they used emotional perjorative bumper sticker phrases. They only want to score points.

One point that Jon made during that interview that stands out most for me is that the people running around hollering about tyrany are just angry because they lost the election.

Just like the tea bagging young man with the book, no tea bagger specificially says which federal government components should disappear in order to shrink government.

Youn'un said that tea bagging is an obscure sexual act? I have heard too many ball gargling jokes to believe that the young man is not or was not familiar with the prevalence sexual tea bagging activity. I suspect that a whole lot of people new to the activity started doing it after they first heard about it last year.

[lesleypalmer]

12:11 PM on 04/22/2010

You know, if you can write a sentence, you can write a book!!!! It doesn't have to say anything, it doesn't have to have any facts, and it doesn't have to have any coherence...but you're PUBLISHED...and THAT has to count for something. Sean Hannity "wrote" a book. Glenn Beck "wrote" a book. Goody. Now we have an "author" spouting nonsense. Jon, please don't waste your time on being "fair". These people have their own NETWORK...and they're makin' money hand over fist. Remember, people...it's all about the money and nothing else.

[Devin Tucker]

04:23 AM on 05/05/2010

The fact that he is fair gives him more credibility than most personalities on Fox, MSNBC, and CNN, despite the fact that his is a fake-news show. Those who take themselves too seriously usually are not by anyone else. People who get too angry over politics often lose their perspective, but he doesnt. Unless the media is in his target sights. Then he tends to lose his mind.

[rsprog]

10:05 AM on 04/22/2010

If the tea partiers were really sincere about representing those disenfranchised while having to pay taxes (the historically correct reading of the original tea parties ) why not take up the cause of DC statehood....oh I forgot most the DC residents are black and vote Democrat......never mind.

[Number 6]

12:28 AM on 04/25/2010

Good point.

[InfosolutionWiz]

09:07 AM on 04/22/2010

I am still waiting to see the blacks, independents and Democrats in this group.

[Hoosierbrad]

03:40 PM on 04/22/2010

Don't forget the jews, muslims, Native Americans, hispanics, etc.

[javaJimmy]

12:48 AM on 04/30/2010

and the educated.

[Tatjana Djukanovic]

08:37 AM on 04/22/2010

I will say this again this O"hara kid better live in the REAL world...then he might have some experience and be able to make some political choices.....this young man stikes me as someone who has been spoonfed.....I find it deplorable when politicians and self appointed political experts speak on behalf of policy when they have no first hand knowledge of the consequences or possible benefits...Obama wrote about the audacity of hope and the importance of empathy...perhaps O"Hara should read those books..gain a little humility and go back and learn a few life lessons...Mr. O'Hara you are a little Grasshopper...listen to the Master

[Devin Tucker]

04:29 AM on 05/05/2010

I would just as soon not make the experience argument. That was made during the 2008 campaign about Obama and it didnt hold water. Obama demonstrated a keen grasp and a well-thought out position on all issues, compared to Sarah Palin, who could do little more than regurgitate Frank Luntz' talking points. Both had comparable experience on the national stage, but one had a natural talent for serious policy, and it wasn't Palin. Experience isn't everything. Even old people can be idiots.

[SchmataHari]

08:16 AM on 04/22/2010

That was an actual discussion that could have happened nowhere else than on The Jon Stewart show. Stewart just schooled everyone out there who calls him/herself a journalist. Way to hit the nail on the head with respect, homor, and humanity. Jon set a new bar with this one!

[SchmataHari]

08:18 AM on 04/22/2010

humor, s'cuse the typo.