Jon Stewart Mocks Ames Straw Poll Entertainment Circus (VIDEO)

WATCH: Jon Stewart Mocks Ames Straw Poll Circus

With the Republican presidential debate Thursday night in Ames, Iowa, the country's attention is now pointed at the quadrennial straw poll event taking place this weekend. On Saturday GOP presidential hopefuls such as Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty and Rick Santorum will set up tents and charm potential voters with petting zoos, musical performances, peach jelly and deep-fried butter logs with the hopes of identifying a clear front-runner before the winter caucuses.

Now if that's not ripe for comedy, we don't know what is.

On Thursday night's "Daily Show," Jon Stewart had a field day mocking what he calls, "some good old-fashioned, down-home, country vote buyin'" taking place in America's heartland this weekend. In the first segment below he previews what all the candidates have planned inside their air-conditioned tents. As it turns out, many have high-profile musical guests like country singer Randy Travis. But three candidates (yes, three) have booked none other than Mike Huckabee and his band to provide the entertainment -- Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain and Rick Santorum.

"It's not a great sign for you when your musical entertainment could probably do better than you in a straw poll in Iowa," Stewart joked.

It was also worth noting that Sarah Palin is bringing her One Nation bus tour to Iowa during the straw poll event, even though she is not on the ballot nor is she a declared candidate in the 2012 election. Watch the second segment below to see how Jon Stewart's "Best F***in' News Team" gets sucked into each of the candidates' tents and, ultimately, into Palin's attention-seeking vortex.

WATCH:

Popular in the Community

Close

What's Hot