Jon Stewart Breaks Down Rick Santorum's Gay Marriage Analogies (VIDEO)

Jon Stewart took a break from his Indecision 2012 coverage to address one GOP hopeful's argument against gay marriage and our current President's failure to defend it.

It's no secret that former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum is anti-gay marriage and therefore a fan of the "Defense Of Marriage Act" that Bill Clinton signed into law in 1996 saying marriages are male/female only.

Still, while promoting himself in the year before the election Santorum's been using some pretty bizarre analogies to explain his stance. Namely, that marriage is like a napkin, not a paper towel, and you can't call it a paper towel because "it is what it is." He also said the same thing about water -- that you can call it "beer" all you want but it will always be water. That one especially stuck out to Stewart:

"Yes Senator! As a Christian, you want to base your argument against gay marriage on the idea that water could never be turned into an alcoholic beverage."

Watch the full clip below to hear how not just Santorum but President Obama plays a role in gays' struggles to wed by saying the Department of Justice should stop defending DOMA while he himself enforces it.

WATCH:

International users can watch here

Comments

[tcny]

11:01 AM on 08/20/2011

Sorry Jon, but you got this one wrong -- the President is constitutionally bound by his oath of office to enforce DOMA, as long as it remains law. Not to do so would be, in fact, an impeachable offense. Not defending it's constitutionality in court, however, is within his power.

It would be helpful if President Obama would point this out, that as regrettable as it is, federal agencies have no choice but to enforce it until congress acts or the courts strike it down.

[mollymom]

08:13 AM on 08/20/2011

Am I the only one who thinks we might be better off if our comedians became our politicians and our politicians switched to comedy? I think the GOP candidates are pretty funny and I don't think they are even trying. I would happily vote for Jon Stewart for President!

[davio72]

02:54 AM on 08/21/2011

could he have Bill Maher as vice president? I would vote for that ticket in a heartbeat.

[mollymom]

07:46 AM on 08/21/2011

As long as we can also find a place in the administration for Stephen Colbert, I'm in. Sad but each of these guys alone probably has more IQ points than the entire GOP field all together.

[marjorieandsue]

11:05 AM on 08/19/2011

I dont understand everyones assertion that Stewart's ridicule was aimed at Santorum. Everyone knows jon is a straight marriage only believer and his attempt to claim water can be changed into wine only infuriates me. He is saying that water has always been water and would necessarily have to change to be something else. IE: not homosexual from the onset but becomes homosexual or chooses to change. Thanks Jon, why dont you just change me back, Another miracle i suppose

[TBJ]

01:47 PM on 08/19/2011

Is this sarcasm? If it is, it's poorly executed, but better that you actually being serious.

[marjorieandsue]

03:08 PM on 08/19/2011

Sar-chasm - the gap between my point and your ability to understand it.

[Sam Engwall]

01:56 PM on 08/19/2011

Um no. I don't think you understood his point. Santorum said his glass of water would never turn into anything else. Stewart pointed out that Christians believe Jesus turned water into wine. It has nothing to do with homosexuality being a choice.

[cliffhammond]

03:52 AM on 08/19/2011

Now you can call this fist covered with Santorum a glass of spooge if you want; but the truth is that it is what it is.

[TheEnergyDD2]

01:33 AM on 08/19/2011

I cannot believe he really said that... People voted for this man?

I don't know why they can't come up with a working budget, Your Honor...

[peanutbutterjelly]

11:37 PM on 08/18/2011

Utterly infuriating. Just please google the definition of Santorum.

[Asuigeneris1]

01:09 AM on 08/19/2011

...well the definition is an Urban Dict type definition, so it's credence is not worldwide.

It fits him though. ; P

[Aaron Schroeder]

02:14 AM on 08/19/2011

I'm sorry, but Jon's counter-argument here is idiotic. Santorum says that marriage is to gay marriage as water is to beer: one is not and cannot by legal order become the other. Stewart responds: water can become wine...*miraculously.* Two really really obvious problems. First, Santorum would concede that the term marriage can apply to two men if it were changed miraculously by Jesus Christ, but this possibility isn't the one Stewart is attacking Santorum for advocating. Second, the water *changes* to wine, Jon - not to a new version of water. Redefining marriage in this way changes it to a new version of the old marriage. So...disanalogy.

I usually love Jon Stewart, but his counter-argument just strawmans Santorum's position, making it that much less funny. Sad to say it, but score one for "Man-on-Dog."

[Hardyman1966]

10:29 PM on 08/18/2011

I feel so sorry for all of the straight people who have to spend so much time thinking about The Gay.  Daily.

With lotion even.

[drewdawgsea]

10:14 PM on 08/18/2011

...and sometimes a bigot is just a bigot Santorectum. Or a clueless idiot is just a clueless idiot.

[Ioan Lightoller]

10:45 PM on 08/18/2011

Fanned and faved. Well-said.

[blackreign]

08:54 PM on 08/18/2011

I love Jon Stewart, but he's killing me with his latest slew of pro-gay skits. Either come out of the closet, or move on to something that's actually funny.

[Ioan Lightoller]

09:32 PM on 08/18/2011

Too bad. Turn the channel if you don't like it.

[Schalaine]

09:56 PM on 08/18/2011

What exactly are you trying to say? I love Jon and what he does, especially on gay right issues.

[Cori527]

08:27 PM on 08/18/2011

Thanks, Jon Stewart, for telling it like it is, and making us laugh a little in the process.

[L I Beral]

08:16 PM on 08/18/2011

Santorum constantly flaunts his degree from Glenn Beck University.

[Ioan Lightoller]

11:43 PM on 08/18/2011

F&F

[Bert Dodson]

08:12 PM on 08/18/2011

Jon you still have to pay your writers, remember the primaries won't last forever{even if it feels that way} Bachman, Perry, Santorum, Cain and the rest of the trunk of the GOP clown car won't last forever

[asiclilpup]

08:18 PM on 08/18/2011

Like any other car, that gop clown car is always refillable--until we can send it to the junkyard.

[libobstruction]

08:40 PM on 08/18/2011

Doesn't get paid to post....not to bright then after all, huh?

[Add In Canadia]

07:57 PM on 08/18/2011

You can call Santorum a genius, or brilliant, or visionary; but it doesn't change the fact that he's a napkin.

Wait what?

[grayplace]

07:28 PM on 08/18/2011

Santorum is just one big load of......Santorum.

[Timothy Chiacchira]

07:22 PM on 08/18/2011

Obama, Republican.. nothing changes.

[amplow]

10:46 PM on 08/18/2011

boo