Jon Stewart hammers Bill Bennett

[kpete]

Jon Stewart hammers Bill Bennett


VIDEO: http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/06/07.html#a8614

I shouldn't be surprised anymore when I see Jon Stewart take a conservative ideologue to the woodshed because he does it every time when he tries. Bill Bennett is the latest one to get played by Stewart. The topic is gay marriage and once again Jon gets the better of a conservative pundit.

(partial rough transcript)

Stewart: So why not encourage gay people to join in in that family arrangement if that is what provides stability to a society?

Bennett: Well I think if gay..gay people are already members of families...

Stewart: What? (almost spitting out his drink)

Bennett: They're sons and they're daughters..

Stewart: So that's where the buck stops, that's the gay ceiling.

Bennett Look, it's a debate about whether you think marriage is between a man and a women.

Stewart:I disagree, I think it's a debate about whether you think gay people are part of the human condition or just a random fetish.

Wasn't that a basic yet perfectly thought out idea? It goes downhill for Bennett from there.

http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/06/07.html#a8614

[Hobarticus]

1. Better sub line: Bennett gambles and loses to Stewart

This was pretty funny. After a pathetic performance like this, the Gambler should just go back to bed.

:evilgrin:

[shain from kane]

4. Go back to bed? He's been up all night long, gambling. The city

never sleeps.

[Coexist]

2. thanks, kpete

I was so glad I stayed up to watch last night.

Re-runs are just as much fun.

[LostInAnomie]

3. He did an excellent job.

He's going to have to watch that though. You can only make cons look like fools so many times before they stop coming on your show. They eventually take their ball and go home if you don't let them get their talking points out.

[wicket]

5. Hoo boy, can't wait to catch it on TiVo

:popcorn:

[DixieBlue]

6. What a great interview ...

thought he handled it really well.

[Ladyhawk]

7. Jon remains amiable throughout interviews and still destroys arguments.

Damn. I wish I could do that. I feel so much anger. I imagine Mr. Stewart feels anger, too, but he is able to disarm it. That seems to work.

We need more like him.

[janx]

8. Just started now here...

I'll wait for the interview...

[MADem]

9. Part of the human condition....or just a random "fetish"

Remember all those old dominatrix rumors about portly, chain-smoking, gambling Bill???

I think Stewart is quite artful in his choice of words.

[Lisa]

10. also when Stewart noted that some people might decide Bill himself

... was unfit for marriage. (If one insisted on the highest moral standards, plenty of the people applauding this amendment could have their licenses revoked, based on criminal records, etc.)

As he points out, if the state can put restrictions on marriage, the same reasoning could be use to discriminate by race (something which really did happen in the past), or income level.

Or religion, for that matter.

[Hamlette]

11. twas a thing of beauty.

I've seen it 3 times already. Jon is spot on.

The odd part was Bennett. It's the first time in memory he hasn't dominated the conversation with pseudo intellectual, smarter-AND-holier than thou, self-absorbed, smug bull.

Bennet is a master of the put down and has never evidenced shame before.

Jon turned him into a rolling apology "gee, I know, our position on this is absolutely wrong, thank you for pointing it out." (Can't you just picture him in a leather thong begging Jon for more?)

Anyone who can wipe that smug look off Bennett's face is my hero for life.

Jon got him, IMO, because he is so smart but I wish he'd been armed with the stats on the Scandanavian countries. Bennett seemed to want to make the point some conservatives are making now: legalizing gay marriage has ruined marriage as an institution in Scandanavian countries. There is a new book out: Gay Marriage: For Better or For Worse? : What We've Learned from the Evidence which apparently debunks this using, (novel concept nowadays) statistics and actual facts.

[otohara]

12. So Delightful - Watched it Twice

WTG Jon!

[Laurab]

13. It was great...

Jon at his most brilliant, IMO - he obviously felt strongly about this one.

[myrna minx]

14. That was such a pleasure to watch.

It looked like Bennett didn't even believe what he, himself was saying. Way to go Jon! :loveya:

[ooglymoogly]

15. great smack down....why is the only bright spots on the

boob tube political scene are stuart and colbert?

[Laurab]

16. "Dick Cheney" "Drinks the blood of puppies".......

:rofl:

[Exultant Democracy]

17. Full Video on YouTube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9We547WGSdk&search=Jon%20Stewart%20Bill%20Bennett

Even if you saw the 4 minute clip this 8 minute one is worth seeing.

[suegeo]

18. Bill Bennett, ick