White House Lauds Jon Stewart for Pushing Passage of 9/11 Health Bill
Jon Stewart is seen onstage at Comedy Central's Night Of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert For Autism Education at the Beacon Theatre on October 2, 2010 in New York City.
/ Getty ImagesStewart last week devoted a nine-minute segment of his Comedy Central program, "The Daily Show," to lambasting Congressional opponents of the Zadroga bill, which would provide health care coverage to first responders at the September 11, 2001 attacks on NYC's World Trade Center.
Some subsequently credited Stewart with helping a long-stalled piece of legislation get a second life.
"If there's the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, there's a good chance that he can help do that," Gibbs told reporters on Tuesday. "I think he has put the awareness around this legislation. He's put that awareness into what you guys cover each day, and I think that's good."
Indeed, it was following Stewart's rant - during which he called the Republicans' opposition to the bill "an outrageous abdication of our responsibility to those who were most heroic on 9/11" - that the story began gaining increased traction in the media.
A number of Republican commentators, including former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough, have since condemned those within the GOP who have failed to pledge their support for issue. Stewart - no stranger to political rhetoric despite the fact that his show is ultimately about comedy - has suggested that "the party that turned 9/11 into a catchphrase are now moving suspiciously into a convenient pre-9/11 mentality when it comes to this bill."
"This bill has long been a huge priority for us in New York, but Jon's attention to this helped turn it into the national issue it always should have been," Sen. Chuck Schumer, one of the bill's sponsors, said in a statement to ABC News.
But Congress is running out of time to pass the legislation - and some Senate Republicans have threatened to do everything they can to prevent it from reaching a vote.
In his briefing today, Gibbs said he was still holding out hope for passage with Stewart's help.
"I hope he can convince two Republicans to support taking care of those that took care of so many on that awful day in our history," Gibbs said.
Popular in Politics
- Obama forgets to salute while boarding Marine One Play Video
- The Ted Cruz conundrum
- Petraeus biographer regrets affair
- As summer approaches, sequestration threatens holiday fun
- IRS' Lerner was asked to resign, refused: GOP Sen. 201 Comments
- Senator: Oklahoma "hit hard, but we're not knocked out"
- GOP Rep.: Obama elected because of Reagan's immigration reforms
- Obama prom pictures surface
A lot of people were asking what the rally for sanity that Stewart and Colbert were promoting was all about. After the elections, it became clear to me what it accomplished. In the end, the republicans pulled out a huge win, and all thanks to people like these guys giving people the idea that politics are a joke. Obviously, the republican party new better.
Oh wait, one guy lived in the White House that had been an actor in B movies....
My point though is Jon Stewart; is he a comedian, is he a talk show host, is he a political commentator, is he a liberal political operative, is he as far into his own ego as the liberal DC politicos he seems to fawn over? He is given a free ride by striking the fire then claiming he is only a comedian and humble, humble me - I am just a mere Comedy Central basic channel host.
He is a smart guy and has earned his place in the discussion but come on, stop with the "hey shucks, nothing to see here folks, I'm just a friendly comedian" routine when he is challenged. Will never forget the interview with John Kerry during the campaign. Saddest example of kissing butt I seen in a while have not been able to watch him since that show.
But this issue aside, I really just cannot wait for Republicans to take over the House on January 5th, and watch as they try to deal with the double dip mortgage crisis looming ahead because the banks and Wall Street have basically given Americans the middle finger regarding adherence to new regulations... Not to mention real unemployment levels projected to reach 15%-20% - or even higher - because none of these rich dudes who got their big bail-out are going to do any hiring (despite HUGE corporate profits that are larger than have ever been recorded!), because there's no market for purchasing new goods, because no one has any money, because no one has a job, because no one is hiring, because businesses led by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce would rather pay cheaper labor in other parts of the world...
And it's going to be delicious to watch the self-declared "fiscally conservative" Republicans, who just added $850 billion dollars to the deficit, fight against the more conservative faction of their party led by Rand Paul and the rest of the Teabaggers when it comes to NOT raising the debt ceiling - that's when the whole world goes into a financial spiral.
I already hear in the national media that $4.00+ a gallon gas is coming back by next summer, that'll make everyone happy in Big Oil - After all, like Exxon/Mobil, who last year that made some $44 billion (est.) in profits, you can't just sit back and lean on your U.S. tax refund - yes, they paid no taxes and even got a refund! See, that's what happens when you're allowed to move your money to overseas operations and evade U.S. tax laws, which are comparatively some of the lowest in the world thanks to all the loop-holes.
And then there are the 2012 elections!!! When, after the Republicans have slashed nearly every social program in existence, they are going to come calling hat in hand asking their base to vote for a Republican President and allow half of them to keep their jobs. But hey, they can always do what they usually do and blame it all on the Democrats. After all, as Republicans have had their hands tied in congress for so long now, there really wasn't anything else they could do to help the situation for years but sit back and say "No" to everything. Seems a pity, I almost have a small tear in my eye. But at least the public still allowed them to get their paychecks.
And of all things they may have to stay in Washington and do the nation's business through the Christmas holiday instead of going home. Sob, sob.
Is this another form of union bailout? Those people did a heck of a job no doubt
I bet you supported the egregious GOP give-a-way tax cuts for the wealthy!
By the way the bailout was Bush and the GOP's idea!
And *** does John Stewart know about anything? I'm a liberal and find him to be an obnoxious jerk.