December 21, 2010 3:56 PM

White House Lauds Jon Stewart for Pushing Passage of 9/11 Health Bill

By
Lucy Madison
Topics
Republicans ,
White House ,
Domestic Issues ,
Congress ,
Obama Administration

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. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

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.

(Credit: Getty Images)
During his press briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that comedian Jon Stewart may well have helped breathe new life into the prospects for passage of a health care bill for 9/11 first responders.

Stewart 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.

Lucy Madison
Lucy Madison is a political reporter for CBSNews.com. You can read more of her posts here. Follow Hotsheet on Facebook and Twitter.

Add a Comment See all 21 Comments
by snatr December 28, 2010 3:55 PM EST
I had been meaning to post a comment after the last election, so I'm using the recent news to post it now.
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.
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by dagrandma December 22, 2010 12:45 PM EST
I heard the highly intelligent Gretchen Carlson discussing this on Faux News this morning. She was aghast that the White House would listen to a comedian like Jon Stewart. I wonder if she'd be complaining if the White House listened to the comedy trio of Limbaugh-Beck-Coulter. Naw, didn't think so.
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by jimbom121 December 22, 2010 4:25 PM EST
Did she complain when Bush/Cheney listened to them?
by forsanity1 December 22, 2010 8:13 PM EST
Well I guess Gretchen would just go nuts if the White House listened to a B-movie actor?

Oh wait, one guy lived in the White House that had been an actor in B movies....
by obwan222 December 22, 2010 12:14 AM EST
"Democrats have been in power since 2006 and now they bring up this bill???"

Where have you been? The Dems have been fighting to bring the bill about for years. It's already passed in the House by over 100 votes and it would pass easily in Senate if the Reps would allow a simple vote. But they have blocked and stonewalled this bill over and over. The push is to get it passed now before even more stone-hearted, rock-headed Reps come to power next year.

This is not some overnight whim, it's a bill whose time is long overdue thanks to the party of NO.

Just because you've never heard of it, doesn't mean it hasn't been around.
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by m1ke333 December 22, 2010 1:24 AM EST
The republicants have been blocking this legislation for 8 years now and continue to do so. That is why it is not passed. This is the closest it's been, but again the cowards will vote it down or NO VOTE it to look good to the teaflaggers!!!
by 1renegade December 21, 2010 11:52 PM EST
Democrats have been in power since 2006 and now they bring up this bill??? To me it shows where the priority has been the last 4 years and not in the interest of those needing the assistance.
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by Str8to1too December 22, 2010 2:14 AM EST
YES! Can you believe it! The democrats have been been in power since 2006 trying to get this bill passed to help these people who put their lives on the line and who are now very sick, and they still haven't gotten it passed in the Senate because of the Republicans. Damn those Republicans!
by cjmbs December 21, 2010 6:00 PM EST
These are people who gave their lives to save people like you ungrateful and hateful people. If you are ever involved in such an event, you would be the first to scream for help from these heroes. You don't even deserve to be part of the same air space as them, how shameful your behavior is to this country! It's not a give-away, it's gratitude for service and a job well done! Un-freaking-believable.
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by sjc_1 December 21, 2010 10:19 PM EST
One of the arguments made was the lack of response next time. If the country is not helping those that help us, they will think twice. If the no tax crowd continues, it will be no pay, no spray policies at fire houses. If you have not paid your fees, too bad.
by solo_boatie December 21, 2010 5:37 PM EST
This guy is smoooooooth! He is not responsible for ANYTHING that happens in DC and he's rich beyond dreams! Must be nice to have found THAT niche!
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by Str8to1too December 22, 2010 2:06 AM EST
Oh, for a minute there I thought you were talking about Sarah Palin, or Rush Limbaugh, or Sean Hannity, or...
by carljack December 21, 2010 5:16 PM EST
I think we should help the first responders for 9/11 so am okay with the cause.

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.
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by Str8to1too December 22, 2010 2:59 AM EST
God knows Jon Stewart is better than ANYONE on Fox, the EIB Network, that dip Sarah Palin, John Boner, Mitch McConnell, and John McCain, shall I go on? He is what he is, he's good at it (obviously), and he has a huge following of a highly well-educated, socially conscious audience according to respected research polls. I wonder what kind of people listen to these right-wing idiots - Oh, don't bother, I already know!

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.
by crazyname December 21, 2010 4:24 PM EST
Another give-a-way. WE cannot afford. These people all have healthcare. What next, people within 1 mile then 5 nmiles then all of Manhattan? take the money from the muslims, not the US taxpayers, we cannot afford any more of this. Obama sued BP, Sue saudi arabia, palestine, somalia, yemen and a host of others.
Is this another form of union bailout? Those people did a heck of a job no doubt
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by ozilot December 21, 2010 4:48 PM EST
Another give-a-way...what an ignorant thing to say. A lot of the first responders died that day along with many innocent lives. And all you can do is whine another give-a-way!

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!
by mdg1019 December 21, 2010 5:01 PM EST
I agree that's it's just another give-a-way. The federal government should have never gotten involved in handing out dough to 9/11 victims in the first place. This would be just another example of the federal government handing out money in order for politicians to get some headlines.

And *** does John Stewart know about anything? I'm a liberal and find him to be an obnoxious jerk.
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