Campaigning For Laughs

A big reason why Comedy Central's "Daily Show" won a Peabody Award for its satirical election coverage was its send-up of last summer's political conventions.

And that coverage was easy, says the show's host, because political conventions and comedy shows are a match made in heaven.

"We're a fake news organization covering a fake news event," Jon Stewart tells Steve Kroft in a 60 MINUTES interview to be broadcast Sunday at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT.

Calling a convention "a promotional ad for the party," Stewart says, "We, as a fake news organization, should have been the only ones there. But there were 15,000 of you [journalists] just walking around."

The popularity of "The Daily Show With Jon Stewart" is not lost on journalists or on the politicians, who have been guests on the program knowing full well that the humor will probably be at their expense.

Stewart tells Kroft: "Who loves more than to come on [the show] and go, 'You're right kid, we're full of hot air. Wink,' and then go back to running the world?"

What does Stewart think of the man running America?

While President Bush may be funny privately, Stewart tells Kroft, "when I see him on television, he's acting. Is he a good actor? Not really."

Stewart says he is amazed by the people who say Mr. Bush looked presidential at the inauguration: "He was being sworn in as President! What did you expect?"

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