Why Jon Stewart can't stop talking about Ron Paul
Jon Stewart just can't stop talking about Ron Paul, apparently. There鈥檚 a long interview with "The Daily Show鈥� host in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine, and in it Mr. Stewart holds up the libertarian GOP presidential aspirant as an example of something that鈥檚 unusual in US politics: consistency.
The subject comes up when Stewart is describing how much fun it is to pore through old tape looking for instances in which politicians have contradicted themselves. Airing that kind of thing is a 鈥淒aily Show鈥� staple.
鈥淵ou know a guy you鈥檇 have a hard time doing that do? Ron Paul, because he鈥檚 been consistent over the years,鈥� . 鈥淵ou may disagree with him, but at least you can respect that the guy has a belief system he鈥檚 engaged in and will defend.鈥�
Later in the interview, Stewart makes his now-familiar point that Representative Paul has been ignored by much of the media despite a strong showing in the Ames, Iowa, Republican straw poll and in some other early polls.
鈥淩on Paul has a constituency 鈥� like it or not, it鈥檚 there. How can you just ignore it? It makes no sense,鈥� Stewart says.
Of course, since Stewart first voiced this opinion on his show last month, some reporters have taken the criticism to heart. Paul has indeed begun to attract a bit more coverage 鈥� for his willingness to mix it up with front-runner Rick Perry, if nothing else. This isn鈥檛 mentioned in the Rolling Stone interview, maybe because it occurred before that trend began. Magazines have such long lead times.
The lead-time problem could also account for the fact that Stewart does not address the instance from last week鈥檚 CNN/tea party debate, where Paul implied that charities should take care of Americans with health problems but no health insurance.
Most of the Rolling Stone piece on Stewart focuses on other stuff, such as his disdain for the 24-hour cable news environment. (Mostly, that means Fox News: Stewart and that channel have this semi-feud thing going on.)
鈥淭he picture that they create is one of conflict, because they鈥檙e on 24 hours a day, so they have to create a compelling reason for you to watch them,鈥� Stewart says. 鈥淥therwise, they鈥檙e just Muzak 鈥� newzak.鈥�
Stewart also goes on at length about his disappointment with President Obama. The comedian believes the nation鈥檚 chief executive has ceded too much authority to other people and institutions. Mr. Obama seems like a smart guy but he鈥檚 not really leading, in Stewart鈥檚 view.
鈥淚 would suggest that his problem is not his lack of passion. It鈥檚 his lack of direction. I still don鈥檛 know what he believes in,鈥� says Stewart. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure what he truly thinks is the right path, other than that he believes the wealthy should pay a little bit more of their fair share.鈥�
