Jon Stewart to Ron Paul: Can't you just be a typical Washington politician?
Jon Stewart is urging Ron Paul to become a typical Washington politician. It鈥檚 true 鈥� during last night鈥檚 鈥�Daily Show鈥� the comedian told GOP presidential hopeful Paul he would get a lot more attention if he just .
鈥淗ave you ever thought about flip-flopping?鈥� Stewart asked a grinning Paul.
Yes, this was an elaborate joke. Stewart said he鈥檇 noticed that during GOP debates the other candidates spend lots of time yelling at each other about alleged changes on the issues, and that they ignore Paul while doing this, since he鈥檚 pretty consistent.
A flip-flop would get Paul more televised face time, said Stewart.
鈥淚 would suggest right now that what you should do is come out for a war on Iran,鈥� he told the ferociously non-interventionist Texas lawmaker.
Failing that, Paul could gain weight so as to look like New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, said Stewart. (See, the GOP establishment is begging Christie to throw his belt into the ring, to compete with cowboy Rick Perry. That鈥檚 why it鈥檚 funny. And yes, comedy dies when it鈥檚 explained.)
Stewart also put up a picture of Paul Photoshopped into a Sarah Palin-esque leather jacket.
鈥淗ave you thought about getting a tour bus like hers?鈥� Stewart asked.
Last night鈥檚 鈥淒aily Show鈥� appearance was Paul鈥檚 third in recent years. Stewart鈥檚 been promoting the libertarian recently, complaining on air and in interviews that Paul鈥檚 being unfairly ignored by the media. So we have to ask: is Stewart completely in the tank for this guy?
They had a good discussion, but Stewart didn鈥檛 exactly ask tough questions. Of course, he鈥檚 a comedian, so he鈥檚 not necessarily supposed to. But still.
For instance, on the subject of health care 鈥� in the extended Paul interview posted online 鈥� Stewart obliquely brought up the incident in a recent debate when Wolf Blitzer asked Paul but had no health insurance. At the time, Paul said charity would plug such holes in the social safety net.
The GOP hopeful didn鈥檛 really answer the question on the 鈥淒aily Show,鈥� either. He said that the problem with medical care in the US is 40 years of big government allowing corporations to run the show.
鈥淭he corporations run medicine today 鈥� the drug companies and the insurance companies. So all this good feeling doesn鈥檛 stop the problem,鈥� said Paul.
Where鈥檚 the follow-up there, Mr. Stewart?
In general, Paul is a staunch defender of his vision of individual liberty, and that includes the liberty to make bad choices as well as good ones. He thinks illegal drugs are 鈥渉orribly dangerous,鈥� he said on the 鈥淒aily Show.鈥� But he believes the government鈥檚 war on drugs is more dangerous.
鈥淚t violates our civil liberties. That is the real danger,鈥� he said.
Stewart then asked whether Paul would let even heroin go unregulated. (Hmm, that鈥檚 a good question 鈥� maybe we鈥檒l take that back about Stewart being too easy in the interview.)
Paul dodged a bit by replying that he鈥檇 sold codeine over the counter when he worked in a drug store as a youth.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 remember any of my friends drinking codeine just to get high,鈥� said Paul.
鈥淚 should introduce you to some of my friends,鈥� Stewart replied.
Paul and Stewart then spent five minutes or so in the extended interview discussing .
Comedians and other public speakers face little prior restraint about what they can say in America, Paul pointed out. But if they say something truly libelous, they can be held to account.
Government regulation 鈥� or rather, non-regulation - should work the same way, with little prior restraint, said the libertarian. Companies should be free to make products the way they want. But if they cause harm to someone, or someone else鈥檚 property, there should be repercussions.
The linchpin of such a system would be strict property rights, Paul said.
For instance, 鈥渢he environment would be better protected by strict property rights ... all you have to say is, 鈥榶ou have no right to pollute your neighbor鈥檚 property, water, air, or anything,鈥� said Paul.
鈥淭he people I know in Washington aren鈥檛 capable of telling you what you ought to do,鈥� Paul concluded.
