ObamaCare's rollout has been deemed "the worst product launch since Crystal Meth Pepsi," Jon Stewart said on Thursday night's Daily Show. And among the "fierce adversaries" of the law's glitchy website, Stewart noted dryly, is — at least according to cable news — Jon Stewart.
The Daily Show research team didn't have to work hard to find TV news anchors and pundits offering variations on the same theme: If ObamaCare has lost even Jon Stewart, it's in big trouble. Stewart was probably a little flattered by all the attention he got, but that wasn't the point he made on his show.
Stewart walked us down the memory lane of all the other times "even Jon Stewart" has criticized something in the Obama administration, then back even further to all the times he criticized George W. Bush and his White House. "Look, making fun of stuff is nothing new for us," he lectured his new fans on Fox and CNN, "so don't act like us making jokes about a certain program or president is evidence that that politician or issue has reached some sort of tipping point of action."
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If his jokes had that kind of power, Stewart said, Fox News would be off the air, and Bush and his vice president, Dick Cheney, wouldn't have lasted two terms. Jim Cramer is still on the air, he added, and Arby's is still selling sandwiches. To close out the segment, Stewart brought on his salty-tongued Greek chorus gospel choir. He made his point — the people holding him up as relevant are very selective — while the choir mocked him. There's a nice dig at Salon. It's pretty funny.
Earlier in the show, Stewart gave his take on Tuesday's congressional grilling of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. Initially, he expressed shock that Sebelius actually apologized and took responsibility for HeathCare.gov's terrible rollout, and that House members from both parties asked "surprisingly relevant questions."
His pleasant surprise didn't last long. Stewart spent the rest of the segment mocking House members for constantly citing The Wizard of Oz, asking silly questions, and blatantly grandstanding for future campaign commercials. His extended mockery of Rep. Billy Long (R-Mo.) might make a good commercial for Long's next opponent. After all, if Billy Long has lost even Jon Stewart.... Watch:
