On Tuesday, President Obama went to Georgetown University to participate in a lengthy discussion on poverty in America. And "just like college students at a four-hour commencement, Fox basically pays no attention until they hear their own names," Jon Stewart said on Wednesday's Daily Show, after a day of Fox News protestations. At what? Stewart: "It turns out, at one point in this incredibly thoughtful and productive session on poverty, the president made the easily provable and decidedly true point that Fox News' narrative is that poverty is not a function of economic condition but of character."
Fox News personalities weren't happy with that characterization, and none protested louder than Stuart Varney. Stewart found that a little rich. "How f—king removed from reality is Fox's perception of their own coverage on poverty?" he asked. "The main offender of your network's attitude toward those in poverty is the main offender." When it comes to trashing the poor, he added, Varney "does segments that would make Ebenezer Scrooge say, 'Hey, take it easy, these are people we're talking about.'" And he showed some.
At the end, Stewart seemed as perplexed as he was disgusted at Fox (and MSNBC's Joe Scarborough): "Are the glaring contradictions a product of lack of self-awareness or cynicism or stupidity or evil?" He reported. You get to decide. —Peter Weber
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