Jon Stewart spent years upbraiding Congress from his perch on the set of "The Daily Show," perhaps never to so great an effect as when he embarrassed lawmakers over their failure to help the ailing first responders of 9/11.
Stewart left the show in August, but the cause of the rescuers who rushed into that nightmarish catastrophe 14 years ago -- at great personal risk and ongoing cost -- is still very much on the former show host's mind now that the 9/11 law that Congress did eventually pass is starting to expire.
According to sources familiar with the planning, Stewart will be taking a different, more direct tack to help the heroes of 9/11 now that he's out from behind his studio desk. He plans to put his feet to work along with his mouth, and walk the halls of Congress next Wednesday, Sept. 16, with about 100 responders while they make personal appeals to members. Their goal is to help renew the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, which starts phasing out next month.
Stewart first broached the idea with Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D - N.Y.), the 9/11 bill's lead sponsor in the Senate. Several responders were in the audience when the senator appeared on one of Stewart's final shows in July, said Glen Caplin, a former Gillibrand aide who is coordinating the Capitol Hill push for his new employer, the Global Strategy Group.
What a great cause, and what a great advocate.
Does anybody else think that having Jon Stewart as an advocate for your cause would be the best thing ever?
Can you just imagine these stuffy old Congressmen, and women, trying to debate Jon Stewart on this, or ANY topic?
Perhaps the only thing that would be more effective is if he brought John Oliver along to help him.
Oh man, they would be unstoppable!
You're right, Jess. They ought to bring Oliver along...and for the coup de grâce, his Iraq war vet wife! Dress her up in her blues, don't skimp on the lipstick...and even the most dipshitty republican couldn't resist.
ReplyDeleteGo Comedians! What a bizarre time when comedians are the voice of reason because the GOP is filled to the max with clowns!
ReplyDeleteStewart has a much better grasp of the FACTS than many of the clowns in DC. The health care we pay for the so called "representatives" should expire when they receive their first paycheck. They only "work" part time anyway, why should we pay their premiums? Brains are sadly lacking in the gop. Look at the leaders they chose, Boehner and McConnell?? I often wondered WHY the crazy fools gravitate to the gop, now I know it is because they want to be with their own kind - STUPID. No Democratic candidate for the WH would have picked $carah PayMe as his or her running mate.
ReplyDeleteGood for Jon Stewart! Many of these 9/11 first responders have illnesses that only worsen over time if they did not kill quickly. It would be dastardly to abandon them now after Congress dragged its feet for so many years before even acknowledging their health issues. All the cheerleading for first responders from the Bush Administration but a deliberate refusal to face the fact that the tumbling down of the buildings caused major illnesses for many of the people who had risked their lives trying to save victims. Again and again the GOP "talks the talk but refuses to walk the walk."
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Stewart/Oliver 2016!
ReplyDeleteToo much to hope for? Too out there? Sad, but these comedians certainly bring more gravitas and intelligence than the candidates running. I'd bet they know more about the constitution than any of them, too.
Mildred
I totally agree. Especially that the comedians know more about the constitution. Many times I wonder if the majority of the Senators and Reps have ever read the whole thing. Or even parts of it.
DeleteJohn Oliver can't be V.P. because he doesn't qualify to be President.
DeleteBut I'd accept Stewart/ Colbert if Colbert could get out of his contract OR do both jobs.
Looks like he will having some "hobbies" while farming. Maybe he will run for an office while tending to his animals & crops!
ReplyDeleteThis is great news! Al Franken seamlessly tranositioned from comedy to politics, these two joining forces can really get things done. I'm surprised he did't take a longer hiatus, but glad to have him on our team!
ReplyDeleteNo one better try to debate Jon on this.
ReplyDeleteHe is intelligent, quick and has a mind like a file cabinet. He can dredge up statistics at the drop of a hat and run mental circles around anyone trying to challenge him.
He'll be polite, but he also has such a command of the English language that he could squash them like a bug, gently and politely, but they'll be squashed none the less.