A journalist interviews a "serious social and political critic"

Courtesy of Shadow Eyes, an excellent interview of Jon Stewart by Bill Moyers, examining the role of the Daily Show (and Stewart) as a non-journalistic source of real journalism. Some excerpts:

On the Bush Administration

JON STEWART: I used to have a real disconnect, I think, with the administration, I couldn't figure out what was going on. I think it's suddenly become clear to me. They would rather us believe them to be wildly incompetent and inarticulate than to let us know anything about how they operate. And so, they do Constitutionally-mandated things most of the time, but they don't — they fulfill the letter of their obligation to checks and balances, but not the intent.

For instance, Alberto Gonzales, and you've been watching the hearings. He is either a perjurer, or a low-functioning pinhead. And he allowed himself to be portrayed in those hearings as a low-functioning pinhead, rather than give the Congressional Committee charged with oversight, any information as to his decision-making process at the Department of Justice.

And I used to think, "They're doing this based on a certain arrogance." And now, I realize that it's because they believe there is one accountability moment for a President, and that is the four year election. And once you get that election, you're done.

On the cozy relationship between the Washington Press Corp and the administration

BILL MOYERS: How do you explain that the Washington press corps, by and large, particularly the Sunday shows join the game with them? I mean, you watch those shows

JON STEWART: They don't all, I mean...

BILL MOYERS: No, not all of them do, but there's a kind of wink-wink questioning going on there. You know, I'll ask the devil's advocate...

JON STEWART: Well, it's because it's the Harlem Globetrotters playing the Washington Generals. It's they're the only teams playing, and they know they've got to play each other every week, and they all have sort of assumed their role.

On the mutual respect between Moyers and Stewart

BILL MOYERS: So, has it been within that period of time that you made this you wouldn't recognize it, but we recognize it, transformation from the stand-up comic to a "

JON STEWART: I don't consider myself a serious and social political critic.

BILL MOYERS: But I do. And I'm your audience.

JON STEWART: Yes, and I end up with one of your tote bags.

Taking credit for a new generation of Democrats

From today's Minneapolis Star Tribune:

"The Daily Show and now Stephen Colbert have taught a generation of college students that Republicans are ridiculous, absurd, hopelessly past it. And their work has had an effect: Today's 20-somethings are more Democratic than any equivalent cohort since World War II."

DAVID FRUM, writing at nationalreview.com

"Sorry, David, but this seems a little over-generous to the very talented [Jon] Stewart and Colbert. It is George W. Bush and Dick Cheney who have taught a generation of college students that Republicans are ridiculous, absurd, hopelessly past it. A comedian, however talented, is only as good as his material. It's been a good few years for comedians."

ANDREW SULLIVAN, writing at andrewsullivan.com

We'd step in, but we don't want to gay bash

The Daily Show had a great segment this week about the Republican scandal over Congressman Foley, who turned out to be a pedophile that Republican leadership was unwilling to out for several months. One excuse offered by some Republicans, including Newt Gingrich, was that the leadership did not want to be perceived as gay bashing for outing Foley's predatory messages to Congressional pages.

Stewart notes that a party wanting to avoid gay bashing would do well to distinguish between being gay and being a pedophile.