The Daily Show: Ears Edition - McCain vs. Obama: The 2008 Presidential Election | TDS Time Machine

Episode Date: October 14, 2023

The Daily Show jumps in our time machine to head back to this day in 2008: it's the month leading up to the 2008 election and Jon Stewart looks at coordinated attacks by the McCain/Palin campaign to instill fear against a possible Obama election. Aasif Mandvi talks about why a voter calling Obama an Arab or Muslim shouldn’t be an insult, and former White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer talks about his concerns with Barack Obama and why he likes Sarah Palin.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hey guys, this is Tom Segura. And I'm Bert Kreischer. And you're listening to Two Bears One Cave, or you should be listening to Two Bears One Cave. We are on Spotify. On Spotify. And we are not smart? That's an understatement. But you'll have a lot of fun, hopefully. I think you might enjoy it if you give us a listen. If you got your perfect blood work back from your doctor and you have full permission to tie one on. Make sure you check out Two Bears One Cave. It's with me, Tom Segura, and my co-host, Bert Chrysler. The Machine. My shirt's off. You're listening to Comedy Central.

October 14th, 2008. From Comedy Central's World News Headquarters in New York. This is the Daily Show with John Stewart. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the show. My name is John Stewart. We are kicking it tonight. Old School Bush administration. Ari Fleischer's going to be joining us, President Bush's first press secretary, back when they were still trying to cover up the lies. Now they don't even care. They don't even have...Dana Perino just goes up there and goes, cover up the lies. Now they don't even care. They don't even have, Dana

Perino just goes up there and goes, yeah, you got us. This man was the master. Speaking of still President Bush, despite the frothy turdburger that he is going to be leaving in Washington, the race to succeed him continues. And with the economy dominating voters' minds, you can imagine what the maverick campaign is talking about. Who is the real Barack Obama? Someone who sees America as imperfect enough to pal around with terrorists. Who will put our country first? Senator Obama decided to cast a vote to not fund my son when he was serving.

In the living room of a domestic terrorist? A vote for Senator Obama will leave this country at risk. Just once I would love to hear Barack Obama say he wants America to win. And why won't he tell us he doesn't molest children? What are we supposed to think? It's a coordinated attack by the McCain-Paylan campaign designed to stir up anger and fear. But will it work? I'm mad.

It's a coordinated attack by the McCain-Paylon campaign designed to stir up anger and fear. But will it work? I'm mad. I'm really mad. We're scared of an Obama presidency. My God, he's done it. But see, there's a little bit of a problem here. Any mad scientist will tell you. There's a point where your excitement over the monster you've created, coming to life,

damps down a little bit. It's usually around the time when that monster starts breaking all the shit in your lab. There's... There's a love box out of it. Hey, Igor, does this have an off-soubillonie? Hey, Igor, does this have an off-switch on it? Is it? Help! And there's another complication. If you've raised the monster to fear and despise fire, it's awfully hard to convince the monster that fire can also be very useful in cooking.

I have to tell you, he is a decent person and a person that you do not have to be scared as president of the United States. Now, I just, I just, now look, I, I, I, I, ha, ha, see? Ha, ha, ha. I miss smoking. But the very worst thing about creating a monster has got to be, you never know when the monster is going to turn.

I can't trust Obama. I have read about him and he's not, he's not, he's a's a he's an Arab he is not no no man he's a he's a decent family man citizen that I just happen to have disagreements with you give me the fucking mic Frankenstein just give him the fucking mic Frankenstein's monster did you see him in that clip ma'am I was with you when you said him the f-shank. Give the f-mike, Frankestine's monster. Did you see him in that clip? Ma'am, I was with you when you said you couldn't trust him. But the Arab comment, that's not going to help. Now, Asif Monvi's been out on the campaign trail covering the rallies.

He joins us now. Austif, thanks for joining us. Thank you are th. You were at the McCain-Palin, you were at the rally where Senator McCain said that he believed that Barack Obama is not an Arab but a decent family man. What are your thoughts on that? Thanks, John. Well, first off, to state the obvious, being an Arab and being a decent family man are not mutually exclusive.

It absolutely could happen. I guess what I'm saying is there's no mathematical reason why someone of Arab descent could not somehow also love his family. Are you saying... Are you saying, Are you saying, are you, from the sound of what you're saying, you're saying this has never happened? I don't know of any cases.

Not in the America I live in. But then again, you know, I wouldn't have thought that could be a two-headed turtle either, and then last week I turned on Animal Planet and boom! There it is! Let me start this again, Asif. Okay, you would agree that there exists in the world decent family men. Plenty. And you would agree there are Arabs. God, yes.

You'd agree there are then Arabs who are decent family men. I'm not following. All right, let me, let me, all right, let's flip this. Would you agree at least that there are people who are neither Arabs nor decent family men? Absolutely. They're called Italians. No, wait, okay, listen, listen, listen. Let me get back to the issue.

There's a lot of levels of crazy here. Okay, okay. One is correcting misconceptions about Senator Obama. The other is assigning a negative connotation of those misconceptions. You know, Barack Obama's not an Arab, he's a decent man. What's wrong with being Arab? Nothing. I'm just saying I don't want a Muslim Arab terrorist for my president

Whether one of them is running or not right, but that's here's my point What's happening here is basically it's going Obama equals Arab equals Muslim equals terrorist. Oh, slow down Harvard. I'm not a math guy But see that's what I mean. This is like there is a pride in in ignorance. Yes and don't we deserve a voice? Who? The ignorant. This campaign speaks for us.the people that shouldn't necessarily speak. And I for one salute them with a hearty, U.S. OUGHT WAN AUSHMAN!

And I, for the hearty, OASIF MAN! Thank you very much. Ossef Monvy. We'll be back. Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself, wow, the Supreme Court sure does suck. We made a podcast about that. We sure did.

There is a supermajority of conservative maniacs on the Supreme Court right now, really doing some damage. I'm Michael. I'm Riannan. And I'm Peter. Our podcast 5-4 is about all of this. Every week we dissect and analyze a different ruling that has made our country a little worse, a little more cruel. And you would not believe how many of them there are. Check out 5 to 4. That's the number five dash the number four wherever you listen to podcast Senator McCain has tried a variety of techniques to get the straight talk express back on the highway to victory. As we saw earlier Senator McCain has tried a variety of techniques to get the straight talk express back on the highway to victory with enough electoral fuel and it's right now he's losing. Fear card hasn't worked, P.O.W. card, Maverick card, campaign suspension

card, crazy base lady, vice president card. Not a good hand, but this weekend, BING IDEA. Senator Graham, Mike Allen of Politico, says that Senator McCain is considering unveiling some new economic proposals. Do you know anything about that? Yeah, we're going to talk this afternoon. It will be a very comprehensive approach to jumpstart the economy. Ooh, the economy. I hear that's quite a hot topic. Unfortunately, later that day McCain's advisors told reporters that they quote, did not know why Lindsay Graham had said that. And that they weren't going to announce any new proposals with McCain's policy

advisor saying, I have no comment on anything to anybody. Adding, I said, good day. Now, obviously this sounds a little schizophrenic, but it's all part of their new campaign slogan, we know how to fix the economy, no, we don't. Shut up, you shut up, McCain. the McCain campaign did have a game changer up its sleeve. John McCain, unveiling a new stump speech today.

John McCain hits the reset button. The comeback starts now. Clear signs that Senator McCain is changing his rhetoric. Coming up, everybody, the new John McCain. Call it John McCain 4.0. McCain is expected to unveil a new, kind of fiery stump speech. The new stump speech is here. Honey, get the kids.

The new stump speeches here. Honey, honey, get the kids, the new stump speeches. I wonder where a new stump speech ranks on the excitement over the unveiling of new things scale. Let's see, I think it's probably somewhere between a new machine that makes gold. Oh, it's in between Soup of the day and soup of the month. And so, ladies and gentlemen, I give you the new, new, new, new, new, new. I know what fear feels like. It's a thief in the night, who robs your strength. I know what hopelessness feels like. It's a thief in the night who robs your strength.

I know what hopelessness feels like. It's an enemy who defeats your will. I know what an enlarged prostate feels like. It's a fiery demon that takes the joy out of living. I will veto every single pork barrel bill. demon that takes the joy out of living. I will veto every single pork barrel bill Congress passes. I will make them famous and you will know their names. I think I've heard this brand new speech before.

I think it was at the Republican Convention. I will veto it. I will make them famous and you will know their names. You will know their names. All right, obviously he's going to keep his catchphrase. This new speech can't be that similar to that one. We'll start to drill them now. We're going to stop sending $700 billion a year to countries that don't like us very much. We'll invest in all energy alternatives, nuclear, wind, tide, solar, and natural gas, clean

coal technology. We will encourage the manufacture of hybrid, flex fuel, electric automobiles. My friends, I can hardly wait until I introduce her to Washington, D.C. I've been fighting for this country since I was 17 years old and I have the scars to prove it. Fight for what's right for our country. Fight for the ideals and character and three people. Fight for our children's future. We never hide from history.

We make history. His supporters are going to be so mad when they find out he recycles. In fact, the only new bit of business in this fiery new stump speech was that McCain's now behind in the polls. And he let people know how comfortable he is with that position. In fact, the only new bit of business in this fiery new stump speech was that McCain's now behind in the polls and he let people know how comfortable he is with that position. You know what, they forgot? They forgot to let you decide. My friends, we've got them just where we want them.

Here's what we're going to do, my friends. We're going to let Obama win. Okay, now listen up. Then he's going to get sworn in. We'll let him run the country for three, maybe four years. And that's when we spring the trap. Is anyone really dopey enough to fall for this being a new speech? And so there is the speech, it is not the usual stumped speech by John McCain. I'll be right back. Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself, wow, the Supreme Court sure sure does suck.

We made a podcast about that. We sure did. There is a supermajority of conservative maniacs on the Supreme Court right now, really doing some damage. I'm Michael. I'm Riannan. And I'm Peter. Our podcast, 5-4 is about all of this. Every week we dissect and analyze a different ruling that has made our country a little worse, a little more cruel. And you would not believe how many the the the the the to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to the to the to the the the the the the the the the to the to the to to th. thi. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. Wea. Wea. Wea, th. Wea, th. Wea, th. We. Wea, th. Wea, thii. Wea, thi. thi. thi. thi. thee. thea, thea. Wea. I, thoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo. And you would not believe how many of them there are. Check out 5 to 4. That's the number 5, dash the number 4, wherever you listen to podcast. Welcome back. My guest tonight. He was the White House press secretary under President George W. Bush from 2001 to 2003. Please welcome back to the show. Ari Fleischer! Sir!

Hey, settle down. Unruly mob that's been enraged by me. Sorry. Here's what I think is going on in the election and you tell me. Here's what I believe the McCain-Paylant ticket is doing. They're acting erratically. They're acting irresponsibly to convince the voters that they're actually Democrats. Because no one will vote for a Republican in this environment.

What do you think? I'm not sure. You don't think that's right. What do you make of this? This seems insane. Well, first of all, I'm glad I'm a happily retired man from active duty politics. This has been a tough one for any Republican to watch. This is a very bad year for Republicans, I hate to say it.

This country really wants change and John McCain is fighting his hardest to make himself the change element. Huge uphill climb. Three weeks to go, anything can happen especially in this year, but it's tough. What would you do? If you're advising them, and I don't want to say how do you put lipstick on that pig, because obviously that's sexist. So let me try something slightly different. How do you perfume this third? What would you, what would you say to say the? And tha? What do? What do? thia? What do? What do? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? tho? tho? tho? tho? the? thii? tho? thoe? thoe. tho. tho. tho. tho. thoe. the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the? the. the. the? the? the? the. the? the? the? the? the. the? the. the. the. the. thea. theaauuuu. toeauuuuuuu. toeauuuuuuu. toeauuu. theauuuu. theauu. thea. How do you, what would you say to them? What would you, what would you, what should they do? John McCain's best chance to win this election is for the stock market to continue to go up for the people to start to think that something has been put in place to reverse the economy and then to really focus on economic issues if I were John McCain and make himself the to the to the the to to to to the to to to the to toe.. the the the toe. I I I. I. the the toe. I. th. th. theconomic. theck. thimememememememememememememememememean. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the. the the. the the. the the. the the. the the. the the. I is. I is the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the theck. Imemememeananananannenenenenene. theck. theananananananananananananananananananananananananeckeck. Ia. Ia. Ia. Ia. Ia. Ia. John. I'm. John. John up a front against Barack Obama. My problem with Barack Obama is really twofold. One is massive redistribution of income proposal he would have. Under his policy it's about

45% of this country would no longer pay any income tax. Socialist. Well I know where you're going to say you're going to say that's what George Bush is for so I'm not going to go that direction. I know you're going to say, because it is funny to see people going, we're going to become socialist. Meanwhile, we've just nationalized the banks. I told you, I knew you're going. No, I know, I'm just saying. But you can't have a country that's going to be strong if you've got about 45% of the country that is excused from paying income taxers. Isn't changing the investor-in. redistribution of wealth just in a different direction. I mean, this whole idea of redid... We're not a free market system.

There are puppeteers, it's just a question of which hand they're pulling the string on, and after this many years of the investor class and the very rich, really dominating and expanding that gap. Is it socialists to say, hey, maybe the guy struggling in the middle class, maybe we should cut his taxes this time. If I were convinced that redistribution... Right. But it's not...

If I thought that redistribution of income to the extremes that it's being proposed would accomplish that, then, who would be against that? Now we're just arguing a price then. Well, we're arguing whether or not it's right for thir for the the thiii for thi for thirty for thirty for thirty for thirty for thirty for thirty thirty for thir for thi for to pay any income taxes. Well, if you were to say that for them to put up with trickle down economics and for eight years have being told, hey man, don't worry, stay there, it's going to get wet soon and it never gets wet. What if somebody new comes in and goes, make it rain, brach? You know what I'm saying? Let me ask you think of this, Governor Pallon... And, th. And, thu. And, thu. What thu. What thu. thu. thu, thu, thu, thu, thu, thu, thu, thu, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, to me, to me, to me, to to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to me, to to to to to to to to be, to be, to be, to to to to thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. For me, thr. For me, toea. Forease thr. For me, toease toease toease toease thr. For me, to me this, Governor Palin? I know that you've spoken

highly of her. That's right. What do you like about her? I like Governor Palin. Let me ask you this, and I say this as a, with great respect for your political acumen, why? Three, three reasons. One, because I'm a conservative. Two is because I like people to come in, change Washington and shake it up. And three, she gives you a lot you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you a you you you thi-a you thi-a thi-a thi-a thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi, you've thiolkiolkiolkiolkiolki. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi, you've thi, you've thi, you've thi, you've thi, you've thi, you've thi, you've thi, you've thi, you've thi. thiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii. thi. th like people to come in, change Washington, shake it up. And three, she gives you a lot of good material. How is she... How is she changing Washington? Because my sense of her is she won't take any questions from anybody, so she's not very transparent and she's involved in an abuse of power scandal.

So how does she... When she goes to Washington, isn't she just like...... I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I, I'm, I, I'm, I'm, she, she, she, I'm, she, she, she, she's, she's, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, she's, I, I, I, I, I the, I'm the, I'm the, I'm the, I'm the, I'm the, I'm thease, I'm thease, thease, thease, thea, thea, thea, she's thease, she's the, she's the, she's in an abuse of power scandal. So how does she, when she goes to Washington, isn't she just like, I mean, I'm just saying, isn't she just she's a dinner theater version of Bush Cheney? Is she not? I mean, or is that? Settle down. We're running out of time. And by way, you have to recognize one thing. Yeah. Cheney gets to stay. It doesn't matter who the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th... who the the the tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho tho thoes, when tho thoes, when when the, when tho tho tho tho tho tho thoes, when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when when th. th. th. thi, when when when when when when when when when when thi, when thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, when thi, when thi, when that, when that, when she the. We thea. It's thea. We's thea. It's thea. I thea. It's thea. thea. It's, theateateatea. thea. th. And by the way, you have to recognize one thing. Cheney gets to stay. It doesn't matter who the vice president is.

There'll be Obama Cheney, not Obama. He just comes with the place. He stays. You're saying he's literally a barnacle. But do you get my point? But do you get my point? Well, who are you? We met you six weeks ago. Look, here's what I think the issue was with her. When Barack Obama began his candidacy, 20 months ago, all the same arguments against her could be used against some inexperience, etc., too long a state senator, not a United States senator.

He had 20 months to prove himself in the public's eye. That's what he's had the advantage of doing now. She hasn't had that long chance to prove to prove to prove to prove the to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove the to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove to prove herself without the scrutiny because he got it scrutiny free for the first few months of the primary especially. But she won't submit herself she would. Well I think right now it's so super intense and look at your show John. Everything you showed was against McCain and Palin you didn't show any of the things about Obama today or Biden today. Where is our journalistic? Exactly. No all right well let's let's let's flip the script. She's th th th th th th th the th th th. th. th. th. the th. th. th. th. th. the th. th. the th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi the the thi. thi. the the the the the the the the the the the the the the same the the same the the same the the same the same. She the same. She the same. She the same. She's the same. She's the same. She's the same. She's the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the th. She's th. She's the. the. She's thea. She's theateateateatea. S. S. Sotea. Sote. Sote. Sote. Sote. Sote. Sote. Sote. S. S. S. S. let's let's let's flip the script. She's taking all the scrutiny that Obama didn't take from the media. Let's... All right. My TiVo says no, but all right, let's flip the script. Let's say you're a guy, you're a Democrat, and you are planning how you would attack Sarah Palin. Would you take the patriotism route? You wouldn't. You don't. You don't. You don't. She's. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's the s s s s s s s' the sc- She's the s s s' the scr- She's the scr- She's the scr- She's the scr- She's the scr- she's the scr- she's the sc- she's the sc- She's the sc- She's the sc- She's the s. She's the s. She's the s. She's the s. She's the s. She's the s. She's the s. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's th. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi. She's took. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi. She's thi's Sarah Palin. Would you take the patriotism route? You wouldn't.

You don't. She's running for vice president. It's like attacking Joe Biden. You don't. It's not relevant to who's going to lead Americans. It's either going to be to be the tele to be the is no presidential campaign should focus on the number two. If Barack Obama takes his eyes off John McCain,

not him. I'm saying like he's making mistakes. As as the group would you get her on like secessionist party in Alaska like take that patriotism route or would you go with the religious religious? She had the witchcraft guy in her church and the Jews for Jesus guy you could take the high road and just get her for her utter lack of experience but that would apply to Barack Obama so you wouldn't let me do that of course he has would you agree he's at least been vetted by an electorate well that's my point he's at 20 months where his job was being a candidate but he has less experience of her of course in terms of any

executive judgments he's ever cast, right, he's never been an executive position and she of course also, she of course also is the hot most popular governor of any state in the country both the Democrats and Republicans in Alaska you've are 80% job approval. Right now no that's for no reason. Well, no, no, you're right. People do like her when they've seen it. In Alaska. Because they know her. No, I get it. So you feel that it's not a reflection on McCains.

He made the argument that it was all about experience. That Barack Obama was dangerously inexperienced. And then he picks Sarah Pal said, hey man, we need you, your expertise in this is unparalleled. Come and help us. That's why I have caller ID. H. H. H. Alibra, has color ID.

Explore more shows from the Daily Show Podcast Universe by searching the Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central and stream full episodes any time on Fairmount Plus. This has been a Comedy Central podcast. Have you ever been watching the news and thought to yourself, wow, the Supreme Court sure does suck. We made a podcast about that.

We sure did. There is a super majority of conservative maniacs on the Supreme Court right now, really doing some damage. I'm Michael. I'm Riannan. And I'm Peter. Our podcast, 5 to 4 is about all of this. Every week we dissect and analyze a different ruling that has made our country a little worse, a little more cruel.

And you would not believe how many of them there are. Check out 5-4. That's the number 5-4, wherever you listen to podcasts.