Stewart, Colbert To Hold 10/30 Rallies

Source: The Atlantic



It's "Fear!" v. "Simmer Down." Satirists Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert will hold competing and complimentary marches on Washington just days before the November elections, breaking the fourth wall and inserting themselves directly into the political debate in a way that might influence the November elections.

Appearing on each other's shows tonight, the two men portrayed the 10/30 marches as representing the true divide in American politics: Stewart's march is for people who want to "take it down a notch for America." Colbert's march is about "freaking out for fear," he said, because there are a lot of things to fear. Although Stewart's politics are left of center, his video montage of fear-mongers included Democrats who believe that President Bush was Hitler-esque and radical leftists who believe that 9/11 was an inside job.

Stewart and Colbert have disclaimed any interest in participating in politics. But the timing, and message, are undeniably political -- and not helpful to conservatives. Audiences for both shows tend to be younger and more liberal than the older, conservative independents who watch Fox News. The events were conceived as a response of sorts to Glenn Beck's recent "Restoring Honor" rally, which drew as much as 100,000 conservatives to the Washington mall on the anniversary of Marlin Luther King's historical speech. I'd imagine that these rallies will draw counter-rallies, and that smart conservative folks will try to incorporate them in a way that helps Republicans as well.

Depending on how the media covers the run-up to these rallies, Stewart and Colbert could generate interest and enthusiasm among the type of voters who have so far been turned off by the independent conservative resurgence.

Read more: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2010/09/stewart-colbert-to-hold-10-30-rallies/63142

---

Stewart's: http://www.rallytorestoresanity.com

Colbert's: http://www.keepfearalive.com

:patriot:

:patriot:

Non-thinking knuckle-draggers.

(although, that pesky Koch habit probably had something to do with their kool aid snorting.)

They used it as the basis of a (defense) fundraising letter!

http://thinkprogress.org/2006/05/24/delay-colbert

:rofl:
rocktivity

NOT!

humor, but still! Honestly, I have seen practically every single episode of the Report, and I'd say at most 3% of the time one might be forgiven for believing he is actually supporting a conservative philosophy.

Wow, if a contingent of these lamebrains shows up for the rally, things could get weird.

You can't ever underestimate the stupid of the wingnut fringe, or how humor-challenged they are.

with myself, quite frequently which is the better satirist.Both are modern masters in the mold of Swift,Twain,Mencken, and Bierce. Colbert tends to hover right near over the top usually without going over while Stewart may be a bit more subtle and understated, both can wound you without your knowing you're bleeding.The crew at Fux noise must hate these two for the number of holes they've poked in their overinflated balloons. These events ought to provide them both with solid bases to riff on the hype that emanates from Fux, the wingnut blogoshpere, and the SCLM.

Going to the 2 Oct rally as well, but this is icing on the cake! Gonna be great!!

Both rallies would just be too much fantasticness.

:rofl:

Even on Faux. Beck and Papa Bear will take the bait because they are idiots.

This is so brilliant. :)

how did that name come up?

Since his show directly parodies The O'Reilly Factor in style.

Basically brings people together to accept things aren't perfect, but to not step backwards like the rightwing nutjobs want us to do.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=102&topic_id=4543419&mesg_id=4543881

I'd love to go both days, but I do appreciate them trying to make it possible for us "lesser people."

:headbang:
rocktivity

instead of holding a dick-sizing contest with Beck.

October 3rd thing, or even on the 2nd. Either of which might have added to the number of attendees at the United for Peace and Justice rally. I hope to be at both, but, as much as I love Colbert & Stewart, if I can only do one it'll be the Oct 2 - One Nation Working Together event. (As previously noted: http://www.unitedforpeace.org/)

Here are two useful links for those looking for buses going to the march: http://www.onenationworkingtogether.org/pages/transport... and http://www.facebook.com/board.php?uid=130038760366906

i just posted a note on the CC blog asking that they hold a parallel virtual rally of sorts -- online participants signing in with our own silly signs. It would be really interesting if they could pull that off. Hell ... we have the technology to do it. Ask all the FB Farmville and Mafia War addicts.

See ya there!

Bigger than fire.

and bears

and will see y'all there.

and I've got it bad! Soooooo envious of those who get to be there!

waaaaaahhhhhhh...........


-

115. Steven, Steven, Steven!

It could also be called Restoring Sanity!


Nailed it! (Air guitar riff!)

Woo Hoo!

I would go if I wasn't a candidate on the
Nov 2 ballot. I think flaking on my campaign and not showing up election night is probably bad form.

Tis the only really acceptable reason not to be there.

I think I've got a good excuse too, wish I didn't though

It's just a train ride for me so I'm hoping to get a group together and make it a fun weekend getaway.

I'll be there in spirit.

lol! Sooo cool! Just what we neeed! :applause:






knr!

The folks on Reddit were pushing for Colbert to hold a rally. Why did Stewart try to co-opt the support and attention meant for Stephen? And then of all things he announces his first?

The signs his staff made were pretty funny though.

one would do it without the other knowing.

Stephen and Jon are the best of friends, and together there will be more people, as well as more fun. I SO wish I could go.

I don't think Comedy Central would budget 2 seperate events.

I wonder what the fees are?

:bounce:

I love it.

i gotta go find out. this should be soooo hugh.

you can then trick or treat on Sunday on Embassy Row.

:)

Was he the guy who hunted big game while traveling around DC lobbying for an insurance company?

That Marc Ambinder's article is full of errors, and the reader comments list them. One reader even suggested that it's how he gets free copy editing.

Hope they have a good turn out.

Don't tell me they don't know that they are making a mockery of the 2nd president, a real Founding Father!!!!!

Treaty of Triploi with it's Article 11 that said "America is by no means founded on the Christian religion?" The one George Washington wrote before John Adams came into office? Change the date! We don't want our sacred fear-mongering and return to sanity rallies corresponding to the anniversary of the birth of that infidel!

It would be a riot.

I should be able to attend this march!

I'll be in Mexico at a conference (provided my university funds me, a bit "if" in these times of hysterical overreaction about Mexico). If I do get out of the US for awhile, I just know the Mexican press will have a field day with this. I'll let you all know what they say down there.

Let's hope so!

Will this be well attended? Yes.

Will it be entertaining? Definitely.

Will it galvanize disaffected voters? I don't think so.

The "enthusiasm gap" that the media likes to talk about is not among people who regularly watch TDS and Colbert and are politically engaged. It's among people who aren't generally politically involved at all, but were inspired by the hopeful message of the Obama campaign, and don't feel that he or the Democratc Party has delivered in a meaningful way. Appealing to them is not going to be done with political satires, but with hard work the old fashioned way: door canvassing, phone messaging and compelling candidates.

It does us no good if the young are just watching Jon and Stephen - they need to get off their asses and vote which they don't ususally do especially during midterm elections.

They are mostly young people but they need someone to get them to the polls.

First off, no one has ever been 'galvanized' by a phone bank call. Ever. Second, you misunderstand the nature of the audience of both shows, much of their audience are not as engaged as you might thing, for many, they are the news. Not all who watch the news are engaged.
Note that you can see that traditional political communications have failed to a great extent, the WH and DNC has no idea what to do or how to do it. The two men in question are able to communicate so very well that they are huge financial successes, merely from their wits. Communications.
The primary key to election victory is voter turn out. A huge event the Saturday before serves to remind people to vote. And people need to be reminded, just prior to the day. Here, many will remember to return their ballots because of the show, just like they remember when phone bankers call them.
It is not either/or. All means are necessary. I mean, would you honestly say that Jon and Stephen would make better use of their personal time by logging a few phone bank hours, talking to maybe a hundred people, instead of millions? Really?
This event will serve us oh, so very well. Much better than anything Kaine and Co have managed to eek out of their dogmatic and backward widdle brains.

Should be lots of fun!
I'm sure it will be very colorful, unlike that drab Beck event.
And everyone can be back home in time to vote on Tuesday.
Too bad I already have unbreakable plans for that weekend, or I would go.

Independents watching FAUX Snooze? I think the author means, "Republicans who are hiding behind the Teabagger label."

This is just helping the Republicans. It's the last weekend before Election Day. Good progressives should be working in their neighborhoods to Get Out The Vote - not attending a satirical rally in DC.

and not do anything exciting that might bring out the youth vote.

Because people would definitely rather get phone calls from strangers telling them how to vote, than see their favorite entertainers in a big rally in DC, telling them they should vote.

It'll be a memorable event! rec'd!

Anybody in the northeast, tickets are really cheap at this point.

I'm coming to town on Saturday for a conference that starts on Sunday! Woo Hoo!

The standard round trip from LAX is about $250.

I'm flying Virgin. Best airline ever.

1 Emerates
2 Quantas
3 Virgin

YMMV
-Hoot

Might also want to add Air New Zealand and Singapore to that list.

to this event for those of us that can't afford DC hotel fees for a stay? I would love to join in the fun in DC but can't afford the hotel, the gas or the meals to get there and back.

I also suggested an online rally, in parallel to the real one, for those who can't be there. It would be a lot of fun and very interesting if people could rsvp to these parallel events just so we have a head count of everyone who participated.

:hi:

At this rate, Ohio is likely to lose its Democratic governor, the open seat for the Senate and several D. House seats including my friend Betty Sutton.

They shouldn't have needed something like this to get them to vote. If the right wing lunatics come out in force and vote, and the left does not and we lose, then we have nobody to blame but ourselves.

?

and the left does not, then it's their own fault. Centrists will probably spit their votes.

You Tube keeps deleting them, so I cannot post in Political Videos, but you can see both announcements here:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/09/17/stewart-colbert-rally-to-restore-sanity_n_720588.html

radicals on the Right. Code Pink may be theatrical, but they aren't making none too thinly veiled death threats or calling Repugs "Nazi terrorists".

FuxNoise and MSNBC. What we need are some far left 'baggers and pundits getting lots of attention he and all the others who try to equate the two can see what a true match up would look like.

When I first heard about it I thought the rally sounded like a great idea, but when I actually saw the segment announcing it, I was completely put off.

The whole idea of "take it down a notch, for America" - wtf? It's one thing to mock the absurdities of tea party bullshit, but "take it down a notch" is the LAST message I'd ever want to send to people on the left, who really, really need to start fighting back with a vengeance.

Sounds like "restoring sanity" = restoring complacency.

Isnt' that a triple oxymoron?

They are independent--- (as long as they kow-tow to the shadow corporate groups that fund them)
They are conservative--- (unless you talk about how they liberally deficit spend on defense or liberal on deregulation)
They are a resurgence--- (as long as you don't count the periods of time when they have been shrinking because of their moronic hypocrisy and impotence)

Dear God bless you, run hard!

Damn them. But I'm thrilled that they've decided to run with the idea!

:bounce:
rocktivity

they both say the 30th?

We will join thousands of civil rights, labor, immigrant rights, environmental and other progressive organizations in a united action..."

http://www.unitedforpeace.org

:headbang:
rocktivity

LOVE IT!!!

Hopefully, I can get my husband to go with me, and we can find a bus group to go with.

but mostly because people just dont have the money for a trip at the moment..

This is just a joke.

is that lefties aren't excited?

Anything that gets lefties excited before the election is a GOOD THING.

people coming out to listen to Beck? And if our TV personalities hold events promoting themselves, instead of promoting activists who actually work on issues, why are we following them?

Wodehouse, Huxley, Volatire, Kubrick, Vidal, et al. were also simply personalities who used their platform to raise awareness and enthusiasm. Each one was a blatant self-promoter and self-advertiser.

I imagine people may follow them because they realize the difference between a satirist and a faux-journalist. But then again, I tend to credit people with much more intelligence and savvy than most.

I'd hardly compare Vidal to Beck, but if that's your shtick...

Human beings are, on the whole, NOT striving to be excellent beings who care and love and cherish ....

They are petty, vain, and, on the whole, a rather smarmy bunch ...

If Stewart and Colbert can stir the pot of humanity a little ... Perhaps they can move some more of those crazy people ...

This whining over these rallies are akin to jousting at windmills ....

The old adage "There is no bad publicity" applies ....

Go to the rallies, and wear that funny hat ....

Humor and mockery is the most effective weapon anyone can wield. Wanna win hearts and minds? This is the way to do it.

Let's face it, a somber, serious, angry peace rally ain't gonna do a thing to change anyones' minds. Been there, done that. Not belittling it, just being real here. On the other hand, making a mockery of the whole tea party thing? Much more effective.

definitely on of the good guys, but I just wish he were a little more discerning. Not that we lefties are perfect, but I think he's just way too eager to throw folks like Keith and Rachel under the proverbial bus, proclaiming them opposite but equally disingenuous and inappropriate as the Righties in order to boost himself as a "fair and balanced" model of "sanity." He did a great thing when he freaked on Tucker Calson's show only to immediately wallow regret and submit to public self-flagellation.

And I really hated how he fawned all over McCain during the 08 campaign. I always saw McCain as exactly as he turned out to be. I don't know how Stewart was fooled. But then I've been "blesesd" with a finely honed ability to see the worst in Republicans.

Again, however, overall I think Stewie's on our side and I'm usually on his, though I do prefer Colbert for entertainment value, and hope to be at their rally (rallies?)

And yeah, obviously this is all IMNSHO.

:yoiks:

I think the 10/2 rally is great, especially with Ed Schultz there, but the Stewart/Colbert rallies will reach far more people.

My husband and myself are driving from Chicago to the 10/2 rally. I wish there was this much enthusiasm for that rally.

:cry:

...and they live in Virginia. Maybe I can crash on their couch...

Sarah, I mean Tina would be the icing on the cake for the "Fear" rally!

this 6 week build up to the "Event" promises to be fun....
can't wait to see what these two come up with during the prelude.

A trip to DC is more than we can manage, in the absence of jobs.

I will hoot and holler here in Portland ....

What's the chance of making this one of them 'We Are The World' kinda things ? ...

With giant TV screens in every major city, showing on public squares everywhere ...

Springsteen in NYC ?

Arcade Fire in Chicago ?

U2 in DC ?

Damn .... make it a freekin telethon ... are they legal for elections ?

I will be coming in from out of town, but do not want to miss this!!will go w/my best friend:hi: Hope to see you !!!

...except this! Road trip!!

then you do not have to worry about bunching :)

I plan on being there,this is awesome. This, as well as the 10/2 event, hopefully will have numbers that dwarf the loony get togethers of Beck and the tea baggers(wonder how few of them know what the term really means).

It's time to take our country back and not just from republicans.

Can't wait until next month!

why cant anyone ever do anything cool in chicago :( its sucks.

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/39231643?GT1=43001



I'll be majorly pissed if the PTB come up with a reason to deny the permit!

If anyone wants to meet up with me, I'll be standing near the guy with shoes on his feet.:P

Wish I could go, but can't because I am taking care of Mom plus I can't afford it. But do take many pictures. I hope there will be at least 1 million people!

right now. What a hoot!!

Both have submitted applications to National Park service. No final decision has been made yet.

Just in time to energize the young liberal voters!

:woohoo:

If you want to draw a ton of people, book some big name bands for a free concert if that is allowed at that site. It would be funny to draw a million people to see U2 or something.

I can't wait!

The reason being, a lot of individuals who do not pay attention to politics and vote for an individual for asinine reasons may be turned off by the sarcastic, elitist(not how I personally would describe it) tone of this rally. I hope I'm wrong. Maybe this will motivate enough younger people to vote that it would offset my feared effect.

It helps to entertain while you do that.

The more events, the better.

He said it was Stewart and Colbert holding the rally...now I know the full details. Damn, I'm going.....sick of seeing/hearing Sarah Palin, and Beck, and the infamous pill-popping radio freak.

can't wait. i'm drivin up for sure. finally a FUN rally to show that real, intelligent, funny, caring people outnumber the greedy, racist, hateful, asshole, shitheads by a LOT. gonna be awesome! F-U Beck.

:woohoo:

:kick:

LOL!

No doubt about that one.

of Colbert in Lincoln vampire mode....

Funniest thing i've seen this year :rofl:

Lewis Black of course. I hope he would perform.

So many people want to be there. I just heard Chris Matthews say he's going.

Three hours Jon Stewart? I don't think three days would be enough.

We're talking about the 70 percenters! It's OUR turn to show the world what America is about!

Oh yeah, and Legalize Pot! Like his sign said.

I'm jealous. :)

Seriously, what's the message The Daily Show is trying to send? If it were just an anti-tea party event, that would be another thing, but it seems to be mocking peace activists and people on the left too.

An incredible number of people in this country are on the edge of the abyss, and they're going to hold a rally to tell them to "simmer down" and "use their indoor voice"? How many will die for lack of health care next year, but everybody should just calm down? Easy for wealthy Jon Stewart to say. People are really suffering, and there's nothing funny about it.

And what about that shit implying that people who go to rallies "don't have a life". Fuck him.

How about a rally encouraging people NOT to be duped into carrying water for billionaires, and to vote in their own interests? How about a clarion call to ignore the disinformation of corporate media? (rhetorical question, as I'm fully aware this IS a corporate media event)

I've noticed that whenever Jon Stewart is called out on anything, he retreats into this "we're just a comedy show" defense, but they know full well a large percentage of their audience uses TDS as their primary source of news (sad but true).

The Colbert rally, OTOH, I have no problem with. Seems like a funny and effective mockery of the Glenn Beck rally & tea party crap in general.

Stewart equated left peace activists with Karl Rove et. al. So the most powerful people on the globe who destroyed the world economy are the appropriate comparison for a handful of powerless peace activists, right. It was so cowardly, it seemed like he was really afraid of being seen as an "uncool" activist himself. The Colbert rally makes so much more sense by focusing on mainstream media's use of fear instead of inventing a problem.

Lets hope these rallies rally the Democratic side to turn up and vote

just my opinion!

Urrk. Surely, they meant "complementary."

The Atlantic Monthly used to be pretty literate. I guess it's been downhill ever since "neocon guy" David Bradley took over and Britney Spears made the cover.

:shrug:

how many people on here think they understand what Stewart is saying and what Colbert is making fun of, but don't. I think it is sad how many on here are demonstrating the exact behavior Stewart is rallying against.

So many in this country just don't get it.

A friend of mine and I are driving up from Tennessee the day before the rallies. Woo hoo!