Jon Stewart managed to do something with his Rally to Restore Sanity that hasn’t been done in a long time. He confused the mainstream media to the point of a near collective nervous breakdown. The media couldn’t figure out what this rally was about, and it was only when Stewart explained it to them that they realized that it was about them.
Here are CNN’s TJ Holmes and Kate Bolduan trying to describe the rally:
Holmes introduced Bolduan by saying, “Washington D.C. is gearing up for… something right now, and asked what is this thing?” Bolduan set a tone by trying to put this into the political box, only to leave confused. She said, “It seems that the rally and the people attending here are a little harder to define than many of the other rallies that we’ve covered.” She tried to tie it to the 2010 election only to have attendees tell her that this isn’t about the election.
A report on NBC’s Today show echoed the what is this thing question and called the rally and intersection of politics and entertainment:
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Over at Fox News, they asked people if this was a political statement, people said no, and Fox continued to shade the rally as a pro-liberal pro-Obama event:
The media just didn’t get it. In fact, the whole point of the rally eluded them until Jon Stewart told them during his speech to close the event. Stewart explained that the media themselves were part of the point of the rally. Cable news’ approach is part of the problem, “But unfortunately one of our main tools in delineating the two broke. The country’s 24 hour political pundit perpetual panic conflictinator did not cause our problems but its existence makes solving them that much harder. The press can hold its magnifying up to our problems bringing them into focus, illuminating issues heretofore unseen or they can use that magnifying glass to light ants on fire and then perhaps host a week of shows on the sudden, unexpected dangerous flaming ant epidemic. “
He continued, “If we amplify everything we hear nothing. There are terrorists and racists and Stalinist and theocrats but those are titles that must be earned. You must have the resume. Not being able to distinguish between real racists and Tea Partiers or real bigots and Juan Williams and Rick Sanchez is an insult, not only to those people but to the racists themselves who have put in the exhausting effort it takes to hate. Just as the inability to distinguish terrorists from Muslims makes us less safe not more. The press is our immune system. If we overreact to everything we actually get sicker and perhaps eczema.”
Television news was paralyzed and confused when they had to cover an event that did not fit into their polarized partisan model. The idea that a rally would be held that wasn’t about politics or supporting a particular candidate or party left them stunned. They were equally dumbfounded by the idea that hundreds of thousands of Americans would show up to an event that had no political motive. They couldn’t figure it.
The corporate media didn’t expect anyone to catch on to their role as the dissemination system for partisan polarization. The media may not be to blame for the partisan divisions in our country, but they definitely help to spread and reinforce them by tilting their coverage towards conflict and sensationalism, while completely neglecting information and rational discussion. I think this rally was reflection of the extremist fatigue that most people feel. People want to feel good and like they can come together for something.
On this one day regular people wanted to show that media may be broken, but America isn’t. The American people came calling today, and their message was loud and clear. They not only want their country back, but they want their sanity back as well. What the media could not figure out was that Jon Stewart had a message that was bigger than politics. His message was that America is fine. It is our media and hyper partisanship that is broken, and Stewart advocated for everyone to work together to solve our problems. The media won’t like it, but this rally was about how great America can be, and how much of a problem they have become.
Related posts:
- Due to Obama Beck Proclaims The Rally to Restore Sanity a Failure
- At Least 250,000 Attend Jon Stewart’s Rally to Restore Sanity
- Rush Limbaugh Claims that the Rally to Restore Sanity Helps the Republicans
- Fox Claims Union Members Are Being Bused in At Gunpoint for Stewart/Colbert Rally
- Glenn Beck Calls Stewart/Colbert Rally a Progressive Plot
[...] The Rally To Restore Sanity Causes a Mainstream Media Meltdown Posted on November 1, 2010 by hippiekate26| Leave a comment URL: http://www.politicususa.com/en/restore-sanity-media [...]
No matter how many times a lie is repeated it will never become the truth. It is illogical to think otherwise. What makes a lie conceivably valid is when the sources of the information are supposed to be trusted and intelligent…and they quickly forget the importance of the integrity of responsible journalism. What happened? The truth is not a fleeting thing it only becomes trivial when it is obscured by sensationalism. Everything loses its meaning the minute there is a profit to be made. The bottom line is the only thing that matters and the gray matter in between is lost. I really don’t care about Lindsey Lohan or Paris Hilton going to jail. That belongs on Entertainment Tonight and The Soup, not CNN, MSNBC or any of the other news room who claims to bring us the “news”. Thank you Jon Stewart for having the audacity to tell them to stop the BS Insanity and the promotion of constant fear. My favorite poster from the rally is the one of Uncle Sam saying “You’re an American, act like one.” We didn’t become a nation because we were afraid…we were radical thinkers then and we need radical thinkers now….stop the insanity!!!! No Truth – Know Fear; Know Truth – No Fear!!!
The Truth shall set you free. Thank you Teri
[...] I can’t really tell you what it was about. Nobody really can. Especially not the media, as this article will explain (though I don’t really agree with its LOL! THE MEDIA IS STUPID! LOL! thesis). [...]
Truth has become seen as subjective, not as objective. Somehow Hollywood’s fictional Perry Mason plot lines have become confused with real live courtroom dramas like the OJ Simpson trial and people have lost sight of the concept of facts in favor of opinion strengthened into absolute belief. Faith-based belief does not allow skepticism or tolerate dissent and that is unhealthy!
@ el brew ho. Perhaps, that is your perception and people forming opinions through faith is their perception. Does that mean that your perception is tantamount or more valid than theirs? Or is only perceptions formed by non-believers that are formed by “facts?” Believing that the Colberts or Stewarts or any of the Hollywood Elites are objective newsmen is disheartening. Listening to all sides, reading and knowing the Constitution, the thoughts of the Framers, etc; and then forming an opinion is being fully informed. Personally, when I hear that many people get their news/opinion from Stewart then I am concerned with the future of this country. Hollywood elites, SEIU, Soros, and the rest of non-elected individuals have too much influence on policies. The Insanity Rally worked: for one reason only. It was too funny to make a reality!
I don’t see how getting your “news” from John Stewart or Stephen Colbert is any different than getting your “news” from FoxNews/(insert your own hated news channel here). Isn’t this is a point that these two pundits are trying to make. These guys both are entertainers and they do not deny that, and they mock both sides of our bi partisan government. MOST individuals hold their own opinions in higher regard than another individuals’. Take into consideration that FoxNews/(insert your own hated news channel here) has thousands of devoted fans that take some of the opinions expressed by their pundits to be THE FACTS, which causes these fans to form their own opinions (based on what they may believe to be the absolute truth). ALL of the hateful, slanderous, and even murderous comments I’ve heard come from people who are devoted watchers of programs such as Glenn Becks. I am not saying that the people at these “news” stations should not express their personal opinions or fight for what they think is right. I THINK it would be nice to have civil, intelligent discourse that doesn’t cause unreasonable anger and hatred towards individuals or whole groups of people. To agree with one side of a political/social discussion (dispute?) without taking into consideration all parties involved (The legal citizens of the United States of America) seems sort of ignorant to me.
@Wicked Bitch: Yes you are correct, basing your assumptions on political discourse purely or even primarily on faith makes you an idiot. Not an ad hominem you can be perfectly intelligent but it works as a rule of thumb.
None of these boogeymen that you mentioned really exist, much less hold the place of monolithic titans that you think they do. Not to mention the fact that there are plenty of examples of right wing boogeymen (i.e. Karl Rove, Fox News, Dick Cheney, The Swift Boat Guys) that also don’t really hold the grand sweeping powers that liberals credit them with. By spewing bile about “non-elected officials influencing policy” you serve only to continue this unabashed partisanship. It is not right, it is not constructive and in the future should you find youself in a position where you might consider doing it again, don’t. Besides non-elected officials (i.e. those of us who do the voting, sweet heart) should take as much influence over policy decisions as we are able.
God forbid we actually let politicians make the decisions and we find ourselves in this place. Politicians are lawyers, and they don’t know lead from gold, they should be the last people to actually do anything to legislation…and yet here we are again…freaking lawyers…The only thing that would make it worse would be to let the media do it themselves.
Hi deary. Ahhh once again dogma surfaces. I have noticed that once a person fails to be able to be engage discourse then the ad hominem attacks begin. Perhaps intellectual honesty escapes you. No given your little rant I think you have aptly demonstrated. Let’s attack those horrible Republican/Conservative boogeymen and believers in any faith. You state that I engaged in “spewing bile about “non-elected officials influencing policy”” and as a result [I] serve only to continue this unabashed partisanship. UMMM nothing partisanship there. Facts are facts. They influence this current administration and the political discourse in this country. Try some intellectual honesty. If you are capapble. PS: I think there are at least 2 “idiots” in this dialogue and I know for a fact that I am not one of them. I will stack my political acumen, knowledge and experience against yours any day and will emerge the victor.
Bitch.
When you first posted you refered only to “Hollywood elites, SEIU, Soros,”. What did you expect? You appeared partisan, you got partisan in return. Try spending a little time showing that vaunted political acumen you brag about and forget the little attacks
[...] check out: NPR’s report w/pics and Politics USA’s analysis Share [...]
This rally was incredible to watch-lifted my spirit and made me laugh at all the craziness. I have not seen anything like all the negativity, name-calling, and childish behavior in my life-and I am talking about congress!
It felt good to know that so many other people are tired of the game, feel that the whole system is failing yet understand why and how it is failing and that only tolerance for others and their views is the only way to fix it!
Home from the Rally. I too was perplexed as to the purpose of the gathering before I arrived. How is one meant to dress, for example, for two simultaneous rallies with essentially opposite purposes? In the end I concluded that I’d go as an ordinary human being. Evidently most other attendees made the same choice. There were few outrageous Halloween costumes, for instance- most were in jeans, and I saw few truly provocative or partisan signs. “Polite Politics Please” was there, as well as “Say No to Scare Tactics”. None of us wanted to give the fearmongerers an opportunity to dismiss us as kooks.
[...] clear what its purpose was” link added. UPDATE, 11/2: It was an anti-media rally, writes Jason Easley. If so, Stewart is in the process of adopting many of the media’s worst false equivalence [...]
[...] I can’t really tell you what it was about. Nobody really can. Especially not the media, as this article will explain (though I don’t really agree with its LOL! THE MEDIA IS STUPID! LOL! thesis). [...]
I think what bothers me the most is that people, and particularly the media, didn’t understand what this was about. I know that not everyone is a fan of these guys or supports the cause, and I know the whole thing has a layer or two of irony and sarcasm that you have to dig through. But everyone ought to be capable of understanding that there are a large number of moderates in this country who are increasingly unhappy and concerned with how far media and politics have gone in sensationalizing and overreacting to absolutely everything. Jon Stewart is a comedian, sure, and people trust him as a news source, but these days his entire source of material is the blatant absurdity that our media and many policitians spew out, on both sides of the political spectrum. If you consider that, and you still think that the fact that he’s a comedian is what you’re worried about, then you are missing the much greater problem.
I don’t see how getting your “news” from John Stewart or Stephen Colbert is any different than getting your “news” from FoxNews/(insert your own hated news channel here). Isn’t this is a point that these two pundits are trying to make. These guys both are entertainers and they do not deny that, and they mock both sides of our bi partisan government. MOST individuals hold their own opinions in higher regard than another individuals’. Take into consideration that FoxNews/(insert your own hated news channel here) has thousands of devoted fans that take some of the opinions expressed by their pundits to be THE FACTS, which causes these fans to form their own opinions (based on what they may believe to be the absolute truth). ALL of the hateful, slanderous, and even murderous comments I’ve heard come from people who are devoted watchers of programs such as Glenn Becks. I am not saying that the people at these “news” stations should not express their personal opinions or fight for what they think is right. I THINK it would be nice to have civil, intelligent discourse that doesn’t cause unreasonable anger and hatred towards individuals or whole groups of people. To agree with one side of a political/social discussion (dispute?) without taking into consideration all parties involved (The legal citizens of the United States of America) seems sort of ignorant to me.
UMMM it is a problem because they are comedians…not journalist. DUH. Guess your probably one of them. I am glad to see so many receive such political empowerment from a couple of fools. Guess that explains your fascination.
A lie repeated enough times at a loud enough volume starts being perceived as the truth. The problem I am having these days is what do you say when the truth no longer matters?
I think this is the first step toward the truth. As history has shown, the truth moves in three stages. First it is ridiculed. Then it’s opposed violently. And finally it is accepted as being self-evident. That’s the truth. The media has become our worst enemy. Perhaps it should be stripped of all its hard-earned freedom? They seem more interested in maintaining steady ratings than the status quo. In Singapore the government controls all the media, and it seems to work for them. The country enjoys year on year growth, yet has no natural resources. The people enjoy first-world living, good education, little unemployment, low taxes, and a crime rate that barely registers. If TV is a reflection of society, then its time the self-proclaimed free world took a good look at what it has become. Have a nice day.
“I don’t see how getting your “news” from John Stewart or Stephen Colbert is any different than getting your “news” from FoxNews…” What is this guy smoking? Perhaps ignorance is the problem. I mean, like, you know, I can’t tell the difference between George Bush Snr, George W Bush and George Washington. All were president, all called George. And there’s really not much difference between Homer Simpson and OJ Simpson. Both are American icons, both are popular, both are Simpsons.
@ barni_armani You miss the point… I like how reading the first line of a comment brought you to that conclusion.
Ignorance is bliss is it not?
[...] קומיות. מה שהתקשורת האמריקאית כנראה פספסה לגמרי, כפי שטוען מאמר זה, הוא שהמטרה העיקרית של העצרת הייתה בעצם לצאת כנגד [...]
What a great move by Jon Stewart. I wasn’t sure what the rally was about…would’ve gone had I known. But either way, that was an incredible idea to confuse the media. The only weakness in it seems to be that there doesn’t seem to be a follow-up to it. A one-day rally with no demands doesn’t really seem to have any impact. Maybe once the public was clear on the purpose of the rally, and after seeing the successful turn-out, he might’ve planned a National No News Week where people don’t read any news. Would’ve made another point and embarrassed the media. They’d eventually realize they were delivering the news to their studio crew. We could’ve gone from there on working to build a more reliable and relevant news media.
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