Jon Stewart, Political Gatekeeper

I think it’s becoming the norm that every chance I have to write about the broader role Jon Stewart plays in the intersection of media and politics I take. Consider here and here. Or maybe the I just wish I had enough money to go to the upcoming Rally for Sanity.

Anyway, so White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was asked why President Obama chose to appear on Jon Stewart recently:

Quick question.  The Daily Show — why did he agree to appear on that?  And is there any significance to that so close to Election Day?

MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think it’s a program that younger voters and even occasionally older voters, the 39-year-old age group, catch, if they can remember to stay up late.  No, I think it’s a great way to appeal to a younger voter audience that is a big part of the President’s base.

Well yes, it’s obviously a move to rally youngsters like me (and presumably you) to head to the ballot box but, if you don’t mind me quoting myself, I think the role Jon plays in today’s political discourse is actually pretty significant in itself. In one of the posts I linked to above I wrote:

Comedy is an incredibly powerful thing. It allows us to take a critical look at something, in this case, politics and political figures, and ignore the b.s. That’s what Stewart does and, to be honest, I think our discourse is better because of it. Stewart’s style of political humor highlights the more absurd aspects of politics and current events and that is often not only refreshing, but also important these days. It’s very easy to get caught up in the minutia of political narratives. For instance, should we really be worrying about whether President Obama is an elite? Why are we talking about that?

Basically, I think Jon Stewart is somewhat of a gatekeeper in politics. If you can come off as a serious and compelling politician on Jon Stewart then in many American circles you are a serious and compelling politician. Stewart’s goal is, through laughter, to basically callout the more absurd aspects of politics and current events. When a guest comes on, Jon is going to focus on either what’s simply absurdly funny or dangerous. In many ways this is a litmus test for any politician hoping to be seen as serious to a large portion of the country.

As it relates to Obama, since things, well, haven’t been going exactly how the President hoped, Obama is gambling that he can regain some gravitas by holding his own in a one-on-one with Jon. Will he be able to defend serious questions Jon asks and also indulge some comedic back-and-forth about American politics today? If President Obama does, he’ll have gained some yardage. If he doesn’t, well, soon Sarah Palin might be appearing on Jon Stewart.

–Daniel Strauss