The Daily Show presents: Torture Talk
By John Amato Monday Feb 11, 2008 11:00am
Jon Stewart does a brilliant segment on the multitude of ridiculous and offensive positions the Bush administration (including Mukasey, McConnell, Alberto, Hayden and Bush) has taken on torture, i.e.,: waterboarding.
It's not torture, it is torture, don't do it to me, we don't torture---it's classified---I can't discuss it---water goes up my nose--swim lessons---it's not appropriate for me to say if it's torture---we never torture---we only waterboarded three people...Will you investigate?---No.
Download | play 
Download | play (h/t Joe)
Kennedy: Would waterboarding be torture if it was done to you?
Mukasey: Ummm. I would feel that it was.
McConnell: Being a water safety instructor and teaching people to swim, he said. "Well, what about if water goes up your nose?" And I said that would be torture. That would be very painful to me.
Q: American prosecutors actually obtained convictions against Japanese after WWII because of what they did to American captives. What about it---makes it not torture now? Is it just the circumstances?
Fratto: I don't think that's a question I can answer...
How do these people sleep at night? Outside of Bill O'Reilly, that is. He sleeps very well---especially after he's made a nice long phone call to one of his female employees. Text messages just wouldn't do.
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WWW.DEMOCRACYNOW.ORG
censorship in action folks!
"Discovery Channel Accused of Political Censorship for Dropping Oscar-Nominated Doc on U.S. Torture
Days after its Academy Award nomination, the documentary Taxi to the Dark Side was dropped by the Discovery Channel over concerns it was “controversial.” The film investigates some of the most egregious abuses associated with the so-called “war on terror,” including the US torture of prisoners.
America tortures, so did Nazi Germany
Now, let's be fair -- Mukasey has 'drawn a line in the sand' on Waterboarding.
I feel your pain Jon.
Working for Viacom must suck.
Jim Lehrer gave a softball interview to Mukasey lastnight. Twas truly insulting.
I don't understand why this dwelling on waterboarding..waterboarding..waterboarding.
We do far worse to these poor chaps, like murdering them with a long creative list leading to it.
Are we still this stupid?
Brings to mind a line in a poem...."I know you..you're the Red Bitch that clings to one thing".
L.A. Confidential @ 4:
I got that beat. I work for Viacom/CBS, so I get the joy of seeing Katie Couric promos all day ...
FOX is State Sponsored TV @ 5:
Jim Lehrer,
Elizabeth Farnsworth,
Gwen Ifill,
Judy Woodruff,
Margaret Warner,
Ray Suarez,
Mark Shields,
David Brooks
No further comment on these robots.
Dodd amendment fails in FISA vote. Fuckers.
Ya know what helps me sleep at night? When Bush dies he is going to go to "heaven". Right before his god laughs his ass off in his face, his god is going to allow our founding fathers to kick the shit out of him. When they are done, his god is going to hand him his eternal punishment..... to be water-boarded by a Democratic Iraqi Atheist.
I wish I was in Canada
Bush = terrorist
Impeach & Convict
sharkcellar @ 9:
Just be aware every time your on the phone HS or some Bushie Bot may be eavesdropping on ya.
Thank you, AGAIN, Jon Stewart, you're doing the work that most of America's journalists
are not able (or willing) to do. E
The idiocy of it all is that terrorists aren't going to speak openly of their plans. Hell, I doubt they'll even say obvious things like, '... the infidel will pay ...' or 'eggplant'.
I mean, come on. How often do you use the word eggplant, unless you're writing a vegetarian cookbook exclusively covering the stuff?
When it fails to turn up terrorists, it will be used to monitor gangs and other criminal activity (actually, I think they already are).
Let's talk about it, let's write something stern and witty... let's make it go away cause it doesn't go well with gigantic foam hand #1...
Must...not...advocate...violence...on...Bush...Administration...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0GTRk_okUk4
How do they sleep at night? they sleep just fine. Don't miss a wink. Not having a conscience will do that for you. If they had functioning consciences, they would not be Republicans and totalitarian wannabe's.
enor @ 12:
Far from it. Remember, when his ego killed "Crossfire" he hid behind the rock of "we're just a comedy show". So please - don't give credit where credit isn't due. Laugh if you like but his own words state that his show has no importance whatsoever except to make people laugh.
I can't recall the laughter I experienced each and every time he has McCain on but obviously that's just me. And it's a badge I wear with honor.
Paul @ 17:
Whacked out on Thorazine and under-aged hookers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSuWCIYi7T4
I can watch "The Daily Show"...
Just the parts I need to know!
Lots of music, lots of laughs,
Politicans' latest gaffes,
LonelyGirls and music vids,
Cameraphones and "Star Wars" kids!
Copyrights get stomped a bit,
But kids my age don't give a-
..uh, care a whit!
Dude!
I got YouTube.
I got YouTube.
I got YouTube.
brando @ 18:
thank the good lord he "killed" crossfire, that show, as stewart said, hurt america. tucker, carville, novak, et al, are poisonous to america.
that is definitely a feather in stewart's cap.
Samson- @ 22:
Are you for real? Have you even watched the show? I have on a regular basis for years and it was the ONLY way for anyone with a progressive view to even be heard. Carville has since gone off the deep end and Begala is almost non-existent. Who else is carrying that torch oh wise one? Where are the voices now? Donna Brazile? She seems to be cozying for a steady gig with Blitzer and has softened to warm butter.
Frankly, you don't know what you're talking about.
I found thinking about this torturous.
I find it amazing that the "progressives" are so worried about the well being of people who want to cut your throats...torture them all....
brando @ 18:
It's the blatant truth in TDS's 'comedy' that actually makes people laugh.... when they dont cry.
It wouldn't be funny if it weren't true.
Time for a war crimes tribunal.
when, pray tell, is the msm going to stop being simple stenographers for the torture-advocates? (don't answer that)
when will the msm, when discussing waterboarding, mention that we prosecuted and executed japanese soldiers after WWII accused of torturing us soldiers by waterboarding.
by using waterboarding we join the ranks of:
nazi germany
imperial japan
khmer rouge
torquemada's henchmen
and the italian inquistion
It should be clearly obvious from this video that the administration should be hung out to dry.
Bushworld: where one of the most legitimate, trusted sources of actual TV news is A FREAKING COMEDY NEWS SHOW!!!
After watching that clip, I have one question: Did the WGA settle the strike?
I really miss 'THE' Daily Show.
I always wondered how a country with zero credibility or political integrity could get worse ............. I suppose now I know .......
Canisisu @ 25:
So....we should drop to their level? Forget all those inconvenient 'laws' and 'principles' that we have?
Yah - that'll fix'em!
Canisisu @ 25:
Your ignorance of the bigger picture is a good example of what's wrong with americon.
enor @ 12:
It's "willing" as americon is about money not honesty, truth dignity or anything like that.
the end of an era @ 2:
Seeing as ameicon was one of the biggest supporters of the Nazis, even while the real allies were fighting them that isn't really a surprising comment is it.
Billy Bob @ 27:
I would appear americon and its people believes it's above justice to the world, an interesting request to ask for justice from the world in return.
Beam Me Up Scottie...Please! @ 10:
Okay, well, we'd be happy to have you stop by, but we all really feel you have more work to do there. And now with the right segmenting between social, economic and other assorted batshit crazy conservatives (aka Paulturds), it would seem like a good time to stay and vote for people to prosecute these people.
brando @ 23:
i had to compose myself after laughing my ass off at your post.
"the torch"? are you fucking kidding me? what torch? the democracy-crushing, corporate-sucking torch? b/c that "the torch" that the likes of tucker, carville, begala and novak carried.
those that wonder just how and why carville could be married to mary 'cruela deville' matalin are unfamiliar with james carville. he is as slick as they come, and he is willing to sell his political schemes to the highest bidder, democracy-be-damned.
my little neolberal friend, you are so confused it is almost sad. no, it is sad.
and, please, donna brazile? whaaa? i think you and i exist in 2 distinct realities, where you see the world thru a corporate-funded, partisan vantage point.
carville, greenberg, devine, brazile, begala, penn, etc: are a big part of what is wrong with the democratic party
'Remember, when his ego killed “Crossfire” '
Pffft ...
The biggest single logical error in the waterboarding torture debate is the presumption that the torturer has no intention of causing lasting harm to the victim. The victim of waterboarding HAS NO IDEA HOW FAR THE TORTURER WILL OR WILL NOT GO.
Is is torture to perform mock executions with unloaded weapons? Of course it is! therefore, why could waterboarding be any differently viewed or debated?
That the MSM even allows this as a subject of legitimate debate is very good evidence that the USA is now a Police State under martial law.
P.S. a Dem Victory in November will change nothing.
Samson- @ 35:
[Deleted. See if you can express displeasure with this person's opinion without the personal attacks. Thanks-Sitemonitor]
if they say that Waterboarding isnt torture......... should our police departments start using it to question murder suspects? or any other suspect for that matter
as well done as these segments are, it's still very disturbing to me that the audience laughs to heartily at them.
I deeply appreciate what Jon Stewart does, but this isn't funny anymore. All we're doing is laughing at the bully as he beats the poor geek up, what we don't yet realize is that we're all the geek.
brando @ 38:
See, this is why we don't feed trolls. It just makes everyone involved looks foolish.
Well evidently, viewing this segment and knowing what I've observed strictly in the public domain these last seven years...( I don't have access to any of the truely damning evidence that would confirm it for anyone including Mr. Blinders, AG Murkasey...
Any more than anyone else without a top secret clearance...)
Can't speak for anyone else, but it's clear (and actually has been for some time)..to me that somehow, someway (crooked elections?) we've allowed a pack of immoral torture lovin greed and power mongering sadists to take control of this nations government at multiple levels... It's just that fucking simple... Thanks to JS for making it so plainly clear...a-gain....JD
kc @ 32:
He probably learned to feel that way at some good Christian church.
Chico @ 26:
Yes, I also saw that interview with JS, declaring his intent.
But, that has nothing to do with his effect.
Last year, I sat with two very conservative Republicans, one a big shot in state politics and his wife.
I turned on TDS, and the things that Jon was saying they had never heard before. They in fact, were a bit shocked. ('How can he say those things?') I saw in one episode the power of his comedy. They actually started talking about both sides of an issue.
I tried for years to convince them about some of the issues that are important to me with no success. I call that a major breakthrough. AND, they are still watching him.
Where else do you think they (and many others) get to see the juxtaposition of all those clips, edited for comedy but leaving a very powerful message?
E
brando @ 38:
LOL, my "lowness", ouch! simp? hee hee, simp. could you dumb down your posts, i don't understand your hi-fallutin' writin', LOL *sighs*
serisouly, though-
you are so confused you think i am a rightwing'er.
it is official: you think you know what you are talking about. yet, claiming that carville and crossfire furthered the progressive movement, proves that you are pathetically ignorant.
what is sad: if you were to stop with the knee-jerk reactions and actually try to understand what i am saying you would see that we might be actually on the same side. but, your anger has gotten in the way of any understanding or basic comprehension.
but now i need to check the nascar race, hee hee, go dale jr!
:-)
Samson,
Nice work. Set Brando off like a cherry bomb. Heat, kitchen and all that. What wimps.
LOL
Samson- @ 46:
I guess sometimes the site monitor pays attention....... other times they allow hateful speech.......... wish there was some equality ....... but Im just another on the sidelines
[We try, but we don't see every post. Also, there may be a difference between our opinions and yours-Sitemonitor]
Canisisu @ 25:
Uh....does it make any sense to you that by saying it's ok for us to torture them we're saying it's ok for anyone who captures an American service person to do the same? Can you even pronounce Geneva Conventions??? I would like for us to take the moral highground. Second choice would be to pretend like we're taking the moral highground. Last choice would be to put a bunch of people on tv and internet who say it's ok to torture.
The reason it's funny is the presentation,not the content. Jon's reaction is what creates the laughs. What's sad is,that these Thugs stand up there and actually think We're expected to swallow it whole-so to speak. In other words,the King doesn't make(or follow) the law-The King IS The Law.
We now turn to our Senior Torture correspondent...
LOL funny.
Samson- @ 46:
I am fully aware that we are on the same side. That's why it angers me when I hear people grabbing that talking point from Stewart as though he saved the planet. Please. He gave the brass at CNN the excuse they needed and bumped the show. Carville disgusts me and yet numerous times I found myself saying "thank you" for smashing down one of their Conservative guests or some smarmy comment from royal ass hisself Carlson. I saw that show in real time with Stewart and his ambush disgusted me. Especially considering the fact that he cowered behind the "comedy" facade. Again, I'll ask what purpose it serves to have John McCain on some 10 or 20 times. Stewart tosses softball after softball and there's almost nothing EVER funny in those interviews (same goes for Lynn Cheney).
So, my point stands in re: to Crossfire at least being a voice on that blasted network. I'd rather SOMETHING than nothing which is what we have now. Begala was never better than on that show and Press carried the ball on numerous occasions in his years on the panel. I even watched the McLaughlin Group for years trying to get some succor from the left but to little effect.
'nuff said.
Mary @ 49:
Like I said in post 39....
If waterboarding isnt torture……… should our police departments start using it to question murder suspects? or any other suspect for that matter
Why only use it on "their bad guys" why not our our bad guys too.....there are more killers in America killing Americans then there are Iraqi killing Americans
Serious question....Who here thinks that giving Dems the WH, Senate and Congress will fix all of this?
A show of hands please?
Roger from Ohio @ 39:
Careful what you wish for....
Serious question….Who here thinks that giving Dems the WH, Senate and Congress will fix all of this?
A show of hands please?
I'm seriously afraid that they will be set up to be punching bags for 4 years til Brother Jeb's run in '12 ...
Crossfire to me sounds like the name of a new reality show/contest where rival drag queens try to out-vamp each other, and imitate Bette Davis.
Big John @ 54:
Fixing all of this is going to take time...... Getting our troops out of Iraq and allowing Iraq to control their own country is something that Hillary will get done.
She will be able to help our economy with many policies that both Hillary and Barack have, as well as universal health care. Having Barack as her Veep will help to unify the party.
What will also help is using Edwards as the attorney general to bring back the rule of law.
What it sounds like to me is that the Republican congress didnt do their job with oversight, and as we all know........ after the Republicans lose....... they will use their hatefulness to attack Clinton (again) which will keep her accountable. It sure was a shame that they didnt keep Bush accountable.
Here's something even scarier: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7239748.stm--Scalia endorsing tortured confessions.
Sorry the correct URL is : http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7239748.stm
Roger from Ohio @ 58:
and how would you rate the dem's control of congress in their oversight role? would you say they have done their job?
This is exactly why I love Jon Stewart and Colbert.
Jon has the balls to do what 99% of reporters do not: Ask hard questions. And the sad thing is, that Jon is not even a reporter.
"It's just that fucking simple!" at the end was my favorite part.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
brando @ 18:
Point taken. However; throughout history the jester has been the only one allowed to speak the truth. He HAS to say that or he will be held to their standards and no one will be able to speak the truth.
Roger from Ohio @ 58:
First decent argument I've heard for Hillary as POTUS. I want Barack, but I'll support vehemently if she wins the nomination.
ysbaddaden @ 16:
Ain't that the truth...
Eno-produced King Crimson--a true gem.
You know, after watching this clip, mucus for brains, our new AG, makes gonzo look like a mere schoolboy. Wonder how more much he and bush together can fuck up the country in less than a year?
Samson- @ 61:
no they havent done the job that they should have. Although they did make an effort at it..... and if u have been paying attention, the repubs have blocked any effort the dems made.
I hope that you dont believe that if Congress was run by the Dems when all of these lies and criminal activity started that we would still be in the same sinking boat that we are in now.
One last point..... dont know how true it is..... but in my minds eye I hope it is true....
I just hope that when it is too late...... someone in congress steps up and starts some type of criminal investigation on Bush and Cheney.
you all do know that Rumfield cant go back to France, because they put out warrants for him for war crimes.
I LOVE THE FRENCH!!!
When Mukasey said waterboarding is not part of the current "program" and perhaps never will be added to it, did anyone ask, "Okay, has it ever been part of the 'program?'"
When he then said for that reason it wouldn't be appropriate for him to make a judgment about it's legality, did anyone say "That makes no sense. If it's not part of the current regime and likely won't be, it should be easier to make a judgment since doing so clearly would not compromise any security effort. And if it's inappropriate to judge it now, just when would if be appropriate? When it's a 'classified technique' that you can't even talk about?"
My dream is to take all of these people, one at a time, and tell them that we're going to test the reliability of information extracted through torture. We're going to waterboard them and see how long they last before "confessing" to being a member of al-Qaeda.
Canisisu @ 25:
I bet you're not a software engineer from Canada.
Go fuck yourself!
LarryE @ 69:
But what if they really are al Qaida...know what I mean ?...
Eleven more months of Evil America to go. I hope I can go back to loving my country again once the sociopaths are gone.
I agree with Leslie who is fasting and who wears Rosa Parks comment: "We have learned over the years that when one's mind is made up, this diminshes fear, knowing what must be done does away with fear." Bravo to all the courageous souls-hang in there and get your electrolytes: Boil a carrot, potato and celery stick in 1 quart of water for twenty minutes and drink the broth daily.
I fasted ten days last year for impeachment. I'm running as an Independent for Impeachment for the Maine US Senate. You can do something to help impeachment by helping my campaign:
go to www.dobsonforsenate.com and click to volunteer. This is something you can do to make a difference right now. Even if you can't fast, you can support a campaign of someone who has put it on the line for impeachment. We can all do something. Thanks.
Laurie Dobson
I find it amazing that the “progressives” are so worried about the well being of people who want to cut your throats…torture them all….
Gee, I wonder why anyone would have something against you...
supremecourtjester @ 59:
Funny how that click on doesn't work. Error #4 not found. How convenient. Must be more truth being eliminated. Where did 'Truthiness' go?
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