Now: Moyers Interviews Jon Stewart

Transcript -

BILL MOYERS: I do not know whether you are practicing a old form of parody and satire.

JON STEWART: Uh-huh (AFFIRM).

BILL MOYERS: Or a new form of journalism. (LAUGHTER)

JON STEWART: Well then that either speaks to the sad state of comedy or the sad state of news. I can't figure out which one. I think, honestly, we're-- practicing a new form of desperation. (LAUGHTER) Where we just-- are so inundated with-- mixed messages from the media and from politicians that we're just trying to sort it out for ourselves.

JON STEWART: I think of myself as a comedian-- who has the pleasure of-- writing jokes about things that I actually care about. And that's really it. You know if I-- if I really wanted to enact social change, I have great respect for people who are in the front lines and the trenches of trying to enact social change. I am far lazier than that.

I am a tiny, neurotic man, standing in the back of the room throwing tomatoes at the chalk board. And that's really it. And-- what we do is we come in in the morning and we go, did you see that thing last night?! Ug. And then we spend the next 8 or 9 hours trying to take this and make it into something funny.

BILL MOYERS: You mean something like this. Friday, front page headline: Wars Cost Bring Democratic Anger. I mean these are the guys who voted for the war.

JON STEWART: You don't want to get the Democrats angry, because then they'll maybe meet in private. (LAUGHTER) And you don't want that. If that's what it takes to get the Democrats angry, I feel badly for the Democrats right now. This is-- Bush has raised $200 million. I mean he's gonna raise $200 million. And he's gonna need all of that money to defeat this Democratic field. This is a rough.

I mean, think about it, you've got Senator Kerry whose like Gore but without you know all the charisma. And-- then you've got Lieberman, who is for the war. And-- thinks the tax cuts could really help. He's basically-- for people who want to vote for Bush but don't think Bush is Jewish enough.

Then you have Dean whose raised a tremendous amount of money. Yet most people in America think he's the sausage guy. It's gonna be tough for Bush to defeat any of these guys.

BILL MOYERS: Let's take a look at a recent clip about Dean on your show.

JON STEWART: Alright. VIDEO CLIP:

Stewart: Speaking of the Democratic contenders, and someone's got to. Vermont Governor Howard Dean recently became the first to release a campaign ad.

Dean: I'm Howard Dean. It's time for the truth because the truth is that George Bush's foreign policy isn't making us safer. Stewart: Wow, if you listen closely you can almost hear Al Gore saying, "Dude, Loosen up." (laughter) Dean: I believe it's time to put Americans back to work, to provide health insurance for every American. It's time for Democrats to be Democrats again. That's why I'm running for President. And that's why I approved this message.

Stewart: That's why I approved this message?! Alright! A can-do guy who's in charge of the things that comes out of his own mouth!

Something you can't say about Bush.