I almost felt bad for Mad Money‘s Jim Cramer as I watched him on The Daily Show last night. Jon Stewart hit Cramer with reasonable critique after reasonable critique, and the so-called financial guru had nothing to offer in return beyond shameless plea-coppage and goalpost-moving ("Who, meeee?") — and, eventually, what sounded like a groveling admission of professional wrongdoing. On a human level, it’s a little painful to watch someone’s credibility get destroyed like that in front of millions. But as Ken Tucker has already said, Stewart was performing a valuable public service by grilling Cramer. He may have been harsh, but that guy deserved it.
And now we can now relive every awkward moment of that interview in extended and uncensored form. Watch the first part below, then click over to The Daily Show‘s website for the rest — and weigh in below to tell us what you thought of this epic basic-cable prizefight.
More on Jon Stewart:
Ken Tucker’s Watching TV: Jon Stewart takes Jim Cramer apart
The Daily Show: Ready for the Jon Stewart-Jim Cramer smackdown?
Jon Stewart takes another swipe at CNBC on Letterman
I usually don’t agree with Stewart’s liberal spin but he made absolute and perfect sense last night. He really drove home the point that these irresponsible CEO’s and traders treat the financial markets like a game and it’s sickening (although I disagree that he alleviates all the blame from the actual citizens taking out the mortgages, who should know better than to live beyond their means).
Cramer had absolutely no plausible response to anything Stewart said to him last night. He also seems to take everything personally unless reminded he was there for his network. It’s obvious that CNBC is there for the traders and not for the long-term investors, but they can’t say that or their public image would be shot down.
Jon Stewart was making a point that he has been drilling for years; that the news networks are not performing the public service role that they have a unique opportunity of playing. Anyone who has been paying attention to Jon for the last 5 years knows it. Jon sells himself short when he makes comments like, “This is just a comedy show.” He seems to be the only commentator on television that wants to ask politicians and policy-makers any tough questions. I would also like to point out that Jon takes on BOTH D’s and R’s. While he may lean to the left, he doesn’t let that get in the way of calling BS on either side. I hope Cramer will be a better journalist as a result of this exchange.
Stewart is about as relevant as President One Termer is.
On his show, Cramer said that the US has lost more wealth under Obama than any other president. So now John Stewart and everyone else in the media who supported Obama are going to try to make Cramer look like an idiot. Let this be a lesson to anyone else who dares to say anything truthful/bad about the media’s Chosen One. If he goes down, they will look stupid for supporting him. We cannot trust Stewart or the media to tell us the truth about our new Pres. Their reputations are too tied up in his success.
Part 2 of the interview was where things really heated up. You can watch that clip here:
http://gotchamedia.blogspot.com/2009/03/jon-stewart-nails-jim-cramer.html
It’s worth it.
Wealth lost will be coming back soon enough. It all depends on the Wall Street speculators now. Obama’s administration has nothing to do with that. Might want to look at the previous administration to see where it all started.
It’s sad when ignorant statements from the likes of “mombo” and “Impeach Obama” replace reality. The Man(Obama) barely walks through the front door of the White House, is handed a bill for the previous eight years, and now it’s his responsibility(or fault, if you listen to mombo). Stewart does his thing, and if you can’t suss how he does it, you don’t need to take up space attempting to counter it.
Last night’s show wasn’t political at all. It wasn’t about Democrat/Republican, or Obama. Stewart was addressing the press’ role in covering news. I think he did an excellent job.
I appreciated that Stewart acknowledged that it was unfortunate that Cramer had become the face of this, because Stewart was really commenting on the state of the network and the press in general.
Yes, and because Cramer said it on his show, it must be true. Obama has been President for less than 2 months; even if we actually have lost that much money, it can’t be the fault of his administration, and you know it, mombo. Especially since the “sins of his predecessors” refrain was heard constantly during the last administration.
This wasn’t about Cramer; it was about CNBC’s silence and/or complicity in the financial meltdown, and that was made abundantly clear on Stewart’s show.
Your ridiculous ad hominem attacks make less sense than your conclusions. Did the Daily Show manufacture Cramer’s own words? Did they collapse the markets just to get at a minor basic cable show host? Pathetic.
Obviously, you dislike Stewart, and that’s a matter of taste. But equally obvious is that Cramer’s own words hung him, and that’s a matter of fact. By all means, continue to use third-grade namecalling as your method of argument; it is as relevant as CNBC’s so-called reporting.
Wow “mombo” and “Impeach Obama” it is true what they say ignorant is a bliss!
Scale of relevancy
President one-termer
Jon Stewart
Cockroaches
Pocket lint
Dirt
Single-cel amoeba
Poaster named “Impeach Obama”
When did comedy central become a viable news network was it the onslaught of anti republcan or conservative jokes? Colbert and Stewart are comedians and should stick with what they know and out of politics unless they are goping to make fun of everyone equally.
Stephen Jackson: At DailyKos (liberal echo chamber), they scorched Stewart for mocking Obama. So, there’s your fair play.
Also, the very idea that comedians should be forced to make fun of everyone equally is almost funnier than anything Stewart said last night. Tell me the joke was intended, and I’ll bow to your snark. But I doubt it is. Lame.
Jon Stewart is a moron. Its sad that his show is the source of news for so many young Americans. Its just toxic dribble mixed with liberal editorializing and pop culture.