Continuing his efforts to get Democrats to the polls Tuesday, President Obama made his first appearance on Jon Stewart's "Daily Show" since assuming office.
PHOTO President Barack Obama gestures during a commercial break as he talks with host Jon Stewart
President Obama gestures during a commercial break as he talks with host Jon Stewart during a taping of Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" with Jon Stewart, Oct. 27, 2010, in Washington, D.C.
(Charles Dharapak/AP Photo)
There weren't the usual number of laughs on Stewart's Comedy Central telecast Wednesday night, as he pushed Obama on the campaign promises of hope and change, and the tough realities of office.
"When I say that when we promised during the campaign, change you can believe in, it wasn't change you can believe in in 18 months," Obama said. "It was change you can believe in, but you have to work for it."
The 30-minute interview was taped before a live audience in Washington, D.C., and Obama used the platform to urge viewers to consider the accomplishments of his presidency and his fellow Democrats.
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"We prevented the second Great Depression," the president said. "We stabilized the economy. ... We got nine months of consecutive job growth. ... We have passed historic health care reform, historic financial regulatory reform. We have done things that people don't even know about."
Stewart came back with a quip: "Are you planning a surprise party for us?"
Some people weren't laughing, though, about the president's appearance on the program. A columnist in the New York Daily News called the appearance and others like it trivial, claiming that it "degraded the Obama brand."
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said that show is an ideal place to reach young people.
"The president hasn't been shy about going to the places where people are getting their information and trying to make his case," he said.
Our question to you today: What did you think of President Obama's "Daily Show" appearance?
Posted By: DAVID JOHNSON
Thursday, October 28th 2010 at 12:27PM
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