If you missed it this morning, Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert’s Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear drew at least 150,000 people (a number of reports put it “well over 200,000”) to the National Mall in D.C. where they were “PACKED IN!” as our own Jeannie Dean writes via email today. The decidedly un-political rally concluded on a serious-ish note from Stewart, one well worth watching as his closing remarks represented, certainly, the most substantive moment of what looked to be a really fun day…
Much of Stewart’s critique of the seemingly dysfunctional state of our nation embedded in his closing remarks was aimed squarely, as usual, at the media…
If we amplify everything we hear nothing.
He went on to draw the distinction, however, between the mad picture the media paints of our nation, as compared to the relative reasonableness with which most of us still carry out our lives each day. The complete text transcript of Stewart’s remarks is now posted here.
See RAW STORY’s article on the rally here and Greg Mitchell’s blow-by-blow live-blog coverage here for more details.
Or, as Paul Krugman put it yesterday, “Divided We Fail”.
(We fail.)
This was the most uplifting rally I’ve seen this election cycle. I’m so proud to be an American and happy to see so many others who are sanely just keepin’on!!
I would vote for a candidate that gave that speech.
We were there and got some great shots of the signs! http://unsoliciteddrivel.blogspot.com/2010/10/our-stewartcolbert-slide-show-is-up.html
I watched that rally live, and I’m sure Jon did not say “it’s” in his closing remarks. He’s smarter than that.
Tom Stickler – You’ve got the perfect last name. Oh, and fixed. Thanks 🙂
I just love John Stewart, and all the good folks at the Daily Show and Colbert Report!!!!
Their work truly is upliftin, and i for one cant thank them enough for that.
I wasnt at the rally, but my heart was. We have put a “Rally for Sanity” solidarity sign in our front yard, and i keep a smaller one in my car’s rear window.
But as fun and fabulous as the event must have been, I have to say that those last words from Stewart, as quoted by Brad above, really do form the most powerfully honest assessment of, and serious caveat on, what is happening in the country right now.
Media outlets have an obligation to be honest and fair. And they have, with few exception, forefeitted that obligation. It really says something when a comedian can see, and declare this solid truth, while most paid journalists in our country refuse that dignified honor.
Anyhow, cheers to John, Steven, Samamntha, Rob, Asif, Johnathan, Louis, and all the wonderful folks at the Daily Show/Colbert Report!!!!