'The Daily Show' recap - 9/18/2012

The main story for the Sept. 18 episode of the Daily Show is Mitt Romney’s recent need for damage control. The episode begins with Jon Stewart explaining that, three weeks after Romney’s introduction at the Republican National Convention, Romney is being reintroduced as a candidate. Romney then must immediately begin damage control, because of a tape from last May of him speaking at a $50,000 a plate dinner talking, according to Stewart, about “poorer people in a manner you would imagine cartoon rich people talk about cartoon poor people.”

If you have not seen the video of Romney here is one of the many videos you can find on Youtube. The summary of what the Daily Show finds important is that Romney is saying there is 47 percent of American voters he cannot win because they are dependent on the government and this election would be easier if Romney were Latino. As for the first idea, Stewart does an amusing and informative breakdown of who these people are.

As for the second idea, Al Madrigal and Jessica Williams come on to sarcastically discuss how easy it is for Latinos and African American women to get into college and find work. This included how difficult it must have been for Romney since “as an underprivileged rich white male he had to earn [his degrees].” Segments like this are generally my favorites. This tongue in cheek sarcasm always seems to be what the Daily Show does best. I particularly like it because it is a good way to get across how ridiculous what a person said was without directly attacking them.
There is not a need to call the speaker any names, because taking their words to this, admittedly extreme, conclusion allows the viewer to come to his or her own conclusion.

The interview with Salmon Rushdie about Joseph Anton: A Memoir was also very good. They discuss the threat made on Rushdie’s life and do so in a rather light and amusing manner for such a serious subject. They then move on to compare what got Rushdie into this situation and what the maker of “Innocence of Muslims” did and their differing agendas. Rushdie is quick to defend this individual’s right to free speech and disapprove of the violent reactions, while still calling this individual a “jerk” and another, rather less appropriate for television or this website, term. The interview ends with an interesting comparison between the creative freedom and the freedom of speech in America and some of the Muslim countries concerned. Unfortunately, since I would probably have watched this one, there is not an extra part online, since Rushdie had to leave when they were done.