Last night, Jon Stewart opened the show with coverage of the Democrats' initially poor response to the GOP's "Are you better off than you were four years ago?" line of attack.
DAVID PLOUFFE: Listen, George, I think the American people understand that we got into a terrible economic situation.
No! No they don't! The American people don't understand that.
Here's what the American people understand. That getting a free sandwich is a good reason to buy ten other sandwiches. That's what we understand!
Here's what we, the American people, understand. Angels are real.
Here's what we, the American people, understand. That Malcolm X was the leader of the X-Men.
So I would urge you to stop with the whole Jackie Mason "well, if the people understood, maybe they go this way... (mumbles) they understand the four years", and just say, "Yes!! We're better off! Sure, why not? Are we? Yes! Of course!"
Because here's what your nuanced reasoning is going into the Octagon against.
CHUCK NORRIS (9/1/2012): Hi, I'm Chuck Norris, and this is my wife Gena.
(confused laughter)
Is he going to yell at an ottoman?
9/1/2012:
CHUCK NORRIS: Our great country and freedom are under attack. ... Our country as we know it may be lost forever if we don't change the course our country is headed. ... We can no longer sit quietly or stand on the sidelines and watch our country go the way of socialism, or something much worse.
GENA NORRIS: We will preserve for our children this last best hope for man on earth (Daily Show audience gasps in shock), or we will sentence them to take the first step into 1,000 years of darkness.
(shocked audience laughter)
....
Democrats, how do you get caught flat-footed on the better off question? It's been the most important question an incumbent has faced ever since Ronald Reagan laid out Jimmy Carter with it in 1980!
RONALD REAGAN (10/28/1980): Are you better off than you were four years ago?
And the answer to that question is, of course, we have, and will always only be better off under the leadership of Ronald Reagan. Study your history, people!
It's all there. (audience laughter and applause)
For God's sakes, Democrats, do you even remember Obama used to be the challenger?
BARACK OBAMA (10/11/2008): I don't quote Ronald Reagan that often, but let me ask you a simple question. Are you better off than you were four years ago?
You guys even have meetings??
Video and transcript below the fold.
Obviously, last week we were in Tampa with the Republican National Convention, we are slowly working our way back home. Of course, the theme of last week's convention...
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE MIA LOVE, R-UT (8/28/2012): We're not better off than we were four years ago.
CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE JOHN ARCHER, R-IA (8/28/2012): Hope and change were elected four years ago. And where has that gotten us?
MITT ROMNEY: This President cannot tell us that you're better off today than when he took office.
Sure he can, he can say whatever the fuck he wants, I think. He's the President. Still a free country. Until Obama gets re-elected and — oh my God, I fell into the trap!! They got me again!
The big set piece of the Republican convention? "Are you better off? No!" Now the next stage of the scripted dance is journalists get in the face of prominent Democrats and badger them to elicit a resounding "Yes!"
9/2/2012:
BOB SCHIEFFER: Can you honestly say that people are better off today than they were four years ago?
GOVERNOR MARTIN O'MALLEY, D-MD: No, but that's not the question of this election.
See? It's just a scripted dance where everybody... wait a second. Did you, the Democratic Governor Maryland, Martin O'Malley, just say, and I'm going to check this quote very quickly, "No?"
All right, one surrogate down, bring in the big boys, the President's campaign team. On Axelrod! On Cutter! On Plouffe!
9/2/2012:
CHRIS WALLACE: David, can you honestly say that the average American is better off today than they were four years ago?
DAVID AXELROD: Here's what I can say, Chris. I can say that we're in a better position than we were four years ago
....
STEPHANIE CUTTER: I just want to remind you what was happening four years ago at this time.
....
DAVID PLOUFFE: Listen, George, I think the American people understand that we got into a terrible economic situation.
No! No they don't! The American people don't understand that.
Here's what the American people understand. That getting a free sandwich is a good reason to buy ten other sandwiches. That's what we understand!
Here's what we, the American people, understand. Angels are real.
Here's what we, the American people, understand. That Malcolm X was the leader of the X-Men.
So I would urge you to stop with the whole Jackie Mason "well, if the people understood, maybe they go this way... (mumbles) they understand the four years", and just say, "Yes!! We're better off! Sure, why not? Are we? Yes! Of course!"
Because here's what your nuanced reasoning is going into the Octagon against.
CHUCK NORRIS (9/1/2012): Hi, I'm Chuck Norris, and this is my wife Gena.
(confused laughter)
Is he going to yell at an ottoman?
9/1/2012:
CHUCK NORRIS: Our great country and freedom are under attack. ... Our country as we know it may be lost forever if we don't change the course our country is headed. ... We can no longer sit quietly or stand on the sidelines and watch our country go the way of socialism, or something much worse.
GENA NORRIS: We will preserve for our children this last best hope for man on earth (Daily Show audience gasps in shock), or we will sentence them to take the first step into 1,000 years of darkness.
(shocked audience laughter)
(meekly) Happy Labor Day, everybody! (audience applause)
Wow! Now I may not agree that the state of the country is... quite that dire, but I just think Chuck Norris just pitched the perfect premise for an awesome Chuck Norris comeback film. "One man stands between America and 1,000 years of darkness. And that man is 72. Chuck Norris is Texas Ranger's Walker!
Democrats! Democrats, how do you get caught flat-footed on the better off question? It's been the most important question an incumbent has faced ever since Ronald Reagan laid out Jimmy Carter with it in 1980!
RONALD REAGAN (10/28/1980): Are you better off than you were four years ago?
And the answer to that question is, of course, we have, and will always only be better off under the leadership of Ronald Reagan. Study your history, people!
It's all there. (audience laughter and applause)
For God's sakes, Democrats, do you even remember Obama used to be the challenger?
BARACK OBAMA (10/11/2008): I don't quote Ronald Reagan that often, but let me ask you a simple question. Are you better off than you were four years ago?
You guys even have meetings?? You know what, all right. You didn't see it coming for the weekend news shows. It's fine, not gonna matter. It's like the SATs, you just take 'em again. And oh, what a difference a good night's sleep can make.
9/3/2012:
NATALIE MORALES, TODAY SHOW: Are we better off today than we were four years ago when President Obama was elected?
STEPHANIE CUTTER: Absolutely.
....
GOVERNOR MARTIN O'MALLEY, D-MD: We are clearly better off as a country because we're now creating jobs, rather than losing them.
Ohh, better off!
The
Daily Show correspondents then
interviewed DNC delegates to come up with a catchy slogan for Obama this time around, which seems to, ahem, be harder this time around, along with a music video.
Then they
reported about the city of Charlotte itself, and had a debate over how good its barbeque is.
Meanwhile, Stephen looked at how
unenthused RNC chair Reince Priebus seemed to be about Mitt Romney, before doing another Better Know a District segment profiling Rep.
Yvette Clarke (D-NY), who, ah, didn't seem to know that slavery was over by 1898.
Stephen then looked at Paul Ryan's
lie about his marathon time.
Stephen talked with conservative writer
Reihan Salam, while Jon talked with
Tom Brokaw, which went long. Here's the unedited interview in two parts.
Part 1
Part 2