Pervez Musharraf appears on ‘The Daily Show’

[Dagmar]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15020849/

Jon Stewart asks Pakistani president: ‘Where's Osama bin Laden?’

NEW YORK - Jon Stewart welcomed Pakistan’s president to “The Daily Show” on Tuesday with tea and a Twinkie.

President Gen. Pervez Musharraf’s tete-a-tete with Stewart on the Comedy Central program was even more unlikely than the much-anticipated meeting between Musharraf, Afghan President Hamid Karzai and President Bush, planned for Wednesday.

As a gesture mirroring Pakistani hospitality, Stewart welcomed Musharraf with a cup of jasmine green tea, and offered the more American delicacy of a Twinkie. Musharraf chuckled and thanked the host, though Stewart promptly changed the subject.

“Where’s Osama bin Laden?” he asked suddenly.

“I don’t know,” replied Musharraf. “You know where he is? You lead on, we’ll follow you.”

Musharraf’s appearance on “The Daily Show,” which was taped late Tuesday and was to air Tuesday evening, was the first time a sitting head of state appeared on the program, a show spokesman said. The comedy show, though, has frequently drawn major political figures, including former President Clinton last week.

The Pakistan president, who is on tour of the U.S., appeared on the program to promote his new memoir, “In the Line of Fire.” The book has drawn headlines for, among other things, the Pakistan president’s claim that after the Sept. 11 attacks he had no choice but to support the U.S. led war on terror groups or face an American “onslaught.”

On balancing the wishes of the U.S. and Pakistan, which is largely anti-American, Musharraf told Stewart: “I’ve had to learn the art of tightrope-walking many times, and I think I’ve become quite an expert of that.”

Stewart, himself, has also proven deft at balancing both humor and seriousness on “The Daily Show.” At one point, he asked Musharraf if he had omitted any mention of the war in Iraq in his memoir because it has “gone so well.”

Musharraf again laughed, but said: “It has led certainly to more extremism and terrorism around the world.”

To conclude the interview, Stewart put Musharraf on the “Seat of Heat,” a new feature for the program in which red lights flash around the studio and the guest is asked a final question.

“George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden — be truthful — who would win a popular vote in Pakistan?” asked Stewart.

“I think they’ll both lose miserably,” replied Musharraf, an answer met with raucous laughter by the “Daily Show” audience.

[bendog]

“The Daily Show,” which was taped late Tuesday and was to air Tuesday evening,

Thanks.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by Dagmar

Jon Stewart asks Pakistani president: ‘Where's Osama bin Laden?’

Pretty sad state of affairs when a comedian has to do Bush's job for him.

[broncocalijohn]

Pretty sad when he slams the president on a comedy show with a president of one of our supposedly allies in the war on terror. I like comedy but this wasnt right. Funny yes, just wrong .

[BroncoBuff]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

Pretty sad state of affairs when a comedian has to do Bush's job for him.

I wish Kerry had run on that, and virtually that alone. It's a failure of immense gravity, imo. A "Commander-in-Cheif" ... "Oath of Office" type failure. A betrayal to those who lost loved ones. The fact that Osama still draws breath as a free man is a humiliation of the highest order for the USA.

I think there's probably enough blame to go around for not PREVENTING 9/11 ... but the fault for our collective national impotence in failing to take REVENGE for 9/11 is positively, 100% squarely at the door of the Commander in Chimp.

Hope that "Iraq War" was worth it, Bushco ... giving Osama a pass has made him a folk hero to one-quarter of the Earth's population. And the quagmire in Iraq has given them a place to go to train for their "following-in-his-footsteps" plans.

[BroncoBuff]

That stuff with the tea and twinkies was pretty funny.

Stewart said tonight on his show - to Al Franken - that his staff drove all over the city to get that special tea - a favorite brand in Pakistan.

[BroncoBuff]

He told Musharraf: "These are an American delicacy ... Twinkies!"

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

Pretty sad when he slams the president on a comedy show with a president of one of our supposedly allies in the war on terror. I like comedy but this wasnt right. Funny yes, just wrong .

You obviously have no clue what America is about.

How else can you explain your apparent, mistaken belief that Bush is some sort of monarch as opposed to an "elected" representative of the people?

"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

-- Theodore Roosevelt

[BroncoBuff]

TR .... my favorite!

Are you trying to curry favor with me LABF?







(get it? curry? In a thread abvut Pakistan?)

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

TR .... my favorite!

Are you trying to curry favor with me LABF?

Anything to rally the troops for November.

Originally Posted by BroncoBuff

(get it? curry? In a thread abvut Pakistan?)

Heh heh!

Clever!

[TailgateNut]

Originally Posted by broncocalijohn

Pretty sad when he slams the president on a comedy show with a president of one of our supposedly allies in the war on terror. I like comedy but this wasnt right. Funny yes, just wrong .

What president? We don't have a president, we have someone who has parked his lazy a$$ in our white house to reap benefits for himself and his cronies. A lying FOS POS!

[Spider]

Originally Posted by TailgateNut

What president? We don't have a president, we have someone who has parked his lazy a$$ in our white house to reap benefits for himself and his cronies. A lying FOS POS!

cant argue that .........

[SteveTensi13]

Yep, we get UBL and this whole "War on terrorism" thing just goes away. If only it were that simple. Thank God Dubya doesn't think in such simple terms.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

Yep, we get UBL and this whole "War on terrorism" thing just goes away. If only it were that simple. Thank God Dubya doesn't think in such simple terms.

Dubya "thinks?" Ha ha ha! That's a hoot.

The only "simple" thing here is your memory...

[clarker]

Originally Posted by SteveTensi13

Yep, we get UBL and this whole "War on terrorism" thing just goes away. If only it were that simple. Thank God Dubya doesn't think in such simple terms.

Although getting Bin Ladin will not end terrorism it is still a goal worth looking at, don't you think.

I mean getting John Gotti didn't end the mafia, but putting him in jail was worth doing.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by clarker

Although getting Bin Ladin will not end terrorism it is still a goal worth looking at, don't you think.

I mean getting John Gotti didn't end the mafia, but putting him in jail was worth doing.

The upshot of SteveTensi's spin is that we should just allow the mastermind of the worst attack on U.S. soil in history go unpunished.

Strange attitude coming from a cop, don't you think?

[clarker]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

The upshot of SteveTensi's spin is that we should just allow the mastermind of the worst attack on U.S. soil in history go unpunished.

Strange attitude coming from a cop, don't you think?

I think getting Bin Laden will not be a cure all. I am afraid that the Dems will that we can go back to pre-9-11 thinking if he is ever caught or killed. But yes, I think it is odd that anyone, including Bush, my fellow Republicans or the man on the moon would think it is not important that if he goes unpunished.

But if that happens that doesn't mean the war on terror is over.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by clarker

But yes, I think it is odd that anyone, including Bush, my fellow Republicans or the man on the moon would think it is not important that if he goes unpunished.

That was my point.

Originally Posted by clarker

But if that happens that doesn't mean the war on terror is over.

Terror is a feeling. You can't wage war on a feeling.

Using this sort of vague definition of the nature of the war we're fighting, Bush and his minions can justify ongoing, indefinite, open-ended military action (and spending) anywhere they choose for as long as they choose.

[clarker]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

That was my point.



Terror is a feeling. You can't wage war on a feeling.

Using this sort of vague definition of the nature of the war we're fighting, Bush and his minions can justify ongoing, indefinite, open-ended military action (and spending) anywhere they choose for as long as they choose.

I agree the war on terror is a bad term but there are so many groups that use terror as a tatic that it makes it easier just to say the war on terror. But I agree it is a poor term.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by clarker

I agree the war on terror is a bad term but there are so many groups that use terror as a tatic that it makes it easier just to say the war on terror. But I agree it is a poor term.

My concern is that Bush and his minions simply use this vague terminology/appeal as a justification for ongoing, indefinite military action and defense spending (read: more and more of our tax dollars being sucked into the coffers of Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Halliburton, KBR, et al.)

Terrorists are usually thwarted by good intelligence and good police work - not the excessive use of military force.

Case in point: The airline plot the Brits just foiled.

[clarker]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

My concern is that Bush and his minions simply use this vague terminology/appeal as a justification for ongoing, indefinite military action and defense spending (read: more and more of our tax dollars being sucked into the coffers of Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Raytheon, Halliburton, KBR, et al.)

Terrorists are usually thwarted by good intelligence and good police work - not the excessive use of military force.

Case in point: The airline plot the Brits just foiled.

I think that is a valid concern.

And I agree that terrorist are usually thwarted by good intell and good police work. But sometimes military force is warrented.

The thing I worry about is who ever is President next will treat the groups who use terror tatics as indvidual crimes as the were before 9-11. I believe we should treat them like we did the mob and take down the whole organizations. But I don't think the military is the only way to do that or even needed in most cases. I think if the military is needed it is in the form of special forces most times, IMO.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by clarker

I think that is a valid concern.

And I agree that terrorist are usually thwarted by good intell and good police work. But sometimes military force is warrented.

The thing I worry about is who ever is President next will treat the groups who use terror tatics as indvidual crimes as the were before 9-11. I believe we should treat them like we did the mob and take down the whole organizations. But I don't think the military is the only way to do that or even needed in most cases. I think if the military is needed it is in the form of special forces most times, IMO.

If we look at all the terrorist plots that have been foiled hitherto (and there have been a lot of them - particularly on Clinton's watch) we see that good intel and good police work usually get the credit.

History and the facts also support what you're saying about the role of the military, special forces, etc.

[L.A. BRONCOS FAN]

Originally Posted by clarker

I believe we should treat them like we did the mob and take down the whole organizations.

So did Clinton.

His CT people detected and destroyed cells of Al Qaeda in over 20 countries.

[clarker]

Originally Posted by L.A. BRONCOS FAN

So did Clinton.

His CT people detected and destroyed cells of Al Qaeda in over 20 countries.

I am not saying your wrong, but where did you get that. It would be a good read.

[clarker]

LABF. Really I am not calling you out. You could be right about Clinton's CT guys taking out Al Qaeda cells in 20 countries. I just want to read the story about it. I am not attacking your boy Bill or you. I am not saying it is not true. I just want to read the story on it. So if you would please post a link.