Jon Stewart fans embrace his 'Rally to Restore Sanity' to send a serious political message [updated]

Jon Stewart insists that he's not looking to get into politics. But plenty of his fans appear eager to join him in a political movement, if the response to his "Rally to Restore Sanity" is any indication. By Thursday morning, more than 138,000 people had indicated on the event's Facebook page that they planned to join "The Daily Show" host Oct. 30 on the National Mall. Those who can't make it are organizing satellite events in cities around the country.

As a Times story on Thursday details, many attendees view the gathering as an opportunity to shape the political discourse. "We want to send a message to Washington that there are a lot of us out here that want you to get something done and stop pandering to the fringe," said Lorrie Sparrow, 45, a business analyst who plans to drive all night from Xenia, Ohio, to attend the event with two friends and her 8-year-old son.

[Updated at 9:35 a.m.: Los Angeles residents are now seeking to create their own "Rally to Restore Sanity" satellite event for Oct. 30. Volunteers are working to secure a permits and a website has been set up to solicit donations.]

-- Matea Gold
twitter.com/mateagold

Comments

[jim]

Your a moron if you think facebook numbers mean anything, maybe a lot of people will show up but 95% of the people who say they will on facebook will not

[Paul In Pittsburgh]

They're liberals, 138,000 say they'll attend 38 actually will.

[RogerCotton]

What is Stewart's message? That 70% of Americans are insane?

Or that liberals are not?

Mocking the majority for cheap laughs reflects the Left's losing strategy in life.

The Liberal Era is over. The cultural insanity it has unleashed over the past 80 years has resulted in the perpetuation of poverty, the dumbing down of citizens (as exemplified by those who consider The Daily Show "news"), and the weakening of our economy.

I can see November from my house.

[Hondo]

138k sheep signing up to beg Washington to continue to run their lives. Surely people of any political belief can acknowledge Washington zoomed past incompetent many years ago. It's funny these people think they're being subversive or "sticking it to the man" but they don't realize they are "the man", they are the establishment, they are pawns of the elites. In revolutionary America they would have been the Tories loyal to the king. What a joke.

Also Stewart not wanting to get into politics? Puh-lease. It's all he does until someone challenges him with questions than he scurries away crying "I'm a comedian, I'm a satirist". What a coward.

[Rosalind]

Actually, RogerCotton, the message is that 85% of Americans are sane and rational, but that the discussions in the media are dominated by those of extreme views on either side. I find it interesting that many of the comments posted on this board demonstrate the very mindset that Stewart is protesting: the broad generalizations, hatred and contempt expressed for those with different views (such as calling supporters of this rally "morons" and "sheep"), the expression of opinions in deliberately polarizing terms... Can't we disagree about policy without accusing the other side of stupidity, treachery, or conspiracy?

[Memphis]

Funny thing about this quote is that I agree with it: "We want to send a message to Washington that there are a lot of us out here that want you to get something done and stop pandering to the fringe", and apparently she thinks obama has not been doing things for the past 2 years!

I guess she missed taking over health care, quadrupling the debt, raising taxes, stimulus, TARP, etc....these are all Fringe left programs.

[Miker]

"Your a moron if you think facebook numbers mean anything, maybe a lot of people will show up but 95% of the people who say they will on facebook will not"

It wasn't in the above article, but you might have missed the part where reddit users raised $130,000+ in 24-48 hours for charity. There WILL be more people there than Glen Beck's shenanigans.

[Geo]

Perhaps you miss the point. This is not a liberal event. It is an event to promote rational discourse and thinking. Calling people liberal sheep or libertards gets us nowhere. Liberal activisits and conservative fear mongers should hopefully stay away and be quiet. Silence or quiet discourse has become an alien concept in America.

[Sanity Now!]

@Memphis:
TARP was passed by the Bush adminstration. You remember Henry Paulson, right? It was not Obama's deal. And it's mostly been paid back at this point -- no longer an issue.

No one has taken over health care, and if further reform isn't enancted, spiraling costs will wreck our economy over the next generation. As it is, we, as Americans, pay significantly more for health care than virtually all other developed nations, get less for it, and have gross inequities in delivery of heath services to our population. Why is there any reason to stay with the status quo? It's like paying an inept, wasteful, exploitive handyman to do work for you when there are eight others who want to do better work for less.

Stimulus and debt expansion: Who inherited the costs of two wars that weren't paid for and weren't even necessary? Who cut taxes for the richest Americans just to pander for more votes? And who blew the suplus Clinton's economic policies created?

People like you are the reason we need a restoration of fact-based politics in this country.

[WatcherOfWearySouls]

An angery elephant won't stop for peanuts if it can have a bag of "carats", right? (figuratively speaking)

A rabid dog does not know it's lost its mind until it's too late. Lethal injection is the only cure for its misery... Have you seen Ole Yellah?

Why should we expect the GOP and it's minions to think or be any different?
They are lost in their own minds of sloth and hatred...

Get over loss to Obama! He's the over-whelmingly elected President! Show some respect, or will you cry for a "Boehner"-like Barabbus - the same way the Jews proclaimed against Jesus in the Bible? You hipocrites!

Jon is right, the religious right and hate monger fringe element hell-raisers do not represent the views of most Americans!

[pete66]

Miker.....it's always easier to send a few buck than it is to actually get off your butt and get physically involved. There will be some paid union thugs, and local gov't workers there. But the lazy liberals from around the country numbers will be very small. the people who need gov't hand outs to live, will never get motivated enough to make the trek....the, ahhhh, I'll just let someone else do it for me attitude will prevail.

[Dusty]

It is a shame that people feel the need to comment on this story without having actually seen Stewart's announcement. He may indeed be a liberal, as are many of his fans, but the rally he is planning does not advocate any specific policies. It is about restoring honesty and reason to our political discourse. One of the signs he showed reads "I disagree with you but I am pretty sure you are not Hitler." His point, made clear on his show, is to criticize extremists on the right AND the left who resort to name-calling and scare tactics rather than engage in serious discussions. Neither Obama nor Karl Rove deserve to be likened to Hitler; when we resort to those kinds of publicity stunts we preclude any possibility of the kinds of serious policy discussions we need in order to restore our economy's growth, our country's standing in the world, and our faith in fellow Americans.

[WatcherOfWearySouls]

If you think the current GOP is going to keep its "Pledge to America" you are blinder than Stevie Wonder and Ray Charles!

You Tea Partiers are like the Jews screaming for Barabbas before the crusifiction! or Judah giving up Christ for 30 pieces of silver! Money, greed, hatred, power, control, it suits the unwilling heart of gregarious GOP leaders with unforgiving hearts and minds. What hypocrites you are!

Jon Stewart is right! Most Americans don't share your views, but you think the yelling and the media coverage will unravel the courage of the American people for your own selfish gains?

Tea Partiers, Sarah, Christine, Bigoted Beck, Boehner, McCain, Cantor, etc. - you know nothing but lies, pity, anger, hate, and unrighteous racist pride. The right conservative movement? What a name - it seems more like the "White Separatist Movement"to me! Go read "Crazy for God" by Frank Schaeffer. You all need prayer!

[Pablo]

At the same time Dennis Miller should lead a counter-gathering titled "Rally to Have Government Spend Us into Prosperity, or not."

[Matthew]

I agree with Rosalind. Roger Cotton and the rest of you who are using sweeping generalizations and calling people names are really giving America a bad name. I would like to see people discuss things intelligently and leave their feelings of hate, contempt and fear out of the discussion. The past 80 years have given women and minorities more rights (there is still work to be done), made room for multiple cultures and taken steps to prove that “All men are created equal”. When that was written, it meant men and women of all cultures and religions. There is nothing that makes you any different than a terrorist if you choose to descriminate based on your personal opinions. Hate breeds hate. Hate does not choose skin color, geography or religion. It is equal in all that are unable to intelligently move past it. The United States was always meant to be a melting pot, a place for freedom. With freedom comes the responsibility of intelligence. If you must resort to calling people names and buying into the tactics of using fear and hate, then YOU are the reason the US is weakening. It is not Liberal or Conservative, it is anyone who cannot discuss with civil discourse their ideas. If you are looking to blame, look inside first. What have you personally done to make the US a better place for ALL citizens?
If you hate the idea that there are other colors than that of your skin, if you hate the thought of another religion being practiced than the one you follow, if you think that Liberal or Conservative are the only two points of view, then you will not understand the “Rally to Restore Sanity” because you are a cause in the current situation and not a true solution. Move to China, because “My way or the highway” ideas and hate of people who are not just like me are what Communism stemmed from. See how you like it. There is no room in a truly strong America with hate and fear running the show.

[liz]

Hey Jim

I didn't rsvp on facebook, so I'm not among the 150,000 plus who have affirmed on FB, but I got my ticket to ride and I'll be there.

I intend to have a great time while we visually send the message that the vast majority of Americans have had it with the fringe elements.

We don't necessarily want to ram our way of life down anybody's throat: we just want a return to civility and compromise.

[Ron Runningman]

First thought, JIm, I don't know where 'your' comment was dirceted, but I'm pretty sure he doesn't own a moron, it should have been you're as in you are. Learn the language before you write something millions can read.
While writing an article for my blog 'latelyitoccrstome' I looked up this article hoping that the intent of rally was to focus on finding a middle ground where we can restore political sanity. Hoping it will be but don't know for sure. If it turns into a mud-slinging at the fringe groups debacle, while comedic, it wil be a waste of time.

[ss794]

Jon Stewart probably didn't even watch the 8/28 rally, otherwise he would know how ignorant he sounds. Most the people who signed up to attend this event are probably college kids who have never paid taxes let alone their own way.

"Show me a young Conservative and I'll show you someone with no heart. Show me an old Liberal and I'll show you someone with no brains." - Winston Churchill

[Jim S]

"I intend to have a great time while we visually send the message that the vast majority of Americans have had it with the fringe elements.

We don't necessarily want to ram our way of life down anybody's throat: we just want a return to civility and compromise.

Posted by: liz | September 23, 2010 at 01:42 PM"

Please. You love the left's fringe and BTW most of what the TP believes is in line with America. Have a blast.

[Bebe]

I've noticed when I speak to people with what I consider to be extreme political views (right or left) they are often angry, or they soon get angry even if I'm not disagreeing with them. I've also noticed that its really hard to work on something complicated or concentrate well when you're angry or upset. The two seem to go together. But, if you disagree with me I won't think you are Hitler.