No Joke: Treasury Sec Geithner Sought Economic Advice From… Jon Stewart?
- Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:00pm by
Meredith Jessup
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Vice President Joe Biden & "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart
Policymakers sometimes drop by the set of Jon Stewart’s Comedy Central “Daily Show” set for some laughs, but according to Bloomberg, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner visited the comedian for an off-the-record April meeting to discuss the U.S. economy.
The meeting, which took place at Stewart’s New York office on April 2, appears on Geithner‘s appointments calendar posted on the Treasury Department’s website.
Bloomberg reports:
Geithner didn’t stay for a television interview with Stewart although other administration officials — most notably President Barack Obama last week — have turned up for on-camera chats.
“Jon Stewart is influential in America, so we took the opportunity for the two to meet and to discuss the economy,” Treasury spokesman Steve Adamske said in an e-mail yesterday. Stewart’s program has poked fun at Geithner, including a segment last year about the Treasury secretary’s trouble selling his New York home.
On the same day he met with Stewart, Geithner spoke on the phone with Democratic lawmakers including Senate Banking Committee Chairman Christopher Dodd of Connecticut, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California, according to the appointments calendar.
Geithner also spoke with House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank of Massachusetts and Senators Charles Schumer of New York and Max Baucus of Montana, all Democrats.
The Geithner-Stewart summit-of-sorts was held on a day of some good news for the administration: Labor Department figures for March showed employment figures had improved the most in three years. …
Spokesman Steve Albani of the Comedy Central network declined immediate comment on the meeting between Geithner, 49, and the 47-year-old Stewart.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Home Crisis Investigation | ||||
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Reflecting on the news, the Wall Street Journal noted today on its blog that Jon Stewart has apparently “jumped from fake news to real power broker.”
Stewart long has declared that he isn’t a journalist and has he talked down his influence. Now, it is time to give up the pretense. Face it, Jon Stewart, you are a major cultural and political force in America, dude.
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Comments (96)
joseph Fawcett
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:00pmI agree Steward does have infulance. I loved this report. I am not sure if Steward is a good infulance or a bad influance as of yet. In the past I think he has been a neg influance mostly.
http://www.josephfawcettart.com western art
winterhawka7ac
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:57pmNo surprise. They don’t know what they are doing.
Report Post »FlatFoot
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:54pmJon Stewart Senator/Congressman/President 2012? 2014? 2016?
If Al Franken could do it…
Jeez. The Obama Administration really IS a clown car.
Report Post »JohnnyJT
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:52pmThat’s the Biggest joke I ever heard of.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:45pmGeithner couldn’t get a meeting with Pee Wee Herman? Different synagogues I guess.
Report Post »Monty
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:42pmDoes “useful idiot” ring a bell?
Report Post »Our government is now a useful idiot!
Monty
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:50pmMaybe we should go after him the way Hillary Clinton, and communist, went after Nixon…
Report Post »??
NHABE64
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:42pm600 BILLION to buy bonds will only put us further in the hole and do nothing to help the economy. My God didn‘t these socialists learn the first time or do they want us to simply sink and have the dollar’w worth disintegrate ? Is that why Obama flew off to Never Never land for a few days to avoid questions from the GOP ? This is despicable and I can not fathom how they would risk such a monstrous amount of money without at least going across that aisle Obama promised and talk to the new GOP guys. Big mistake, I hope it doesn’t put us over the edge of no return. IMPEACH OBAMA NOW!
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 11:17pmActually………maybe we can get him to take Bernanke with him on the India.
You know, Obama is starting to look like the 1st American President setting out to conquer another country!!
Report Post »TexasHillsPatriot
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:39pmLarry, Moe and Curly weren’t available, so Jon Stewart was naturally next in line to give Geithner economic advise.
Report Post »davecoolworld
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:37pmBreathtaking…how can something so rediculous be so un-funny?
Report Post »Only in the Obama Whitehouse.
wash1776
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:26pmThat figures. Both of these guys are BONKERS!! The only difference is Geitner is in a better postion to steal from the taxpayers and I am sure he does a fantastic job of that. It is the only thing he does well.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:26pmWhat kind of idiots do we have running our country? This is unbelievable!
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 9:17pmThe inmates are running the assylum
Report Post »Melvin Spittle
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:24pmIsn’t it rich, isn’t it queer
Report Post »Losing my timing this late in my career
But where are the clowns – send in the clowns
Jim in Houston
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 10:09amDon’t bother, they’re here!
Report Post »alcarfl
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:21pmDoes Big Sis consult with WalMart greeters on border security?
Report Post »Rogue
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:52pmNot sure, but I did see that Obama did consult Robin Leach in planning his upcomng India trip.
Report Post »CADINO
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:13pmChampagne wishes and cavier dreams, thanks taxpayers!
Report Post »ElleSi
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:20pmLol wow…
Report Post »Hobbs57
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:13pmGotta give it to Stewart, that is pretty Darn Funny…
Report Post »john seven eighteen
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:12pmWell I sure feel better about the state of our economy now. Maybe I‘ll finally get a decent night’s sleep.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:27pm@John 7:18
Consider this encounter just after Mr Geithner finally passes from this world…after a lifetime of destroying the nations economy and trying to plunge the world into chaos and darkness he finds himself at the pearly gates…
Geithner “I made it, I have done so much good works and good deeds…”
Gatekeeper (George Bush) “Mr Geithner I am here to escort you for your interview of your life on earth before God. And for the record, Sarah Palin is standing in for him today…”
Report Post »Mike777
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:12pmI got to pinch myself everyday just to see if I’m still asleep.
Report Post »vennoye
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 11:01pmNo, this is a walking nightmare!!
Report Post »NoStar
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:11pmGeithner was there to ask Stewart to explain the finer points of using Turbo-Tax.
Report Post »patriotwoman
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:04pmCan’t you just imagine THAT conversation:
Report Post »Geithner: I just don’t know how to do this. What keys do I hit?
Stewart: Control+Alt+Delete, dude. Control+Alt+Delete.
Susan Harkins
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:10pmDuh!
Jon, Whom?
Report Post »untameable-kate
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:09pmWhen you look at the list of people he spoke with that day Jon Stewart may have been the best one. The rest of them are thieves too.
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:17pmYou probably know which one of the list he will listen to first…Stewart on one side, thieves on the other? Fairly obvious to me which he will select.
Report Post »The Bishop
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:09pmThis ought to stimulate confidence in the markets. Wow, a comedian is consulted by the Secretary of the Treasury. Where was Bob Hope and Jack Benny during the Roosevelt administration? Little Timmy is doing the Bamster proud. 2012 is going to be a major flush.
Report Post »Paul G
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:07pmI believe this story. I also believe that Geithnor listened to and is doing what Jon told him to do….
Report Post »Goldenyears22
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:41pmHelp!
Report Post »loriann12
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 7:32amAnd yet the Tea Party is dangerous. I think some of the people in the Tea Party could run the economy better! Maybe we should all send in our suggestions to Geithner?
Report Post »OK3Wire
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:06pmStewart probably just wanted to know if Timmy was having trouble selling his house because of a tax lien.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 5:11pmHe’s in charge of the IRS tax, so chances of a tax lien are slim and none!
Report Post »HouseNegro
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:05pmAnd all this time I thought it was a Magic 8 Ball
Report Post »snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:15pmThey probably have a wegie board and tarot card deck in the place as well for the ‘consultations’ not to mention psychics…when they need psi-shrinks and heavy doses of med…right, they smoke their meds hourly…
Report Post »Ken
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:22pmCoulda sworn I saw that hokey crap on the Prez’s desk last time they broadcast from his office.
Report Post »DagneyT
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 4:50pmBetween this story, & the story of the UN investigating the USA’s human rights offenses, with blessing of the regime, it’s becoming increasingly clear the enemies of OUS STATE are in control! Come on 2012! We’ll be doing a COMPLETE housecleaning in DC!
Report Post »bulldawg
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:05pmAnd we wonder whats wrong with our economy, This whole Washington thing is starting to remind me of a rerun of the Keystone Cops. Well 24 months and we take out the next bunch of clowns.
Report Post »http://www.weeklyrepublic.com
snowleopard3200 {mix art}
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:14pmAt least we now know the truth of what all of America has never needed to wonder about, clowns are seeking the advice of comedians on how to run the finances of the country. No suprise to myself, and most likely to anyone else.
http://www.artinphoenix.com/gallery/grimm
Polwatcher
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:16pmEven someone like Jon Stewart is likely to know more than any Obama official.
alienguns
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:23pmactually, The Keystone cops weren’t this incompetent
Report Post »HKS
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 2:43pmIs there any doubt that we are heading down the Wiemar Republic road to hell. Idiots driving all the buses.
Report Post »dfestoon
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:20pmI think bernanke was in the next room, listening……..
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:33pmTo effectively central plan the Ecomedy you go to the trusted source on Ecomedy Central. Maybe Stewart could be the Ecomedy Czarina?
Report Post »Beckofile
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:35pmShow up on Ecomedy Central Planning show to chart a new wave of Wreckovery? Sounds like par for the coarse to me?
Report Post »CatB
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 3:42pmTax cheat Timmy should get out of the way for someone who knows more about the economy … is Mickey Mouse available?
Report Post »cruisemates
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 6:38pmRight! he was there asking John Stewart advice on the economy.
HE WAS THERE TO SCORE A LITTLE WEED. (And there was a little extra in Tim’s envelope to make sure he continues to call Glenn Beck crazy).
Report Post »mrclean
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 9:12pmat least the Keystone Cops were actually funny….
Report Post »silentwatcher
Posted on November 4, 2010 at 11:50pmwhat’s the problem? we all know the u.s. ecomonics is now a big joke.
Report Post »crossdraw
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 7:32amI need to tell you something BULLDOG. We wouldn’t be in this mess if the Keystone Kops were running it. We need a sitcom called,”The Community Organizers.” It would be a story of how the rich and powerful help with the right hand and shove the knife in with the left. All while the dollars fly into their pockets as if their pockets were vacuum cleaners. Tim”where’s my personality”Geitner is something that was pulled out of the basement of his mothers house and given this job. It‘s because anyone who is honest and forthright wouldn’t stand a chance among these liars and vermin. And if you live with good American values you need not apply in this “MULLATOS’” vermin infested organization. Firing squads for all of em.
Report Post »Meyvn
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 8:20amThe problem is the FED! Should I go talk to a plumber because my car is broken?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZWhf8ejBrU&feature=player_embedded#!
Report Post »citizenx
Posted on November 5, 2010 at 9:01amHow many of you know that Stewart’s brother is Larry Leibowitz, COO of NYSE Euronex.
Report Post »