Stewart: Jail more likely for Illinois governors than murderers David Edwards and Diane Sweet

Published: Thursday December 11, 2008





Print This Email This The Daily Show's Jon Stewart poked fun at the scandal surrounding Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on Wednesday's show.



After noting in a segment 'for children' that 3 of the last 7 Illinois governors have ended up in jail, Stewart explains that statistics show if you grow up to become the governor of Illinois, you're more likely to go to jail than if you commit murder. Calling the job of governor for the state of Illinois a "dead end" and "a ticket to nowheresville," he says if Blagojevich is convicted, that will total "50% who end up in jail" while "If you commit murder, only 48% end up in jail for their crime."



After a montage of various media reporters trying to pronounce 'Blagojevich,' Stewart notes "Lou Dobbs can't pronounce a foreign sounding name. What a surprise!"



The media clips continue as each reporter highlights one of many of the governor's alleged misdeeds, to which Stewart queries "What isn't he charged with?" At that point, a clip from the film 'Fletch Lives' begins with the line "Molesting a dead horse." As Stewart asks if surely Blagojevich didn't do anything "that rises to the same levels as necrophilic beastiality?" a news clip recounts the alleged charge of Blagojevich attempting to 'shake down a children's hospital.' Stewart retorts that "You're better off bleeped word a dead horse."



The Daily Show's Jason Jones joins in at the end of the program to recount a Daily Show interview with Blagojevich in Februrary of 2006 to discuss his executive order that pharmacists must dispense any drugs for which a customer had a valid prescription, including birth control pills and Plan B. This controversial measure was being challenged on the show by state legislator Ron Stephens from Greenville.



A clip of the appearance is shown where Blagojevich is told to talk on the phone as he would if discussing his executive order on birth control, but the governor talks into the phone saying only a few words about someone named 'Tony' and 'Rocky' that the show then compares with a clip from 'Goodfellas.'



Blagojevich was interviewed by Jason Jones during that show, who repeatedly pretended to be unable to pronounce Blagojevich and simply called him "Governor Smith". This prompted Blagojevich to turn to the camera and ask "Is he teasing me or is that legit?"



The following video is from The Daily Show originally aired on Wednesday, December 10, 2008:











Download video via RawReplay.com









