COULD THEY ACTUALLY WIN?Byline: - Glenn Whipp In ``Man of the Year,'' a political comedian, disgusted with politicians controlled by special interests and corporate money, decides to run for president -- and accidentally wins. Couldn't happen? This week, Comedy Central's Jon Stewart Not to be confused with John Stewart or John Stuart. Jon Stewart (born Jonathan Stuart Leibowitz on November 28,1962) is an American comedian, satirist, actor, writer, and producer. , host of the network's ``The Daily Show,'' felt compelled to come out and dispel rumors of a presidential run with Stephen Colbert ``Nothing says, `I am ashamed of you, my government,' more than `Stewart/Colbert '08,' '' Stewart said of the proliferating T-shirts and bumper stickers selling on various Web sites. Still, cynics Cynics (sĭn`ĭks) [Gr.,=doglike, probably from their manners and their meeting place, the Cynosarges, an academy for Athenian youths], ancient school of philosophy founded c.440 B.C. by Antisthenes, a disciple of Socrates. can dream, can't they? A look at the potential presidencies of two of America's most pungent political comedians: Comedian candidate: Bill Maher William Maher, Jr., (pronounced: /mɑɹ/) (born January 20 1956) is an American comedian, actor, writer, and producer. What a Maher presidency would look like: Basing most of his operations out of his West Coast White House, the Playboy Mansion, Maher would concentrate on his passions -- global warming, legalization LEGALIZATION. The act of making lawful. 2. By legalization, is also understood the act by which a judge or competent officer authenticates a record, or other matter, in order that the same may be lawfully read in evidence. Vide Authentication. of drugs and the franchising of strip clubs. Actual quote that defines the man: ``I saw this anti-drug commercial that showed a kid smoking pot in his dad's room with a friend who finds a gun and it accidentally goes off and kills his friend. Only in America Only in America is a children's television programme that originally aired in 2005 on the CBBC Channel. It is presented by Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates. The show documents the pair going on a road trip across the United States. is the villain not guns or bad parenting, but pot!'' Chance of being elected: Same likelihood as Maher becoming a poster boy for abstinence: none. Comedian candidate: Jon Stewart What a Stewart presidency would look like: Surprisingly serious, if we are to judge from Stewart's 2004 dressing-down of Tucker Carlson on ``Crossfire'' and his recent grilling of John McCain on the senator's decision to speak at Jerry Falwell's Liberty University. (``Are you freaking freak·ing adv. & adj. Slang Used as an intensive: Traffic was a freaking nightmare. [Alteration of frigging, present participle of frig.] out on us? ... Are you going to Crazy Baseworld?'') Actual quote that defines the man: ``If the events of Sept. 11, 2001, have proven anything, it's that the terrorists can attack us, but they can't take away what makes us American -- our freedom, our liberty, our civil rights. No, only Attorney General John Ashcroft can do that.'' Chances of being elected: Like Dobbs, Stewart could probably draw about 17 percent of the vote -- unless he's running against Bill Frist and Hillary Clinton. Then all bets are off. CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) STEWART (2) MAHER |
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