Jon Stewart taunts Megyn Kelly to make his point
Jon Stewart started his skit pointing out that Fox News went into hyperventilating mode when there was a disclosure problem with foreign donations to the Clinton Foundation. Brit Hume admitted that there was nothing there but speculated that the donations came with the requisite influence peddling.
To be clear, those giving to the Clinton Foundation or to any candidate for that matter are in fact looking for influence. So Fox News’ Brett Hume was partially correct. The hypocrisy is that this is done on all sides. In the case of many it is done out of necessity.
“The question remains,” Megyn Kelly subsequently said. “To whom does she owe favors because of the Clinton Foundation.”
Jon Stewart scolded the media for virtually ignoring the $2.5 billion targeted to be spent on the 2016 presidential election. He pointed out that billionaires today can singlehandedly fund elections, effectively making the supported politician owned.
Fox News did not seem to have a problem with the corrosive nature of money in politics. They have adopted the Citizens United Supreme Court verdict lock stock and barrel.
“Democrats are now pushing to amend the constitution to make it tougher to spend on political campaigns,” Megyn Kelly said. “It is basically an attempt to limit the first amendment. … They think that money corrupts in politics and they’er looking to stop that quote corruption.”
A correction is in order. Some Democrats want a constitutional amendment. Many Americans of all political stripes want a constitutional amendment that goes much further than what Megyn Kelly states. In fact Move to Amend‘s ‘We The People Amendment‘ that codifies that ‘money is not speech’ and that ‘a corporation is not a person’ was introduced in Congress a few weeks ago. The language in this amendment has passed in the form of resolutions in hundreds of municipalities and states. Political affinity of the jurisdiction was not important in its successful passage.
Jon Stewart pointed out Megyn Kelly’s hypocrisy with her own words. She considers money free speech unless it is money received by the Clintons.
Sadly the Federal Election Commission (FEC) has called in its defeat this week. It will be a political season with the ethics of the wild wild west.