Jon Stewart devoted most of his show yesterday to sparring with Betsy McCaughey, whose articles helped start the “death panel” rumor—and kill the Clinton health care plan in 1994. McCaughey strode onstage carrying a massive binder containing the first half of the House bill. “This bill is dangerous,” she declared, rifling through it to find its most “dangerous” segments. “I almost feel like we gotta play yackity sacks,” said Stewart.
“Do you really believe they’re trying to do a Trojan horse to prevent old people from living longer?” asked an incredulous Stewart. McCaughey nodded, and said she had evidence. “Where?” Stewart demanded, “In future land?” McCaughey touted how she had read through both that entire bill and many others. Stewart theorized that maybe “reading legislation all those years is a lot like smoking pot.” (More Jon Stewart stories.)