The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Season 9 Episode 39 Ralph Reed

The Daily Show with Jon Stewart season 9 episode 39 features a guest interview with Ralph Reed, a Republican political strategist and conservative activist. The episode kicks off with Jon Stewart's usual opening monologue which includes witty commentary on current political events and news headlines.

The interview with Ralph Reed starts off on a lighter note as Stewart jokes about Reed's "younger looking" appearance and asks him about his recent book "Awakening" which explores the role of faith in politics. Reed talks about his upbringing in the Bible Belt and his journey towards becoming a political operative. He asserts that faith and politics should not be mutually exclusive and that people of faith should be able to engage in the political process.

The conversation quickly shifts towards the 2008 presidential election as Stewart questions Reed's support for then-candidate John McCain. Specifically, Stewart asks Reed about his involvement in the 2000 presidential election and his ties to Jack Abramoff, a lobbyist who was convicted on charges of fraud and corruption. Reed denies any wrongdoing and emphasizes that he was not charged with any crimes.

Stewart challenges Reed on his stance against same-sex marriage and his support for a constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between a man and a woman. Reed argues that marriage is a cultural and religious institution that has been around for thousands of years and should be preserved. Stewart counters that denying same-sex couples the right to get married is a form of discrimination and asks Reed if he would support a constitutional amendment to ban interracial marriage. Reed dodges the question and instead argues that the issue of marriage should be left to the states.

The interview wraps up with a discussion on the state of the Republican Party and the future of conservatism. Reed acknowledges that the GOP has lost touch with certain segments of the population and that it needs to become more inclusive. He also stresses the importance of fiscal responsibility and smaller government.

Throughout the episode, Stewart provides his signature biting commentary on the political issues of the day. He pokes fun at Reed's "moral superiority" and subtly challenges his positions on social issues. The interview serves as a thought-provoking conversation on the intersection of politics and faith, as well as the current state of the Republican Party.