Jon Stewart's emotional defense of 9/11 first responders to Congress is a must-watch

The former 'The Daily Show' host held nothing back.
 By 
Marcus Gilmer
 on 
Jon Stewart's emotional defense of 9/11 first responders to Congress is a must-watch
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Jon Stewart, comedian and former host of The Daily Show, delivered an emotional speech Tuesday that advocated for full funding of the 9/11 first responders compensation fund, and absolutely shredded Congress for its inaction.

Stewart, who has long championed the cause, began his statement by angrily pointing out how few members of the House Judiciary subcommittee were present: "Sick and dying, they [first responders] brought themselves down here to speak to no one. It's shameful. It's an embarrassment to this country and it is a stain on this institution."

Seething, Stewart lambasted an empty set of chairs. "It would be one thing if their callous indifference and rank hypocrisy were benign but it's not. Your indifference cost these men and women their most valuable commodity: time. It's the one thing they're running out of."

The entire speech is worth watching and hearing over and over again. Here's hoping the absent members of Congress hear Stewart's words as well.

Topics Politics

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Marcus Gilmer

Marcus Gilmer is Mashable's Assistant Real-Times News Editor on the West Coast, reporting on breaking news from his location in San Francisco. An Alabama native, Marcus earned his BA from Birmingham-Southern College and his MFA in Communications from the University of New Orleans. Marcus has previously worked for Chicagoist, The A.V. Club, the Chicago Sun-Times and the San Francisco Chronicle.


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