White House praises Jon Stewart for plugging bill to help 9/11 responders

Grassley still undecided on 9/11 first responders bill
While it’s important to provide assistance to 9/11 First Responders sickened by the toxic dust from the collapse of the World Trade Center, that assistance should not create another unsustainable entitlement program, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley said Tuesday in a statement to The Iowa Independent. Legislation, known as the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act, has been pending in the Senate for most of the year. It’s passage has been blocked by Republicans during the lame-duck sessio...

White House praises Jon Stewart for plugging bill to help 9/11 responders
Source: The Hill White House praises Jon Stewart for plugging bill to help 9/11 responders By Jordan Fabian - 12/21/10 11:45 AM ET White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs praised television host Jon Stewart on Tuesday for talking about Legislation stalled in the Senate that would provide health benefits for 9/11 First Responders. "I think he has put the awareness around this legislation, and that's good," Gibbs said of the "Daily Show" host. During his press briefing, Gibbs said he hoped Stewa...

Tom Coburn looks to block passage of health-care benefits for 9/11 First Responders
By Michael J.W. Stickings Full credit, or almost full credit, to Jon Stewart for raising awareness of the urgent health-care needs of 9/11 First Responders at a time when most in the media, and so many in Washington, couldn't be bothered, and for advocating swift passage of the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. As Slate's Chris Beam notes, examining Stewart's undesired role as partisan Political Activist, "[t]he bill wasn't as far from passage as it seemed -- Stewart just shined a ligh...

Congress Poised To Expedite 9/11 Responders Bill Over GOP Objections
After months of GOP obstruction, a bill to help 9/11 First Responders cover their mounting Health Care costs is expected to zip through Congress. In addition to being a feather in the cap of New York and New Jersey Democrats -- who have been pushing the bill for months -- it will likely enjoy the distinction of being the last legislative item to pass the unusually productive 111th Congress lame duck session. Republicans have blocked the bill in both the House and Senate over objections to its ...

White House Looks to Jon Stewart in 9/11 Health Bill Bid
Because Jon Stewart is just so popular with the GOP(?!), the White House is taking the funnyman seriously when it comes to the proposed First Responders’ health measure. Not doing much to convince certain detractors that “The Daily Show” is in cahoots with the Obama administration, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs voiced his hope, during a press briefing Tuesday, that Jon Stewart would be able to rouse support among members of the Senate for a health measure designed t...

Schumer: Obama Has 'Done Everything We Asked' On 9/11 Health Bill [Video]
There is at least one New York representative satisfied with President Obama's leadership on the 9/11 Health Care bill. "As for the president, he's done everything we've asked," Senator Chuck Schumer told Andrea Mitchell this morning in an appearance on Morning Joe. "I have no complaints about the president's role on this. He's had a lot on his plate, but on this issue, he has done what we have asked him to do." Schumer's comments come one day after Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney called on the ...

Wednesday's live video events
President Obama will sign a historic piece of Legislation into law this morning, and CNN.com Live will carry the bill-signing ceremony when it happens. 9:15 am ET - Obama signs 'don't ask' Repeal into law - President Obama will sign the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Act of 2010 into law in a signing ceremony at the Department of the Interior. 9:30 am ET - Senate in session - The lame-duck session continues for the Senate today.  A final vote on the New ST...

White House Lauds Jon Stewart for Pushing Passage of 9/11 Health Bill
Jon Stewart is seen onstage at Comedy Central's Night Of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert For Autism Education at the Beacon Theatre on October 2, 2010 in New York City. (Credit: Getty Images) During his press briefing Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that comedian Jon Stewart may well have helped breathe new life into the prospects for passage of a Health Care bill for 9/11 First Responders. Stewart last week devoted a nine-minute segment of his Comed...

Robert Gibbs Looks To Jon Stewart To Help Get 9/11 First Responders Bill Through
There’s been a lot of talk about comedians being too involved in politics recently and it’s all seemed rather silly. Comedians and satirists have been an essential part of running a government since the first king decided he wanted a guy in a goofy hat to hang out in his throne room. However this story, about Robert Gibbs praising Jon Stewart is sure to get a lot of tongues wagging. And it should. Just not in the way it surely will. Today in a press briefing, Robert Gibbs praised Ste...

WHITE HOUSE SEEKS HELP FROM JON STEWART...
Yahoo! Buzz 'If there's the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, there's a good chance that he can help do that,' Robert Gibbs said in his briefing. Paging Jon Stewart: The White House needs your help. Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s Press Secretary, told reporters on Tuesday that he hopes the Comedy Central host can persuade enough Republican senators to vote for a 9/11 health bill so it can head to the president’s desk. “If there's the ab...

White House extends well-deserved praise to Jon Stewart
White House EXTENDS WELL-DESERVED PRAISE TO Jon Stewart.... It's too soon to say for sure whether Republican obstructionism will kill the Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act. The Supermajority appears to be coming together, and Senate Democrats are keeping the pressure on -- this new video is worth watching -- but time is running out, and a leading conservative senator and his allies aren't budging. While we wait and see, it's heartening to see the White House give some credit to a certai...

No Joke: Stewart's Barbs Got 9/11 Health Bill Moving
UPDATE: Despite growing support for the bill, there is no indication Tuesday night that Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla, is willing to allow the 9/11 First Responder's bill through the Senate. Read about his argument HERE . ORIGINAL POST: The White House said today that comedian Jon Stewart has “put the awareness” around the 9/11 Health Care responders Legislation, hoping that will lead to additional Republican votes for the bill. “If there's the ability for that to sort of bre...

White House Looking To Jon Stewart For Help With 9/11 Responders Bill
So, per Politico, here is a thing that is happening in our lives: Robert Gibbs, President Obama's Press Secretary, told reporters on Tuesday that he hopes ["Daily Show"host Jon Stewart] can persuade enough Republican senators to vote for a 9/11 health bill so it can head to the president's desk. "If there's the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, there's a good chance that he can help do that," Gibbs said in his briefing. "I think he has put the awareness a...

White House Praise for Jon Stewart on 9/11 Responders
White House spokesman Robert Gibbs today was asked about Jon Stewart's advocacy of the 9/11 First Responders Legislation, which has been blocked by congressional Republicans. Gibbs said, "I think if there’s the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, I think there’s a good chance that he can help do that.  I think he has put the awareness around this legislation -- he’s put that awareness into what you guys cover each day, and I th...

Democrats slam Republicans on 9/11 health bill
WASHINGTON — The White House Tuesday told Republicans to ditch an "awful" pre-Christmas bid to block a health bill for hero September 11 emergency workers, amid agonized tales by First Responders of loss and sickness. The bill, caught up in the fierce Partisanship of a Lame Duck session of Congress, would offer Health Care to fire and police officers and other First Responders who rushed to the scene of the World Trade Center attack in 2001. Some emergency workers who survived the collapse...

Democrats laud Jon Stewart for pushing 9/11 responders bill (The Ticket)
Could Jon Stewart be looking at a new career as a Lobbyist? Probably not, but the Comedy Central host is winning kudos from Washington Democrats for pushing a Sept. 11 First Responders bill on the "Daily Show." White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters Tuesday that he hopes Stewart can help Democrats win passage of the bill, which would offer Health Care compensation to responders and their families: I think if there's the ability for that to sort of break through in our politica...

Rachel Maddow: 'All Hail Shep Smith At Fox News' (VIDEO)
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow lauded Fox News host Shep Smith last night for his repeated walloping of Republicans for opposing the 9/11 First Responders bill. "Shep Smith making a hullabaloo on his show about the Republicans who are not supporting Health Care for 9/11 First Responders means that those Republicans might feel compelled to explain publicly why they don't support Health Care for 9/11 first responders." If you recall, Shep first said "it's disgusting" that the bill hasn't been able to pa...

Last Chance for 9-11 Health Bill
After new START gets ratification today, we’re going to apparently get the first test vote on the 9-11 Health Care bill. With Tom Coburn committed to blocking or at least delaying the bill, there’s no chance of unanimous consent, but the leadership of both parties is working out some kind of agreement to consider it. The House is prepared to pass the measure as well, but they’re waiting to see what the Senate will do. Basically, nobody wants to come back the week after Chris...

Wednesday Open Thread
It appears even loyal Fox News has turned on Senate Republicans for their obstruction of the 9/11 First Responders bill. Fox & Friends demanded the bill be passed; conservative guests have criticized Republicans’ opposition; and yesterday, host Shep Smith called out a dozen GOP senators by name who had refused to appear on his program to discuss the bill. Today, Smith zeroed in on Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who has said he will block the bill, even if it means 9/11 responders have to wai...

Ground Zero Workers Visit Coburns Office To Beg Him To Lift Hold On 9/11 First Responders Bill
Though GOP obstructionism in the Lame Duck session has failed to stop many important bills, including the Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and the likely the ratification of the START Treaty, one piece of Legislation Senate Republicans have successfully hindered thus far is a bill to provide health benefits to 9/11 First Responders. Though few GOPers have been willing to publicly discuss their opposition — indeed, not a single Republican came to the Senate floor to defend thei...

Baghdad Bob Wants Comedian Jon Stewarts Help to Pass Legislation
inge on Do Dems Have GOP Votes Needed to Pass START Treaty? (Politico)- Paging Jon Stewart: The White House needs your help. Robert Gibbs, President Obama’s Press Secretary, told reporters on Tuesday that he hopes the Comedy Central host can persuade enough Republican senators to vote for a 9/11 health bill so it can head to the president’s desk. “If there’s the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, there’s a good chance that he can...

Jon Stewart better advocate for Zadroga than Obama, says Rep., asking Pres to step up for 9/11 bill
As Ground Zero responders demanded the President push harder on the Zadroga health bill, White House spokesman Robert Gibbs seemed to pawn that job off on "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart. The pivot peeved 9/11 advocates. Stewart skewered the GOP for days on his show, devoting his Season Finale to the Zadroga bill last week - raising the bill's profile dramatically. Gibbs Tuesday had praise for the comedian's aggressive, forceful efforts. "I think he has put the awareness around this Legislation ...

Gibbs calls on Stewart for help
Jon Stewart’s transformation from jester to advocate has been debated all year, but many media writers noticed last week’s “Daily Show” coverage of the 9/11 First Responders bill crossed a clear line. In case anyone had any remaining doubts, Robert Gibbs called on Stewart for help, Matt Negrin reports at 44. “If there's the ability for that to sort of break through in our political environment, there's a good chance that he can help do that,” Gibbs said in h...

The Morning Plum
* New START showdown set for today: With a key Senate vote set for today on the treaty, the pressure from the White House and Military leadership on wavering GOP senators couldn't be more intense. The Military leadership is engaged in a last-ditch push to undercut the two primary GOP objections, insisting that all reasonable concerns about the treaty have been met and that it must be ratified sooner ...

An Unpaid Debt
Anyone who was in New York City on Sept. 11, 2001, remembers how the ash, paper and dust of the collapsing towers blew across Lower Manhattan. For days afterward, there was that peculiar smell — of burned paper and chemicals and death. That was the air that filled the lungs of tens of thousands of Firefighters, police officers, nurses, Paramedics, Soldiers and civilian volunteers who toiled for months to uncover the dead. More than nine years later, many of those First Responders are dead...