'Fox-publicans' urging viewers to call Congress over health care

Comedy Central's Jon Stewart took out the red siren Wednesday night while introducing viewers to "Health-Con 1: The Mediscarening."

As health care negotiations wind down,Stewart observed, opponents have been going over the top with their closing arguments.

"It is a flea infested, tick infested, parasite infected, special interested infected wet smelly dog," Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) said Tuesday.

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) held up the bill at an anti-health reform rally and called it "an abortion." Speaking on the House Floor, Gohmert said, "This should not be passed by anyone unless they eat it."

Democrats are also going to great lengths to get the bill passed. House leaders are considering a move called "deem and pass" that would approve the Senate's version of the bill without a direct vote on it.

"That's a legislative move? That sounds like a drug mule move," observed Stewart. "Here is what we're going to do. We're going to take the health care reform bill and we're going to put it in a condom and shove it up your a**. You are going to shave your mustache, dress up like a nun, you walk across the border, take a laxative and 12 minutes later, everybody gets insurance!" Stewart explained.

While anti-health reform activists planned protests at the Capitol and around the country, one news network seems to be doing more than their part to encourage opponents. Capitol Hill phone lines are jammed and "you never will guess who patient zero is in the viral outbreak," said Stewart.

Fox News personalities are taking sides and actively encouraging viewers to call Congress.

"I suggest you call, e-mail, write members of Congress," Fox News host Mike Huckabee urged viewers. "To make it easy for you, what we've done is provide a simple link. You can go to callcongressnow.com," he added. "Keep calling until they answer."

Viewers should "pick up their phone and call their member of Congress today," said Fox contributor Dana Perino.

Dick Morris went on the conservative network to advertise "a list of Congressmen to call for swing voters to get them to vote against it" at his website.

For all the Fox News viewers who can't think for themselves, Stewart had a suggestion. "And if you don't know what to say, hold the phone up to the television and we'll take care of it for you," he said.

This isn't the first time Fox has been caught trying to cheer on health care reform opponents. In September of 2009, a Fox News producer was caught giving stage directions to a crowd of protesters.

"I guess it wasn't enough for Fox News to promote the hell out of Glenn Beck's 9/12 death march – they also needed to incite the crowd – you know, get them nice and pumped up so they'd looked good for the cameras," Karl Frisch writes at MediaMatters. "Fair & Balanced? More like Fake & Staged."

"Although this video provides a clear-cut example of Fox propaganda in action, the only thing truly shocking about it is that it won't wake up real journalists to the fact that just about every single thing you see on Fox is manufactured," writes Jed Lewinson at DailyKos. "They are an infotainment channel for conservatives, not a real media outlet."

This video is from Comedy Central's The Daily Show, broadcast March 17, 2010.