Video & Photos: Barack Obama The Daily Show with Jon Stewart 10-29-08

Barack Obama and Joe Biden, rally in Sunrise, Florida, October 29, 2008

Democratic Presidential candidate Senator Barack Obama made an appearance Comedy Central The Daily Show with Jon Stewart on October 29, 2008. See the full interview video and photos from the rally in Sunrise, Florida that took place that same night, a portion of which concluded the Obama 30 minute infomercial that had aired on seven U.S. television networks. Obama appeared on the program via satellite from Florida prior to the rally.

Within the comedic context, Jon Stewart brought up some of the controversial issues of the campaign, including the McCain-Palin campaign allegations that Obama is a socialist.

Jon Stewart noted that Obama has been called, “An elitist, a celebrity, a Muslim terrorist sympathizer. A Socialist, a Marxist, a witch. That’s right. They’ve been calling you a witch. They’re saying if you do win, is that a mandate for Socialism in this country? Has any of this fear stuff, do you think it’s stuff with the electorate? Are you finding that on the trail?

Barack Obama and Joe Biden, rally in Sunrise, Florida, October 29, 2008

Obama acknowledged that some ” hard-core Sean Hannity fans” probably wouldn’t want to go out for a beer with him, but that the average voter is not concerned about this. “They’re saying to themselves, what’s all this stuff about? I’m trying to figure out whether I can hang on to my house or who is going to help me get a job or what about my health care, my premiums have doubled over the last couple of years. So I don’t think that they’re paying too much attention to this stuff. And the whole Socialism argument that doesn’t fly too well. The evidence of this seems pretty thin. I said today that I think they found proof that when I was in kindergarten I shared some toys with my friends. That’s clearly a sign that of subversive activity now, I can tell you, Jon, that being on your program I think is further evidence of these tendencies.”

Barack Obama and Joe Biden, rally in Sunrise, Florida, October 29, 2008

Jon Stewart brought up the subject of poll numbers and the “Bradley effect” in which white voters who have declared support of a black candidate to pollsters later change their minds and do not vote for the candidate. The name comes from former L.A. mayor, Tom Bradley, losing the election for California governor in 1982 despite poll numbers showing him in the lead.

“They have been saying that for a while but we’re still here. So I don’t think white voters have gotten this memo about the Bradley effect,” Obama said.

Steward said, “I don’t know how to bring this up, your mother is from Kansas, father African, are you concerned that you may go into the voting booth and –”

“I wont know what to do,” Obama joked, finishing Stewart’s sentence.

” — your white half will all of a sudden decide, ‘I can’t do this!’” Stewart said.

“Yeah. It’s a problem … I’ve been going though therapy to make sure that I vote properly on the 4th.”

Source: Barack Obama on The Daily Show - The Complete Transcript

Photos: Barack Obama and Joe Biden at a campaign rally in Sunrise, Florida, October 29, 2008 (Photo credit: Reuters, Getty Images North America)