MEDIA WINNER: Jon Stewart Jon Stewart has spent the past several years as one of the most vocal advocates for first responders who suffered medical complications after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, and he has now taken that experience to support military veterans who became sick from exposure to toxic "burn pits" in Iraq and Afghanistan. On Tuesday, the former Daily Show host told Fox News' Martha MacCallum that he is urging Congress to act quickly on this issue, saying that the cost should not be a factor. He also joined several members of Congress at a press conference. Stewart explained to MacCallum how the burn pits operated, exposing the soldiers who were living and working nearby to toxic fumes 24/7, with a number of them contracting serious illnesses and even cancers. Arguing that these veterans shouldn’t have to keep fighting the bureaucracy, Stewart acknowledged that the issue was "going to come down to money," but in his view, "this is the cost of war." “Veterans are human beings," said Stewart pointedly. "They’re not just flags, they’re not just bumper stickers, they’re human beings.” He's absolutely right. Stewart is using his celebrity for a good cause, bringing his star power to support men and women who have made great sacrifices when our country needed their service. He's a winner, and a patriot. |