A Serious President Obama Sticks to Politics on 'Daily Show'

President Obama cracked few jokes in his appearance on "The Daily Show" on Wednesday night, despite host Jon Stewart's best efforts.

Obama, appearing on the show less than a week before the critical Nov. 2 congressional elections, was mostly business, even though Stewart trying to bring out the president's humorous side with some snarky wisecracks.   

During the interview, Obama said he hopes Democratic lawmakers who made tough votes will be rewarded with another term in office. He promised more accomplishments in the two years left on his own term in the Oval Office and urged people to vote -- early if they can.  

 Stewart asked how the political environment got to the point that Democrats "seem to be running on 'Please, baby, one more chance"' just two years after Obama ran a successful presidential campaign built around "very high rhetoric, hope and change."  

"Are you disappointed in how it's gone?" asked the Comedy Central satirist.   

Obama hinted that he wasn't disappointed. He said his advisers had told him during the euphoria of his 2008 election to "enjoy this now because two years from now folks are going to be frustrated. That is, in fact, what's happening."   

He listed as reasons a 9.6% unemployment rate, sinking housing values and an economy that is growing but not fast enough. But Obama said his administration has also stabilized the economy, noting it has grown for nine months in a row. He also signed major health care and financial legislation. Obama suggested that his administration did so much that "we have done things that some folks don't even know about."   

Stewart acted surprised by that comment.   

"What have you done that we don't know about?" he asked. "Are you planning a surprise party for us, filled with jobs and health care?"   


Also during the interview, Stewart poked at Obama for saying during the presidential campaign that "we are the ones we've been waiting for."  

 "So here you are, you're two years into your administration and the question that arises in my mind: Are we the people we were waiting for or does it turn out those people are still out there and we don't have their number?" the comedian intoned, suggesting that someone in the White House needs to call them up.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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