Jon Stewart: Rick Sanchez Shouldn't Have Been Fired

CNN and Piers Morgan were among the targets of Jon Stewart's barbs on an appearance on Larry King Live Wednesday night.

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Asked by King why he picks on CNN, Stewart replied, "You're terrible." Stewart went on the explain that his biggest frustration with the news network was that it consistently squanders opportunities despite its technological resources and international reach.

As for Piers Morgan, the America's Got Talent judge who replaces King in January, Stewart mocked, "I think they made a brilliant choice by bringing in a British guy no one's heard of. When I'm thinking about floating a sinking ship, what do I want to bring on it? A guy that people are going to tune in and go, 'Who's that?' "

The 30-plus interview also addressed Rick Sanchez, the former CNN anchor who exited the network after calling Stewart a bigot in a satellite radio interview. Stewart defended Sanchez, saying he was not "personally hurt" by the remarks and should have kept his job. "Should they have fired him for that? No," said Stewart,"With the crap you guys [CNN] have put on over the last 10 years? Fire somebody if you don't think they do a good job as a newsperson."

He continued,"I think it's absolute insanity. I think that this idea that people have to be held, to account for eveyrthing that comes out of their mouths as far as their livlihoods are concerned.. Does he do a good job? Were you pleased with his job? Or was it an excuse to get rid of him?"

Stewart also emphasized that his upcoming Rally for Sanity was not a political gathering but rather an event " for the people who are too busy: That have jobs and lives and are tired of their reflection in the media as being a divided country that's ideological and conflicted and fighting. This is for those people."

Click here for the complete interview.