In all of the insanity that is midterms at Wash. U., people have neglected to notice some important things that have been going on in the world. Specifically, in a defining moment for Jon Stewart, President Obama is going to be on “The Daily Show” this very evening.

My first reaction upon hearing this news was, “Wait…what?” It is hard to imagine that a program such as The Daily Show would hold enough respect in the wider world to actually warrant the in-person appearance of a sitting president, with the potential of him looking ridiculous and (God, I hate this word) “un-presidential.”

The fact that the president believes this is a good idea, especially after he entertained questions of how “presidential” he was after appearing on The View, lends credit to both Jon Stewart and his status in the news media today.

Somehow, in our 24-hour media, the man who has become the most trustworthy personality is not a modern-day Walter Cronkite but a former stand-up comedian, whose combination of intelligent discourse and penis jokes blends into the most coherent and reasonable news show on the air. Jon Stewart obviously commands a great deal of respect in the world, to the point where his show is regarded highly enough for a sitting president to attend.

For Stewart, this marks a turning point in his show’s history. He has stated on numerous occasions that he isn’t a leader of any sort; he is just a comedian trying to poke fun at the political system. However, when the president determines that your show is worthy of his time and effort, you might have to change your opinion of yourself. Stewart needs to accept the fact that he is now a leader. But the important question is, whom exactly does he lead?

The answer is simple. Jon Stewart is the political personality who speaks for our generation. He is our leader.

Look at how many of us are excited about this weekend’s Rally to Restore Sanity. Look at how much money our Treasury representatives are willing to spend so even a few of us can get there. When Jon Stewart says jump, we ask how high, because he probably represents us more than anyone else can. The fact that a president is willing to go on his show (especially after a nation-wide college tour) is more than a vote-getting technique; it is proof of our political power.

What is it that got President Obama elected? It wasn’t his message, though it was good, and it wasn’t his campaign staff, though they were excellent. It was us; it was the college students and 20-somethings across the country. It was the young adults and the kids, the relative babies of society who were inspired and came together to elect a man to the presidency.

How effective would his campaign have been without the grassroots organizers using modern information technology? How successful would his campaign have been without the millions of hours of volunteering done on his behalf? Make no mistake; in our first attempt at organized political strength, our generation elected a man president of the United States.

The president’s decision to go on “The Daily Show” reflects the respect and gratitude he holds for us more than it reflects his goal of getting us to vote Democrat again. He is hurting right now—everyone knows it—and he needs us. After the 2008 election, we proved that we have political power, and the president is asking us to use it again.

So when he goes on “The Daily Show” tonight, listen to the president, because he won’t be speaking to America, he won’t be speaking to the middle class, and he won’t be speaking to Democrats. He will be speaking to you.