Jon Stewart and ''Daily Show'' staffers ink a book deal

Jon Stewart, the snarky host of ”The Daily Show,” will offer a satirical take on the political system in the tentatively titled ”A Guide to Democracy Inaction,” to be published by Warner Books (part of AOL Time Warner, parent company of EW) in time for the ’04 presidential elections. Warner, which insiders say paid $1.25 million for the book, was one of about half a dozen publishers that met with Stewart and his agent, Dan Strone, CEO of the Trident Media Group. ”There was nothing on paper,” says an exec who attended one of the meetings. According to the source, Stewart and his ”Daily Show” staff promised, ”We put together a show every day; we’ll write a book that’s just as good as the show.” Warner publisher Jamie Raab, who acquired the book, was unavailable for comment.