Jon Stewart Reacts to 'Daily Show' Backlash: "I Have Sinned Against You"

[TheProle]

“The response to the first show last Monday was universally glowing — OK, maybe not universal,” Stewart said (video below) while showing screenshots of critical tweets. “But [the backlash was] on Twitter! Everything on Twitter gets a backlash. I’ve seen Twitter tell Labradoodles to go fuck themselves. I just think it’s better to deal head on with what’s an apparent issue to people. I mean … we’re just talking here! It was just one fucking show! It was 20 minutes! I did 20 minutes in one fucking show! But I guess as the famous saying goes: ‘Democracy dies in discussion.’ But look: I have sinned against you, I’m sorry. It was never my intention to say out loud what I saw with my eyes and then brain.”

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-news/jon-stewart-reacts-daily-show-backlash-1235830171/

[TwilightZone]

1. The commercials for this week's show are still plugging the "both guys are old" routine.

It's the only topic mentioned. My partner was watching cable news or something and it came on about a million times.

I get that he covers other topics and takes shots at Trump, but anyone who doesn't see the show is going to think the old guys routine is the centerpiece. Just like last week.

It's interesting and kind of funny that he got so defensive about it and apparently thinks that yelling (and then discussing) about old, old, old and "WTF ARE WE DOING?" is somehow representative of democracy. Uh, sure.

He's also not really apologizing, but that's kind of obvious.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

3. They are both old; it's factually true

Jon did a good job of showing why Trump was BY FAR the lesser of two candidates.

[mucifer]

4. Jon Stewart pretty much diagnosed

President Biden with dementia and I heard him say it sucks to have these two to choose from.

To me that could be used to encourage 3rd party votes.

[FakeNoose]

11. Not that long ago, people wanted JON STEWART to run for President

I can remember it, and my memory isn't all that good

[Cuthbert Allgood]

22. Well, he's not a Dr so I'm sure he did no such thing.

I, personally would like choices that represent the gender, age, ethnicity, etc of our population moving forward. These two choices do none of that.

[NoRethugFriends]

30. Yeh, that's the most important thing. Not the trying to defeat the guy trying to kill democracy thing

[Cuthbert Allgood]

36. He made it very clear Trump was horrible in that segment.

If you missed that, it's on you, not Jon.

But one can say that you can't vote from Trump and also say that we need better options moving forward.

[NoRethugFriends]

38. And did you enjoy his non-apology also?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

40. Yes I did.

I think he nailed the online world quite well.

[WhiteTara]

42. the only take away I saw was

Biden old.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

43. That's on you, then.

Jon made it very clear that there were two problems:
1. We have candidates that are too old;
2. Trump is the fucking worst.

Maybe you heard just what you wanted to in order to be outraged?

[WhiteTara]

48. I didn't see the show. I was commenting

on the blowback. I didn't see trump terrible, the blowback I saw was Biden old. Sorry I wasn't clear for you.

[NoRethugFriends]

52. Geez, no need to apologize to someone who was rude to you. And that was the takeaway and the show itself.

He was basically equalizing them and saying we need someone else, even though he knew those two will be the nominees.

[WhiteTara]

61. thanks for standing up for me.

That was pretty much what I took away from the whole affair. Maybe he thought that he was being astute and profound, but I think he stepped into sh*t.

[NoRethugFriends]

63. Very smug individual, at best

[WhiteTara]

70. I don't have any of them for friends either

I don't give them my business money either.

[Cha]

67. Exactly.. I'm not going to say anything else bc I'm Pissed at

those insults being thrown around.

So Rob Reiner knows how to talk about Pres Biden.. fucking Stewart Dows Not.

Link to tweet

[angrychair]

80. So you enjoyed

Him saying that Biden was senile with that "chocolate chip cookie" reference multiple times?
Stewart's sarcastic "apology" is all a need to hear. He can go back to kissing Trump's ass all he wants. Screw him.

[All Mixed Up]

94. Who do you think watches Jon Stewart?

Do you think people who watch The Daily Show are more open to voting for Trump or Biden?

I'm gonna guess you and I can agree right away that Trump fans are not watching The Daily Show.

So, that leaves potential Biden voters.

When the narrative is that both are old - even if it's framed as 'both are really fucking old and awful and shouldn't be running ... but sure, Trump is more awful' do you think that narrative helps Biden with these voters?

The difference between the left and the right from what I've seen is that the left consistently mentions how old Joe Biden is and the right doesn't give two shits how old Trump is. In fact, whenever it's brought up, they actively fight back against the notion he's old. Even Jon Stewart himself showed this with a clip of Keri Lake saying Trump was the most mentally fit candidate ever to run for president.

You might say, "so what?" but that narrative is why Trump has probably had an easier time consolidating his 2020 voters than Biden has according to polls.

Trump supporters don't care about the 'he's too old narrative'.

A lot of the left does care Biden is too old and continually telling voters he's too old is opening up an argument to vote third party.

The narrative is inherently worse for Biden than it is Trump because he's far more vulnerable to it than Trump.

If we're going to win in November, the focus should 100% be on how effective of a leader Biden has been and what he's gotten done.

That's far more impactful than any argument where people open it up with, "yeah Biden is old but Trump is a pervert..."

Finally, your last line is exactly the excuse some people will use to not vote for either.

They're not voting for Trump because he's a criminal! But they're also not voting Biden because he's just too old for the job.

That's where Jon's narrative becomes problematic.

[betsuni]

107. +1

[Ninga]

41. Voter suppression has many forms. Just ask

Hillary

[TwilightZone]

6. Let's not pretend that's all there was to it.

He didn't just point out that they were old and move on. He spent a lot of time complaining about how horrible the match-up is and how nobody wants it. That, by definition, is playing the "both sides are bad" card.

The show was literally promoted with the headline "WTF ARE WE DOING?"

As I said, he covered other topics and took a lot of shots at Trump, but he's getting a pass for some pretty dodgy material.

I love the guy, but seriously, he can do better than that segment (and topic, since it appears it's not going anywhere), as was obvious in the others. It's low-hanging fruit and just lazy writing.

We get it...they're old. Tell us something we haven't already heard a million times. It's also the only matchup that's going to happen out here in reality.

[PatSeg]

9. Yes and we all know

who the candidates are going to be, so what purpose does it serve for him to diss Biden at this point?

Yes I agree, he can do better and it certainly was lazy writing. You can tune into any late night TV show and get the same ageism garbage. I expected more from Jon Stewart and his writers.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

19. Perhaps he's trying to make some change beyond this election.

He makes it clear what the only logical choice is this election, but he wants it to be different moving forward. Why is that a bad thing?

[PatSeg]

29. Seems like rather poor timing

He could have saved it for another time instead of parroting pretty much most of the mainstream media while ignoring the extraordinary accomplishments of this administration. I'm sure the republicans are grateful for all the liberals doing their job for them.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

39. The "save it for another time" is and old, tired tactic.

We can both vote against Trump and know we need to do better moving forward.

I can't count the number of times progressives have been told to not bring something up because it's "not the time" and "we have an election to win." Guess what? There's ALWAYS an election to win and it's NEVER the time. If it's a problem, we need to talk about it. If you think younger voters aren't thinking and talking about this, I have some shocking news for you.

[PatSeg]

49. Well

I am one of those who voted FOR Biden, not for "anyone but Trump". As for younger voters, they need to be told of the many accomplishments of this administration instead of focusing on the President's age every day. I've been around a long time and quite honestly, I've never seen anything quite like it.

I suppose the difference between our opinions is I don't feel like we need to go on the defensive, as President Biden has a good solid record to run on and has achieved a great many of the goals of the progressive wing of the party. (Bernie Sanders and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez seem to agree with me.) So instead of arguing that Biden isn't too old for the job, Democrats need to point out that at this time in history, he is the best person for the job and I seriously doubt anyone else could have done as well, certainly not better.

Considering the congress that Biden has had to work with, he has passed more progressive legislation than anyone thought possible. I don't see how that is "save it for another time". With a majority in the House and Senate in 2025 and Biden in the White House, I am quite sure we will see even more progressive legislation in coming years.

So I'm not saving anything for another time. The time is now and I think Biden is the right person. Let's put ageism where it belongs, right along with all the other regressive isms.

[betsuni]

71. +1

[sheshe2]

91. Fact is...

Fact is if we don't win this election we may never have another chance at a free or fair election. Just saying there may not be a beyond here.

I didn't watch, though I have always loved his shows. Frankly I don't like what I have read about his comments.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

20. Lots of voters don't like this matchup.

We can't just ignore that. He makes it clear that Biden is the only sane choice. But we are going to lose young voters if it's just matchups like this moving forward. That's just a reality we need to deal with.

[Sympthsical]

25. And it's the denial of it

I kind of have a long post brewing in my head about how small lies are a lubrication required for democracy to run smoothly. Probably won't write it as it wouldn't go over well here. But there reaches a point where what you're asking someone to pretend to believe and what is obvious are too dissimilar to be swallowed. At that point, you need to stop asking people to pretend or else you risk alienating them.

People don't like being told they don't see what they can plainly see. No one anywhere with eyes, older family members, and basic experience in society is buying this brutal "80 is the new 40!" push. And I think the push is brutal precisely because people do understand the truth of the situation - and they understand the danger of it. Denial often wells from panic.

The response to Stewart last week was one of the more vivid instances of collective hyperventilation I've seen in ages. Everyone freaked out. And the reason they're freaked out is because there is a very tenuous - and I'd venture crumbling - wall between honesty and a narrative being held up with every scrap of strength people can manage. The weaker it gets, the more desperate the insistence it's a very fine wall indeed becomes.

It's just not working. And the younger you are, the less it works. No one's buying it outside of the collective paper heaving bag.

[fishwax]

51. I think you've diagnosed an important part of the problem

Last edited Tue Feb 20, 2024, 06:19 PM - Edit history (1)

And it echoes my reaction to Stewart last week as well. If you're going to try to convince people that Biden is not old in order to vote for him, its going to be a hard sell because it undermines your credibility. Among the voters who are underdecided and/or undermotivated to turn out at the ballot box, there are likely a lot who can be reached in the space where concern about Biden's age and a recognition that trump is many orders of magnitude worse intersect. And that's the space that Jon was working in/with/on in his episode last week.

[Sympthsical]

56. Agree. People are trying to sell excitement

That's not even part of the conversation outside of highly partisan enclaves.

What we need to sell is forbearance. An acknowledgement that, "Yeah, this is a whole thing. But you know, let's just get through this, because Trump." That is almost every single conversation I have about the election with people. "I would not choose this situation, but Trump is so terrible . . ."

Which is exactly what Stewart said.

And I always wonder, particularly of talking heads I see clips of and the Twitterati - is this what they actually think, or is this the sale? I would kill to listen in on some of their conversations, because I have a sneaking suspicion they're a lot different in private. I think they're closer to the ones I and my friends have.

The key to any election is meeting voters where they are. And the vast majority of voters are over by Stewart - not with the people stomping about him on Twitter.

[angrychair]

85. Name how Biden has failed

Doing his job. Not your policy disagreements but where, specifically because of his age, he failed the country.

Arguably he is the most successful president in modern US history.

Jon is an asshole and I hope he gets booted from the show sooner rather than later.

[betsuni]

110. What evidence is there of "the danger of it"?

What danger?

[Sympthsical]

118. I'm speaking politically only

As far as electoral politics go. Nothing else.

[W_HAMILTON]

28. Correction: lots of "people" don't like this matchup.

It's not the voters, because the voters are the ones that are actually voting for these candidates.

So, if people don't like the candidates, perhaps they should actually vote instead of complain?

[Cuthbert Allgood]

35. So you don't want people to vote? I don't get your point

And one can both vote and complain, you know that, right? It's actually not all that hard.

[W_HAMILTON]

99. My point is that the ones that are complaining are loud in voice but few in number...

...because the ones that are actually voting are overwhelmingly voting for the two candidates that everyone claims they don't want to see on the ballot again.

So, for all the talk about how no one wants to see another Biden vs Trump presidential race -- the voters do. Or at least the voters that want to see this rematch much outnumber the voters who do not.

[angrychair]

82. I've watched it twice now

You said

He makes it clear that Biden is the only sane choice.

When? He basically did a commercial for trump. If you think for one second that parts of Trump's monologue won't be in a Trump ad you are kidding yourself. He mentions nothing about Trump being a rapist or a fraud or anything about his criminal indictments. He gave him a pass on everything.
He basically gave Trump a complete pass on everything.

[betsuni]

105. Why would anyone think "it's just matchups like this moving forward"?

In the last Democratic primary were all candidates old white men? Biden administration all old white men? VP who will probably run for president next time an old white man? Democratic leadership all old white men? What reality?

[progressoid]

31. "WTF ARE WE DOING?" is actually a fair sentiment

Outside of the halls of Democratic Underground, voters are expressing some variation of that feeling. I've heard it from all ages of Democrats.

[angrychair]

83. Electing

One of the most successful presidents in modern times. What is there to complain about?
Name, in a material way, that Biden being old has hurt the United States?

Trump has actively hurt the United States. No mention of that at all

[Prairie Gates]

14. Seriously!

[Cuthbert Allgood]

21. Yes. For real. They are both old.

[Prairie Gates]

23. No, I meant "Seriously!" like "I agree!"

They are both old. I don't know why people act like this isn't a weird cultural moment to have two 80 year olds running for President.

[Cuthbert Allgood]

26. Sorry.

Your's was in a line of not happy with me.

[Cha]

65. Yeah, WE KNOW but ROB REINER knows How to Talk about that & fucking Stewart Does NOT.

Link to tweet

[betsuni]

68. That's all that needs to be said!

[Cha]

69. Thank You!

[sheshe2]

93. Boom.

Well said.

[Cha]

98. Mahalo, she!

[DemocraticPatriot]

100. But re: Trump, he should have said, 'old AND CRAZY!'

However I didn't see the show, I only read about it afterwards


But as far as we know, President Biden doesn't shit his pants....

The other guy???--- try to stay downwind

(the smell of his drawers matches the smell of his ideals)

[Initech]

32. They are both old, but one of them is certifiably insane.

And I'm of course talking about the guy that's cozying up to Jianping and Putin.

[Fiendish Thingy]

2. last night's show was pretty funny

He skewered Tucker's visit to Russia, and interviewed two of the hosts of the "Strict Scrutiny" (law professor Melissa Murray and another lawyer) podcast, who were excellent guests.

[Traildogbob]

7. Agree with you

I loved last nights show. Not ready to Bill Maher him yet. Let’s see where he goes. Hopefully more in line with his offspring, Colbert and Last Week Tonight Host Oliver

[PatSeg]

8. I'm not ready to totally abandon Jon Stewart

Though I was really disappointed in his show last week. I genuinely expected better from him. His segment on Tucker's visit to Russia was priceless.

Hopefully, he can redeem himself regarding Biden. Surely Stewart of all people can see the remarkable job our president has done in such a short time. Maybe Joe should invite him to the White House!

[budkin]

5. BUT THEY ARE EQUALLY BAD!

Right Jon?

[SunSeeker]

10. That was a pretty insulting "apology."

Jon's critics weren't just on Twitter. And they weren't criticizing discussion, they were criticizing Jon's lies.

No, Jon, it wasn't just a discussion; you made some pretty wrong and dangerous statements of fact last week. Glad you didn't last night. But last week, you definitely did:

Link to tweet

Sure, Jon, you'll still be fine if Trump is elected, but for many of the rest of us, like women who need an abortion, or trans kids, or people who would lose their healthcare, Trump's election could literally kill us. And it would be the end of our democracy; our country as we know it would literally be over.

[sheshe2]

96. Everything you said, and if I might add...

He said he will be a Dictator after the election, then walked it back and said it will be only for a day. As if.
He has said/claimed Presidential immunity.
He has said hae will demand record deportations, allow Putin to attack NATO countries, travel bans to Muslims and Gaza.

I am just too beaten down to post the rest.

[Doc Sportello]

12. Stewart is just another white male who thinks he is some type of savant truth teller

That whole paragraph reeks of sorry, not sorry, if your brain can't handle my brain telling you the "truth". What a putz.

[betsuni]

44. That he might be wrong and actually listen to what people are saying never occurs to him.

He's right, the end.

[Prairie Gates]

13. Gen X has no time for ya bullshit anymore!

Give it to 'em, Jon Stewart!!!

[angrychair]

84. Enjoy trump

As your president I guess

[SoFlaBro]

106. What is that supposed to mean? Who the fuck enjoys that Orange bag of wet dog shit?

[Kennah]

15. Both sides and it's just an election seemed the sum of Steward's commentary

[Bludogdem]

16. I'm with Stewart

My hope, is that on the first day of the Democratic Convention, President Biden, addresses the convention stating that he is withdrawing and that the Democratic Convention is now an “Open Convention “. Let the delegates decide nominee.

[Walleye]

37. Has that ever happened I mean in your lifetime?

[Bludogdem]

54. Contested conventions

in 1964, republican and 1968 democrats.

Majority of voters are independents. Give them a qualified candidate. And there is a lot of talent. My choices would be governors Whitmer, Polis, Walz, Newsom. Independents would love them.

[Walleye]

73. OK but the 1964R and 1968D conventions produced candidates that were losers

[niyad]

77. Is there some reason you left VP Harris off the list? This country is in crisis,

and an open convention would solve it, how, exactly?

[PatSeg]

50. Really?

Have you been asleep the past 3+ years? Your hope sounds like political suicide for the Democratic party.

[Bludogdem]

55. Lot of talent

Walz, Whitmer, Polis, or Newsom would clean up with indecent voters.

[niyad]

78. "indecent" voters?? pray explain.

[GP6971]

89. I don't see VP Harris' name.

Is that an omission or you don't think she's qualified?

[PatSeg]

122. P.S.

See tonight's Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell. He explains very clearly why your version would fail miserably pretty much like it has in the past.

[NowsTheTime]

17. He's in our court...and frankly he hasn't missed a lick over the time he was absent...

[Autumn]

18. Jon didn't sin against me. I'm an adult and I can handle truth and the opinions of other people

don't bother me. I am also capable of understanding other people's point of view.

[lindysalsagal]

47. Agreed.

[Caliman73]

64. Seconded.

Again, like last week, I understand that people are scared. I am worried. I also understand that John Stewart will not, at least SHOULD not make or break this election. I think people are holding on WAY TOO TIGHT. I understand why, but harboring hate for Stewart will do nothing in that regard.

I know who I am voting for. The Democratic nominee, which will almost certainly be Biden. ANY DEMOCRAT is better than any Republican.

They are both old. Biden is infinitely better than Trump in every way. A decomposing Biden would be better than Trump.

[Midwestern Democrat]

75. Agreed. Sadly, a lot of people seem to want their entire political media to be nothing more than a circle jerk

Where the discussion is entirely people telling other like-minded people exactly what they both want to hear.

[angrychair]

87. That is an absurdly wrong

Stewart, much like his friends on Fox News, opening attacked Biden as incompetent and senile (repeatedly made "chocolate chip cookie" digs). I mean he called Trump "old" gosh, seems fair, if you ignore all the stuff and digs he made about Biden being incompetent and senile without offering a single example of when and how his age impacted his ability to serve as president.

[GenThePerservering]

24. What an idiotic nonpology

The number of times 'fuck' is said is in inverse proportion to the value of any statement - this one is pretty much worthless.

[W_HAMILTON]

27. Not enough to get me watching again.

Comes as very much a "sorry if you were offended" type of apology than him actually receiving and understanding the (justified) criticism that he received.

[fishwax]

33. I thought he did a good job last week and a great job this week -- love having him back

I've felt quite a bit more charged up for this campaign since his return, and I look forward to seeing what he does next

[angrychair]

88. He, very much,

Called Biden incompetent and senile and made multiple digs at him, especially the "chocolate chip cookie" digs.

Trump basically got a "he's old too" and that's about it.

[fishwax]

90. I didn't see it that way at all

To me, he made very clear that trump was orders of magnitude worse--that they shared the fact of advanced age, but that trump is also delusional, irrational, and carrying all the horrible baggage that we're quite familiar with (insurrection, sexual assault, etc.). He made hay of Biden's mexico gaffe, but as a memory glitch that severely undermined what had, up to then, been a pretty effective counterpoint to the "Biden is old and feeble of memory" narrative. The chocolate chip cookie digs were less about Biden is senile and more about this isn't going to do anything to assuage the concerns that various segments of the electorate have about Biden's age. And I think he's right about that.

I mean, I get that plenty of people didn't take it that way, and so are not inclined to watch, and that's just fine. No harm in not watching. But I will be watching, because for me it makes this whole election process so much easier to bear, and provides me with the sort of energy and resolve that we're all going to need in the months to come.

[angrychair]

92. A person

Taking every opportunity to belittle and attack the president will make it easier for you?
He literally said nothing about trump being all that bad.
Sorry the constant barge of "Biden is old" but outside of saying the wrong name every now and his stuttering sometimes, exactly what has he done wrong because of his age? Has he not run the country well? I fail to see the point other than "he's old" which no one can change their age.

[fishwax]

95. As I said before, I don't buy that characterization of Jon Stewart

Again, if it doesn't work for you that's no big deal. By all means, abstain.

Biden has done a good job running the country. He deserves to be re-elected. It's a no-brainer in my mind. His re-election is the single most important thing that this year can bring. Also, he is old, and there are people who have concerns about his age. Pretending those things aren't true isn't going to make his re-election any more likely.

[angrychair]

101. The point I'm making

Is no one can show, if Biden is so old and senile as is clearly implied by Stewart, how exactly his age is interfering with his job performance.
Stewart argument would make more sense if he could show, specifically, how Biden is doing a bad job because of his age. He can't.

[betsuni]

104. +1

[fishwax]

109. Stewart wasn't arguing that Biden is senile or incapable

Stewart opened the bit by acknowledging the special counsel report that had come out at the start of the weekend, and which had made Biden's age a big topic in that media cycle. He then immediately deflated its claims about Biden's memory by showing several clips of trump over the years unable to remember the most obvious things in depositions, like the name of James Webb or when he'd been married to Marla Maples or whether he'd ever said he had an excellent memory. Then, to further drive the point home, he showed clips of Don Jr and Ivanka and Eric trump all unable to recall things at their depositions. The clear and obvious point was that these claims in the special counsel report, and the political hay that republicans were going to try to make out of them, were not to be taken at face value. ("The primary cause of memory loss appears to be: being deposed." Don't take the claims of the special counsel on this point seriously.)

Even so, he acknowledged, the issue of Biden's age might be a concern for some voters. And how did the Biden team respond to the issue? And here, really, is what Stewart was arguing: the response wasn't great. The press conference *would have* been great, had Biden not paused and turned around to take the extra question and then wound up making the Egypt/Mexico gaffe. Then the tiktok video about the cookies. These, Stewart argued, were missteps in the handling of the issue of Biden's age.

And I don't think he was wrong about that. Obviously I don't think that means that Biden is unfit for office--which is not something that Stewart ever argued or implied.

It also doesn't mean that there is no difference between Biden and trump--something which Stewart not only did not imply, but explicitly rejected. He rejected the notion that just because they're both old means they're in any way the same. saying "Look: Joe Biden is not Donald Trump--" and then starting to list the various things that reveal trump unsuited for the presidency, like the indictments, the fraud, the sexual assault, etc. He also rejected the notion that Biden's Mexico gaffe was anywhere near the level of trump's derangement, saying something along the lines of every time trump shows up in public he "says something that would warrant a wellness check," and illustrating that point with video of trump's bizarre magnet rant (as well as echoing back to his "if I lose we'll no longer have Pennsylvania" diatribe, which Stewart had just showed a few moments before).

[betsuni]

111. No.

[fishwax]

112. a fun artifact, I suppose, but not really relevant to anything that I said

[betsuni]

113. No, same.

[angrychair]

117. Again

He called out the TikTok video multiple times and mocked Biden repeatedly for the Chocolate chip cookie comment. He overtly criticized Biden as a choice saying "WTF are we doing"
Yet, I say again, in what specific way has his age impacted his ability to do his job? Why bring it up if it isn't interfering with his duties?

[lapucelle]

34. It's interesting that at 61, Jon Stewart is a boomer. N/T

[LenaBaby61]

45. It's interesting that at 61, Jon Stewart is a boomer.

Yep, his ass is OLD just like the rest of us boomers.

[betsuni]

53. I think a lot of his audience must have aged, too.

But it's as if he's the Speaking Truth to Power Voice of the Youngs.

[appmanga]

46. Just like Chris Rock...

...Jon Stewart is a comedian. He's not a newscaster. He's entitled to his opinions and to practice his art form. I didn't care for the premise of the bit, and I didn't appreciate him putting the two candidate as someone being the same because they happen to be old, but I don't have to like what he does for it to be valid to him and others.

Despite his not being a newscaster, for some his show is just relevant as a newscast when it comes to the opinions they form. And he's not Johnny Carson doing a monologue; he's essentially doing a video essay filled with facts and substantiation that he also makes funny. That fact he's not as concerned as I am about the fact we just missed a successful coup by a guy with a stick up his ass having enough belief in a couple of people he could trust that overthrowing the government really wasn't part of his duties makes me wonder if he's some kind of comically cynical Pollyanna who continues to believe "it can't happen here".

Jon might have some ancestors who could tell him better.

[Earth-shine]

57. Stewert is much better as a spokesperson (say for 9-11 first responders) than as a comedian.

I remember during most of his final year on the Daily Show, I found him not funny. I even stopped watching at one point.

[pfitz59]

58. Lest we forget

When Biden fired back at the presser, he did super until he answered the Gaza question and conflated the Presidents of Egypt and Mexico. Kind of under-mined the strength of his previous comments. Biden's handlers would be well-advised to keep Joe on script and let spoke-people handle the hard ball questions.

[ificandream]

59. Jon Stewart is a comedian and a satirist.

That's what people have to keep in mind. I winced a little at his comments about Biden, but I kept in mind it was a comedy routine. He's a lot more serious about Trump and his dangers than he is about Biden. His show this week on Tucker Carlson was fantastic, IMO.

[SocialDemocrat61]

60. I'm confused. I thought this was Democratic Underground

But reading some of the posts here it sounds more like ‘Privileged Millionaire White Male TV Celebrity Underground’ .

As far as Stewart, he’s not just a comedian as some are claiming. He’s an influential political commentator.

This video is a good commentary on last week’s show.

[betsuni]

66. I disagree with Stewart being "smarter than this" (in the video). He's not.

[betsuni]

62. There's no conspiracy cover up denying Biden's age. Biden's not doing that, nobody's doing that.

He's not incapable of doing the job, which one can often do sitting down, it's not the Olympics.

Remember all the jokes about Biden's gaffes as VP? Now suddenly it's disqualifying and a very very serious matter?

Candidates in the last Democratic primary were not all old white men. The VP and Biden administration and Democratic leadership are not all old white men. Democratic conventions, the audience is not all old white men. The Democratic base are not all old white men. All future elections will not be between two old white men. Why does anyone assume because the last two elections were between two old white men, every election from now on forever and ever will be between two old white men so this urgent matter must be addressed now?

President Obama. Look what happened to him. Young, charismatic, PoC, middle class background. He was almost immediately called Republican Trojan horse. It will happen to anybody.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

72. This makes me smile

Link to tweet

[betsuni]

108. Jon is not serious, not intellectual, stubbornly both sides stupid.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

121. Mary Trump was amused to see her comments used on this show

Link to tweet

This weekend I found myself somewhere I never expected to be—on The Daily Show. Or at least one of my tweets was.

Stewart didn't respond to my very real concerns over his dangerous both-sides rhetoric in which he equated President Biden and Donald. Instead, he led people to believe that I took issue with his comment about Biden's age. To begin with, I had a problem with this: “We’re not suggesting neither man is vibrant, productive, or even capable.”

We don’t live in an era where pretending both sides are the same is good for America. We need more thoughtful criticism and comedy from people with the kind of platform Jon Stewart has, that takes into account what’s really at stake.

For my full response to Jon Stewart's rebuttal, see below.

[betsuni]

74. "It was inevitable that pundits would respond to Trump's nomination by pleading to Jon Stewart

to come out of retirement. Some fantasized that he would succeed where the Fourth Estate had failed, by compelling the electorate to recognize Trump for what he was.

"This was certainly wishful thinking. But it also betrayed a basic misunderstanding of the role Stewart had played in our larger cultural saga. Throughout his tenure at 'The Daily Show,' Stewart hammered one basic note: that our political and media establishments were feeble and corrupt. Trump hit the same note at every one of his rallies. It was the most convincing aspect of his appeal. If Stewart's mission was to decant the anguish and rage of the left into laughs, Trump fanned those same emotions into raw political power. Both, in a sense, benefited by a loss of faith."

Steve Almond

[LakeArenal]

76. Sorry Jon. Your old age jokes are old too. Lame even.

[niyad]

79. Wow, an amazing non-apology apology. Beginning to see KO's view.

[Groundhawg]

81. Jon is a comedian. NT

[underpants]

86. He's funny

That’s it. He has a point. It’s usually right but he’s funny and he has a point.

[All Mixed Up]

97. I guess I am confused by what you think his point is.

Do you think Biden has been a bad president due to his age?

Do you think Biden has not been able to get things done due to his age?

Do you think Biden's age has limited his ability to lead this country?

If you do - I can respect that. I'd ask you point out areas where Biden's age has actually hindered his ability to lead compared to, say, Obama or other younger presidents and not just throw a blanket statement out that you feel he'd have done better negotiating with Republicans if he was 20 years younger or whatever.

The reason I ask is because you say Stewart has a point.

The only way Stewart has a point is if Biden's age has caused him to be a bad president.

Otherwise, that would be like saying Obama shouldn't have run for reelection in 2012 because he was Black or Hillary in 2016 because she was a woman.

I know that sounds absurd but is it really? If Biden's age isn't impacting the quality of his work, and I don't think it is, how is just focusing on that age any different than focusing on someone's gender or skin color? Unless you can definitively say Biden's age is problematic, beyond just being an image issue (and trust me, Obama being Black an Hillary being a woman was also problematic from an image perspective for A LOT of voters), the point is not valid.

If Biden was 15 years younger and had the exact same three years as president - literally nothing changing - would anyone care about his age? Of course not. Because he was getting something done.

Obama was 20 years younger than Biden when he was president and can anyone say his ideas while president were more forward-thinking than Biden's? I can't. Obama was great in his role - but Biden has been just as progressive, if not more so, than Obama ever was in the eight years he was president.

So, we can't even say Biden's ideas are a relic of the past. Biden has evolved with the Democratic Party and has had no problem adopting bold ideas that maybe 30 years ago he would have opposed. After all, it was the older Joe Biden who came out in favor of marriage equality before Obama did.

So, again, my question is what's his point?

If it boils down to Biden is old - that's not an argument. Not unless you can prove it's impacting how he conducts the presidency or how his administration is working on 21st Century ideas. In fact, I'd wager Biden might be the most forward-thinking president we've had in a long time.

But when the narrative continues to be that Biden is old, that diminishes every good thing he's done - including signing into law the PACT Act, which Jon Stewart lobbied hard for. Was he too old then too?

If Stewart was being genuine, he would tell his viewers the truth: Biden has delivered historic wins and has had an administration that has taken the boldest steps yet on issues like climate change.

But that isn't his narrative.

He's telling his viewers, many who probably don't particularly like Biden because they're constantly told over and over again how old and out of touch he is, that this election sucks because both candidates are old. As he said, "WHAT THE FUCK ARE WE DOING?"

Well we're working to get reelected maybe the most transformative, at least in legislative accomplishments, president in the last 40+ years. There's a reason why Biden ranks 14th, even after just one term, in the greatest presidents rankings. Because he's been able to get shit done.

THAT should be the focus of our side. But too many liberals and left-leaning moderates are quick to remind us that Biden is just too old and this election is going to suck because no one wants either candidate.

And guess what? That type of mindset is exactly what drives third party support and it diminishes everything good Biden has done by making it a race about old vs old.

[betsuni]

103. Thank you.

[claudette]

102. Just more

blah, blah, blah. Not an apology. More like excuse. I don’t buy it.

[leftyladyfrommo]

114. Some times I really like Stewart and sometimes

I really don't. I am afraid that he may say things out loud that I just don't want to hear.

I don't think Biden is one bit senile but I understand why he makes some people anxious.

[SYFROYH]

115. You mean he's not acting like a paid asset of the DNC.

Last edited Wed Feb 21, 2024, 11:43 AM - Edit history (1)

And his show isn’t a long campaign commercial for Biden?

I’m shocked.

[Hermit-The-Prog]

116. In this election, one is either for democracy or against it.

[SYFROYH]

119. I'm not sure democracy means what you think it means

[Hermit-The-Prog]

120. Glad you are here to control us ignoramuses.