Jon Stewart Says Biden Response to Debate Flop Is ‘Becoming Trumpian’
Jon Stewart again criticized the White House for shielding President Joe Biden against questions about his mental fitness on the part-time Daily Show host’s latest podcast episode.
On The Weekly Show, Stewart likened the Biden administration’s “deceit” to that of the Trump White House, calling out their “omertà” — or code of silence — over Biden’s alleged health issues and his steadfast refusal to bow out of the presidential race.
“If we are taking an honest look at what our best chance to defend ourselves against a perceived threat. I think we are selling ourselves short,” Stewart said. “Even if Joe Biden came out and said, ‘Look, I understand where I’m at in my lifespan and cycle and what I do, here’s how this government works.’ Rather than coming out and becoming Trumpian and saying, ‘You think someone else could hold NATO together? They could never. Only God can tell me to get out of the race.’”
(Stewart’s remark was a reference to Biden’s recent ABC News interview where the president stated, “If the Lord Almighty came down and said, ‘Joe, get out of the race,’ I’d get out of the race. The Lord Almighty’s not coming down.”)
The host added on his podcast, “What do I do with my anger at a Democratic Party that honestly has put us in this rock and a hard place position? That wasn’t honest over this past year about what was happening internally at the White House. Was not in any way preparing the public for Kamala Harris. Wasn’t doing any of that. I don’t know if it’s complacency or deceit or whatever it was, but a Democratic Party that missed all of the threats that were coming their way and has left us vulnerable here.”
Earlier this week on The Daily Show, Stewart called out the White House’s “blatant bullshit” in the aftermath of Biden’s bumbling performance at the first 2024 presidential debate, and argued to “stress test this candidacy.”
“I am in no way saying Biden’s got to drop out,” he said, before asking, “Can we open up the conversation? Do you understand the opportunity here? Do you have any idea how thirsty Americans are for any hint of inspiration or leadership, and a release from this choice of a megalomaniac and a suffocating gerontocracy?”
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