He also said that the danger posed by another Trump term doesn’t excuse Biden from scrutiny but “actually makes him more subject to scrutiny.”
To leftists and progressives fed up with Biden, particularly his commitment to Israel as it continues to bomb civilians in Gaza, the assessment was not just fair — it was obvious. But more centrist Democrats, including those most likely to have appended “Blue Wave” and “Resistance” labels to their social media accounts in the Trump years, were appalled at what they saw as a betrayal by one of their own.
I actually think it would have been damaging to pretend that Biden is perfect. People who can be convinced to vote one way or another aren’t blind to the flaws of the current administration, pretending that everything is rosy will switch them off and they’ll stay home.
Providing honest criticism, where warranted, of both sides and acknowledging the very real concerns around Biden is more likely to keep people engaged and informed. Despite how flawed Biden is, any sane, informed voter chooses him over Trump every time.
Which “liberals?” I thought it was funny. I guess I’m not “liberal” enough? I’m voting for Biden because I’ll do anything to stop Trump, but I’m not going to pretend he shouldn’t be mocked.
I thought it was funny too, but man is it uncomfortable knowing that it could sway people away from voting for Biden and swing the scales in favor of Trump.
It won’t, it was honest and painted Trump in a worse (and deservedly awful) light. The apologists that call the sky yellow when you can see it’s fucking blue cause much more damage by eroding public trust in the democrats.
I prefer flawed candidates that overcome their flaws so that, hopefully, we can find a less flawed candidate next time.
If Jon’s audience somehow got swayed into voting FOR Trump over some criticisms on Biden, they were never listening in the first place.
Doesn’t really matter does it? A vote is a vote.
Wish the DNC had told themselves the same before insisting which bed we lay in for another four years.
That’s a fair and comforting point. I thought Stewart was a bit heavy on criticism, but it’s not so much that I dislike the criticism, but that I’m wary it’ll lead to apathy and people not voting.
He was just as hard if not harder on Trump in the same segment, so I don’t think it would.
The problem is of the people that watch him. The majority of them would never vote for Trump in the first place. Most of them would probably vote Biden. So being hard on Trump he’s simply preaching to the choir. Being hard on Biden. He might demoralize a few from participating. It doesn’t mean he was wrong or wrong to do it. But it is a possible concern. Though the only group to actually blame for that is the Democrats.
I mean I’m still going to vote for them. Because I like the idea of still having elections even if they are highly flawed. You don’t get that sort of thing under full blown fascism.
That’s an interesting point. Jon Stewart’s job isn’t to get Biden elected. Just like Fox and MSNBC shouldn’t be their job to get their respective candidates elected. He should present things as he sees it and the people should inform themselves to select the best candidate
That’s fine, and I can respect that, but damn am I scared of another Trump administration.
Denial and scolding/belittling/abusing people for having legitimate concerns will lose a lot more people than being honest and having a sense of humor.
Yeah that’s my only concern really. I don’t want people to become apathetic and not vote. I think Stewart’s message though is probably the fairest way to prevent that though. Acknowledge that yeah, Biden is old, and he’s not as sharp as he used to be. He is by no means the ideal nor dream candidate. People are right to feel iffy about him.
But Trump means there’s really no question of who to vote for and who you should vote for. We can be honest and affirm worries about Biden while still encouraging votes for him.
Probably saw 2 people on twitter and then they just expanded and said all liberals?
So they saw both of the remaining Twitter users, makes sense
Well said and agreed 100%.
yeah I enjoyed it too, a couple of different friends mentioned it being funny I don’t know anyone that was upset about it.
probably just another article about some random vocal minority complaining
My guess is bot farms mostly. Russia, the DNC, the RNC, et al benefit in their own ways from posting their reactions all over social media. Sure some on the far left probably didn’t make it past the first commercial break, but with an election, everyone is coming out to play
Regardless, they are both way too old to be running again. I find it hard to believe these guys with one foot in the grave and an inability to speak coherently are our best bet.
It’s not hard to grasp really is it.
The ones on Twitter that are sourced in the article. This is a non story.
People complaining on Twitter, say it ain’t so.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
At one point, Stewart showed Biden — at a press conference to address a Justice Department probe that characterized him as a “well-meaning, elderly man with a poor memory” — mixing up the countries of Mexico and Egypt.
Literary icon Joyce Carol Oates, famous for her unfiltered Twitter takes, was likewise unimpressed with Stewart’s performance at the Daily Show desk, calling it “surprisingly unoriginal” in its focus on the presidential candidates’ age: “‘Both sides identical: too old,’ she tweeted, asking, “this is funny or helpful — exactly how?”
“Balance and humor return!” declared Elon Musk, who, since acquiring Twitter in 2022, has been stewing in the far-right misinformation and racist conspiracy theories that now run rampant on the barely moderated platform.
Throughout the episode, the host referenced the former president’s many criminal indictments, multiple civil rulings affirming that he committed sexual assault, and attempts to undermine the democratic process — while noting Biden had none of these issues as a candidate.
In his long absence from the flagship Comedy Central talk show, it’s possible that part of his audience chose to remember him more as a prime hater of President George W. Bush — especially during the Iraq War — or a true-blue counterweight to the rabid Fox News-style neoconservatism lampooned in The Colbert Report.
It’s already clear that his skewering Trump as incoherent, clownish and dangerously unsuited to the highest office in the land is not enough to placate this voting bloc, which would do well to realize that Stewart’s job has never been to favor, endorse, or champion a particular candidate: he’s there now to vent a collective frustration with a pair of unpopular politicians and rattle the system that has once again put them forward as our two best options.
The original article contains 1,004 words, the summary contains 293 words. Saved 71%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
Our candidate is so far from what voters want that we run articles about how great the economy is and how much awesome shit he got through to try to convince voters because the alternative is a nightmare. Someone just came in and said the things that we’ve been deliberately ignoring. Oh noez! DAMAGE CONTROL. DAMAGE CONTROL. DAMAGE CONTROL.
As a Canadian, I was laughing my ass off
has anyone listened to jon stewart’s political takes when he wasn’t reading them off a teleprompter? remember, when colbert had his capitol rally to make a point about what (the republicans in) congress was doing, stewart joined in with his rally watering down the impact of the initial rally because he thought colbert was doing a giant bit.
jon stewart has generally had terrible political takes. it’s just that during his heyday it was the no drama obama years and there generally wasn’t anything to both sides on the democratic side so liberals didn’t hear him badly try to equivocate the two parties.
then again I’ve never watched the daily show, even the kilborne years so what do I know.
I think your memory of how that rally evolved is deeply flawed. Colbert was always in character… He announced his rally as the march to keep fear alive.
He was right on all points.
But people obviously missed the point he made about the choice is still between a old Biden or old lunatic. So it’s not some 50/50 both sides bullshit
in a way, I wonder if JS was egging the mainstream media on to highlight the difference themselves, to distinguish a key difference - one’s an imperfect solution, the other is a deranged tyrant criminal. Yeah, do the math.
Stop trying to make a story of this.
The old adage says “progressives need to fall in love; conservatives need to fall in line.”
It means conservatives and their focus on loyalty means they neither express or accept any criticism of their party’s leadership. Progressives, though, always exist in that sea of doubt and always need to be convinced of the validity of their candidate because they’re always reassessing.
TL;DR – this outrage over negative comments is a little too fanboy, a little too accepting for actual progressives. It’s not their way. This outrage that is being reported means there’s more conservatives learning how to be progressive and need some help. Let them in the idea that doubt is okay and not to be angry about the disloyalty.
We’ve seen what happens when a party refuses to scrutinize their own candidate. Learn that lesson part.
I’m pretty fuckin liberal and i thought it was more than due. Biden is far more competent than Trump when he’s feeling well but you can see the slips and very sudden demeanor changes coupled with what looks like instant onset exhaustion. He just crashes sometimes.
I was however a little annoyed that after almost no Israel discussion that whoever from the Economist looked directly at the camera and said Joe Biden was like the best person to have in office when it comes to Israel. The best? We could think of no one else?
Yup. When Biden is ‘on’ he’s great - passionate but not a blowhard, and sharp enough to apply his decades of political experience. But the Presidency is a really, really stressful and 24/7/365 ‘on-call’ job with landmines like “Global Thermonuclear War” and “Bipolar Great Power Competition” lurking on the field of play. Just as we recognize the value of experience and have set a minimum age limit, there needs to be a top limit as well
I have to admit the way Stewart approached the age question really hit. He pointed how old he looked and how many years older both candidates are. I so agree: I completely see Jon Stewart only wanting to do one show a week and only until November and he is years older than me. I really don’t see having the energy for president
Obama visibly aged like thirty years during his two terms, it’s rough on everyone but he showed it because he was on the younger side for Presidents
Jacinda Arden had the stomach to call it quits when she wasn’t able to meet the continuous demands, and good on her for having the self awareness and putting the country before her prestige. We need to encourage gracefully bowing out, and criticize wannabe Liches who are giving proxy votes from hospice wards as they cling to power and ego.
Yes, he’s the best person to have in office. Maybe I’m talking out of my ass from not remembering that part of the discussion but the context is the presidential race and there are really two possibilities. Of the candidate for President that have any chance of winning, Biden is clearly the best choice we could have in office
When people typically talk about the “best” person who could be in office, they don’t mean out of the candidates running in the election. They’re talking about all the possible candidates that the DNC could have put forward to run for President this time around, instead of Biden.
Yes, betrayal - because the US devolved so much into tribalism, that any critique of “their own”, no matter if justified or not, is a betrayal and taboo.
You see, our side can do no wrong and is perfect. It’s their side that’s wrong, always. We’re the good guys, and they’re the bad guys - how could Jon betray the only side that’s good, noble and completely faultless? That clearly means he’s with them and not with us, because nuance is a foreign loan word that we don’t need, and everything is black and white!
Fucking sad and depressing - glad I get to look at it from the outside, but still…
Yes, betrayal - because the US devolved so much into tribalism, that any critique of “their own”, no matter if justified or not, is a betrayal and taboo.
Just look on here whenever I post an article critiquing Biden. I get called every name in the book. Russian bot, China bot, Trumper etc
To be faaaaaiiiirrr, you do kinda only post that stuff. Mix it up a bit like me and they’ll stop calling you a Russian bot and start calling you just plain crazy
I am only disappointed because his big comeback was sold to us as a man against MAGATARDS.
Depends on the article and what it’s advocating for. Anything advocating for not voting or voting third party (unfortunately equal to not voting in the American electoral system) will get shit from me… Biden is the worst option available to us except Trump. Trump is a fucking existential crisis.
“If you don’t vote for Biden that’s a vote for Trump!”
“If you don’t vote for Trump that’s a vote for Biden!”
Yeah that’s how the 2 party system works. Until a third party is strong enough (hint: they need downticket seats) to overtake another party, voting third party is worthless.
Ah, so you understand - good.
The logic is flawed
I understand where you’re coming from, I really do. The logic isn’t flawed the system we’re working within is flawed and unjust. Voting for one of the two leading candidates is the only logical option within this system.
If you want to change the system then fuck yea - I’m with you brother… but I honestly don’t know how to accomplish that other than primarying in candidates that support RCV or proportional representation… once we get to the general election you vote for whichever of the two choices is less awful. If you don’t then bad shit happens - if Trump hadn’t been elected we’d still have Roe v. Wade and that difference is fucking important in an intimate way to a lot of people’s lives.
Biden fucking sucks and I hope he’ll be our next president.
I go back to this video and still nothing has changed. It’s even worse now…
I’m not American but I can see why the left going after Biden now is not a good idea. It’s just gonna lead to a Trump win. I hate Biden, the guy has blood on his hands from his constant support of the drug war. But you should have thought of that before. Either back him now, and get a better candidate going. Or go after Biden now and lose to Trump. And then you’ll get nothing done.
Biden should never have been the Democrats pick, Clinton either, but it’s too late for all that now.
what happened to “it’s ok if bernie doesn’t win you just gotta vote for biden and push him left when he’s in office” because this is not that.
The Inflation Reduction Act did turn out to be the most leftist climate policy in history, and it was so potent that it forced European countries to adopt similar policies too. That’s probably the best example of Biden being pushed left.
Leftist means a fundamental restructuring of ownership over the economy and means of production. ‘Not destroying the planet’ is not a leftist position, it’s simply a position common among leftists because we dont want our kids to die. Shows how far the overton window has been pushed right when things like fixing bridges that are decades out of spec and trying to not kill the planet is considered leftist.
That definition of leftist is outdated, frankly. In the modern day there’s a whole lot more associated with it.
I would posit actually that the original definition is solely economic because at the time political thinkers and economists were solely men, and not interested in minorities and women’s rights.
To a republican leftism is anything they don’t like. That doesn’t make it true simply because half the country says it. That word has meaning, the overton window is being pushed to convince you it does not.
Let’s extrapolate, lets say not killing the planet is a leftist position, what’s the democrat position then? Only kill a little of the planet?
No no no. You see, Union Buster Biden actually is the progressive champion and you’re a Russian bot for saying otherwise
Tbf apparently he kept working with them after that and got them what they wanted.
Still supporting baby killers though
They lied to us. They we’re never going to let us even try to push.
It’s fucked. Life’s fucked. I’m fucked. You’re fucked. Everything’s fucked. It’s fucked to the point it can’t be unfucked. It’s completely, and thoroughly fucked.
It’s better than 1942
Until it isn’t.
He basically helped create the current atmosphere during his tenure on the daily show. It’s poetic justice I suppose.
Guess I’m not a liberal. The man is genius.
ONE-TIME FANS WHO perhaps remember comedian Jon Stewart only taking satirical swipes at conservatives while host of The Daily Show
Not a good look for an article to start with such a hot take. Anyone who thought Stewart never took aim at Democrats couldn’t have been a fan because they must have never watched his fucking show.
I would guess they know that? Stewart will likely do what he did when Hillary was running. Spend 9 months bad mouthing Biden and then wonder why the hell he didn’t win in the end, but feel sanctimonious that it couldn’t possibly be anything he did while Texas murders a few thousands migrants at the border.
So Hillary lost because of Stewart’s criticisms and not because her own team prompted trump up under the illusion that he could never win?
thank you
Of course their upset, this is post-Trump America after all! You’re not allowed to criticize both sides equally! You HAVE TO pick a side and support them fully no matter what bullshit spews out of their mouths! It’s a law now! The whole thing falls apart if we’re not all running around screaming for blood like a bunch of lunatics!
Like how you’re getting downvotes because you’re speaking the truth.
US politics is literally “democrat bad” or “republican bad”, and both are apparently immune from criticism from anybody unless you’re criticizing the opposite team. Trump and the Republican party is unquestionably fucked up for being fascists, but that shouldn’t mean we can’t scrutinize whatever the hell the Dems are doing - and what they are not doing as well. We should hold our government accountable for what they do because we’re the goddamn people.
I say this as somebody who will vote Democrat - not because I actually want Biden, but because I don’t want Trump or a modern-day Republican as President.
Who cares? Like me, personally, I think too much is being made of the age thing for Biden (and not enough for Trump) but Jon Stewart is not some party spokesman. If he wants to go Enlightened Centrist “BOTH SIDES are too old!” for comedy he can. His job is the comedy, not the election.
Biden leaves me the fuck alone and passes good policy. He is my dream president.
He’s also just correct. Just because Trump is such a scum human doesn’t make Biden’s three star rating into a five star. It just means three stars is better than this opponent’s zero.
And it’s not like the entire show was about Biden age. Jon Stewart does have a clear preference and does find reason so skewer one side of the political spectrum more than the other but we shouldn’t expect nor even want blind allegiance
Unless we get people into office that will actually address inequality and wealth distribution nothing will get better. This interview with Gary Stevenson hits it on the head. https://youtu.be/DVvoyRpxG-A?feature=shared
