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Jon Stewart criticize Joe Biden and the White House’s response to ongoing concerns about the president’s mental health and candidacy.
return The Daily Show On Monday night, Stewart played clips of Biden struggling to find words as he tried to reassure voters after his dismal June 27 debate performance, and showed clips of various excuses (some of which have been debunked) Biden supporters made to explain the president’s performance.
“For a campaign built on honesty and integrity, the pitch for the debates seemed like bald-faced bullshit, and the redemption tour wasn’t much better,” Stewart said. “We were told that the threat posed by Trump was so great, and the stakes so high, that even raising these absolutely legitimate concerns about the president’s ability to do the most powerful job the world has ever seen for the next four years would fuel fascism. Yet even the president didn’t seem particularly alarmed.”
Stewart then played a clip of ABC News’ George Stephanopoulos asking Biden how he would feel if he stayed in the race and Donald Trump won in November. The president responded, “As long as I give it my all and do the best job I can, that’s my purpose.”
“That’s not the point!” Stewart yelled. “The ultimate democracy has no participation trophies.”
Stewart noted that some Biden supporters have said everyone should support the candidate because millions voted for him in the primary. The moderator noted that this was before the debates dramatically changed voters’ views on Biden’s health.
“Authoritarianism and Donald Trump aren’t the only threats facing our democracy,” he said. “A rigid status quo, unable or unwilling to respond in any way to the concerns of voters who have just received urgent new information about the candidates, also undermines confidence and trust in the government’s border system. Let’s be honest, ‘In or shut up’ isn’t a particularly persuasive pro-democracy bumper sticker.”
Still, Stewart made it clear he was not calling for Biden to withdraw. But he did suggest a path forward, which would be an open convention in Chicago where challengers could face off against Biden and compete for delegates.
“I’m by no means saying Biden has to drop out,” he said, “but can we stress-test this campaign? Can we have a conversation? Do you understand the opportunity here? Do you understand how desperately Americans are for any inspiration or leadership and a break from this megalomaniacal and stifling gerontocracy of choice? … Anyone who wants (can) sell how to make democracy more responsive to the people it’s supposed to serve (at the convention) … The winner can move on to the next round to face Biden … (or) can ignore any glaring weaknesses in your team’s existential fight for freedom and democracy and just keep chugging along until November.”
Stewart concluded by showing a video of Biden being asked at a news conference if there were any other Democrats who could beat Trump, to which the president quipped, “Only 50.”
This performance is Stewart’s first The Daily Show He has not been seen since Biden went live directly after the debate last month.
Biden earlier on Monday pushed back against Democratic calls for him to drop out of the presidential race by writing a strongly worded letter asking Congress to back him up, saying any further opposition would only hurt the party’s chances of defeating Donald Trump in November.
“I want you to know that, despite all the speculation in the media and elsewhere, I am steadfastly committed to staying in this race, seeing it through to the end, and defeating Donald Trump,” Biden wrote in the letter. “The question of how to move forward has been discussed for over a week. Now is the time to end it. We have but one mission. And that is to defeat Donald Trump. There are 42 days until the Democratic National Convention and 119 days until the election. Any weakening of resolve or lack of clarity about the mission ahead will only help Trump and hurt us. Now is the time to come together and move forward as a unified party to defeat Donald Trump.”
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